The Transportation Department has hit Spirit Airways with a record $375,000 fine for failing to comply with rules governing denied boarding compensation, fare advertising, baggage liability and other consumer protection requirements, the agency announced this morning.
SPIRIT AIRLINES
Heather Harvey is the manager of customer relations at Spirit Airlines. A few days ago, she posted an interesting comment on my site, saying that she had been “tasked with turning our customer perception around.” Spirit gets more than its fair share of complaints, so I wanted to give her an opportunity to explain. Here’s our interview.
It turns out your nonrefundable ticket isn’t entirely nonrefundable, after all. Taxes and government fees, which until now have disappeared into a void — and many believe, are simply pocketed by airlines — can be returned.
When David Ennis checked in for a recent Spirit Airlines flight from Detroit to Fort Myers, Fla., an agent told him the flight was oversold. When he tried to fly the next day, Spirit told him he was a “no show” for his flight and was holding a worthless ticket. Here we go again.
That’s the question Donna Passentino and Yaakov Sheinfeld must be asking themselves about Spirit Airlines this morning. How is it possible for an airline with a truly awful reputation for customer service to do the right thing? And it leaves me wondering if their experiences signal some kind of turning point in Miramar.
Christina Stansbury’s fiance is headed to Las Vegas with his best man for a bachelor party. Or are they? When they get to the airport, it turns out their airline has stopped flying to Sin City, and now their online agency is balking at a refund. Can this trip be saved?
It might be an understatement to say Spirit Airlines isn’t in danger of winning any customer service awards. But occasionally, it does right by its passengers.
You’ve probably heard about Spirit Airlines’ crackpot seat reservation fee. But there appears to be more — much more — awaiting the unsuspecting passenger.
Although Spirit Airlines denies reports that it’s on the verge of making massive cutbacks, there’s evidence the no-frills discount carrier is quietly dismantling its customer service department. And the worst may be yet to come.
On a nonstop flight to Las Vegas, Spirit Airlines loses Michael Germano’s checked luggage. He files a missing luggage report and a lost luggage claim, but the airline is ignoring his requests for compensation. What’s going on, and how can Germano get Spirit to respond?
Spirit Airlines is one of the most complained-about airlines flying today. In an effort to be come what it calls an “ultra low cost” carrier, it has cut back or eliminated many of the customer service considerations that air travelers take for granted. Put differently, you should take nothing for granted when you fly Spirit.
