Frontier & Spirit Airlines merging...

[bjcheung77]

Oh, so they're trying to take on Southwest (and probably get a little bit more market share against the Big 3) too I guess...  On paper, they get to "save" cash and have a more streamlined operations.  I don't think they can drop the pricing any more competitive than it is right now with several low cost carriers at bay...

Link: Spirit and Frontier Airlines Are Merging—Here's What That Means for Travelers (msn.com)

[jsd]

The two worst airlines coming together as one... What could go wrong?

[LevelUP]

This merger has been brewing for years as Frontier before asked Spirit Airlines to buy them out.

They both fly exactly the same planes so the merger makes sense.

Southwest could buy Alaska Airlines as Alaska Airlines mostly flies Boeing planes.

The two worst airlines coming together as one... What could go wrong?

They are ultra-low-cost carriers.  These are for people that bring an empty bottle through TSA, then fill it up with free fountain water so they don't have to pay $5 for a bottle of water.

Oh, the joy of feeling so superior to others when you purchase the "Big Seat" upgrade. lol

[jsd]

hey, i'm cheap (one of the reasons I'm here on these forums!)... I'm not above flying one of these carriers. But I still don't like them

[LevelUP]

hey, i'm cheap (one of the reasons I'm here on these forums!)... I'm not above flying one of these carriers. But I still don't like them

For me, I will pay more to fly non-stop.  That's what I care about most.  

I don't see any luxury in sitting in a cramped seat on any airline regardless if I get an extra 2-4" of legroom.

By the time you pay extra for a carry-on bag, Spirit Airlines can be similar to the cost of other airlines.

[bjcheung77]

hey, i'm cheap (one of the reasons I'm here on these forums!)... I'm not above flying one of these carriers. But I still don't like them

LOL, we're not cheap, we're just frugal... I guess I just want a deal and looking to see if they can cause a drop in airfare for other airlines I fly on.

For me, I will pay more to fly non-stop.  That's what I care about most.  

I don't see any luxury in sitting in a cramped seat on any airline regardless if I get an extra 2-4" of legroom.

By the time you pay extra for a carry-on bag, Spirit Airlines can be similar to the cost of other airlines.

Yes, non-stop is what I truly love, even on a no-frills low cost carrier... I just hate wasting time.
Low cost carriers survive by taking extra fees and that's their bread and butter really...
They attract potential customers on the fare, and upsell their add-ons <rant and rumble>

[dfrecore]

I'm definitely frugal (ie cheap), you can ask my family. BUT, you get nickel and dimed to death on Spirit/Frontier. That initial cost of your flight is just the beginning - that's the price for walking onto the plane. You want a seat (you HAVE to have one), that's an additional fee. You want a row or aisle seat, extra fee. You want to sit next to your family, fee. You want to bring a suitcase, fee. By the time you've added just a couple of things, you're paying the same price as the other airlines. It's ridiculous.

I prefer to just know the price up front.

[SteveFoerster]

If I'm just going somewhere for s day or two and can fit everything I need in a backpack so I don't have to pay for a carryon, then I don't have any problem flying Spirit.

[natshar]

I'm definitely frugal (ie cheap), you can ask my family.  BUT, you get nickel and dimed to death on Spirit/Frontier.  That initial cost of your flight is just the beginning - that's the price for walking onto the plane.  You want a seat (you HAVE to have one), that's an additional fee.  You want a row or aisle seat, extra fee. You want to sit next to your family, fee.  You want to bring a suitcase, fee.  By the time you've added just a couple of things, you're paying the same price as the other airlines.  It's ridiculous.

I prefer to just know the price up front.

You don't have to pay for seats, they just make it seem like you do. When I flew Spirit I always clicked the (rather small and not obvious) button that says "continue without selecting seats" or something similar like that. Then randomly selects a seat for you with no choice and every time it was always a middle seat for me. Which is fine since it was just me, I guess if you are a family with kids this wouldn't be ideal and makes sense to pay. Also I always used a backpack as my free under seat item since it would usually be technically larger than the measurement but they wouldn't measure it cause it was on my back and it is squishy so still fits under the seat anyway.

[LevelUP]

Who needs any bags?  There's no limit on how many layers of clothes you can wear. lol