Can You Make SPIRIT AIRLINES GOOD?!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ค. 2024
- INSTAGRAM: @PatrickFliesPlanes
Spirit’s Big Front Seats have intrigued me for quite a while. They seem to be a way to solve Spirit’s infamously bad reputation. Toady I finally got to decide for myself if it is all it’s chopped up to be. Let me know your thoughts below!
And for those of you who read the description: What is your favorite Ultra Low Cost Carrier?
Airline: Spirit Airlines
Aircraft: A320-271N
Registration: N954NK
Flight Number: NK727
Flight Time: 5h 40m
Flight Date: Mar 15, 2024
Cost: $325
0:00 Intro
0:38 Terminal B
4:16 Boarding
5:56 SEAT
9:00 What is an ULCC?
11:36 EWR Departure
13:24 ENTERTAINMENT
14:32 FOOD!
15:42 Competition??
16:57 FOOD AGAIN!
17:41 COST
19:52 OAK Arrival
20:18 Final Thoughts
Another as smooth as silk review by Mr Shea. Concise, informative and, best of all, no BS - love it. There's something about his voice and accent that I like too 😂. 7:17 Yay...clean sneakers!🥰
Love flying Spirit,never had any problems,I was very impressed,
I would add...don't fly Spirit if you can't handle a significant travel disruption. They don't have the schedule to get you re-booked in a reasonably timely manner. You may be waiting days for another flight. Also, average fleet age is probably the most over-rated statistic I know of. It's all about the maintenance, not the age. A well maintained 30 year old aircraft with a fresh interior can be perfectly enjoyable. There are so many options on the New York to SFO routes, Spirit wouldn't even be on my radar.
"average fleet age" overrated statistic. Lol. It definitely does matter! Well maintained =! good hard product. Ofc you can't compare a ULCC with a legacy but within a legacy there is a difference in the aircraft you fly. Some airliners don't even bother overhauling the interior like in the UA, 739 I flew a few days back. It was a flashback to the 2000s.
Totally agree. That’s the biggest problem in my book. I can do with fees and planning ahead, but the lack of help when things go wrong is frustrating
@@dfonseka2120 UA is actively updating their fleet. While taking longer than they should, they're still getting it renovated
Americans only complain about Spirit because you don't have Ryanair for comparison! A few years ago, I flew with Spirit from Las Vegas to San Diego, then San Diego to Houston. I paid for big front seats and checked baggage on both flights, and still paid considerably less than the legacy carriers wanted for the same routes. And yes, I had a great couple of flights!
Totally agree. Especially on those shorter flights, as long as you know what you’re getting, Spirit is a great way to go
You do great and comprehensive reviews , we like how you detail the terminals, thanks for your videos, cheers 🍻.
Thanks! I appreciate it!
Agreed. It’s not all about look at me, it’s about the product. Well done.😊
I've flown Spirit a few times, and if you go in with the right (i.e. low) set of expectations you won't be disappointed. You have to always bear in mind that after all the unavoidable add-on fees you won't be paying much less than a legacy carrier. What makes me go out of the way to avoid Spirit, however, is not the product but the class of people who fly them. Every Spirit flight I've taken was full of loud, obnoxious and disrespectful passengers who don't know how to behave in public.
Yep, that's the sad part and why I won't fly them. They have a well-deserved reputation.
Same as Ryanair then.
Spirit is a great way to go as long as you know what you’re getting and things go as planned. Their ability to re-accommodate passengers is one of the worst in the business unfortunately. For those who can, the extra cost for a legacy carrier is worth it
Yup, it’s not just the product that stops me using low cost airlines, it’s the passengers. 😂😂
If you're flying alone, legacy is generally the better option, assuming the total price is within 25%.
However, when my 3 kids were younger, we flew the heck out of Spirit. We knew the game and we played it well:
1 single checked bag for the family. Anything heavy went in the under-seat backpack to keep under 40 pounds. No carry ons...backpack only. Kids would often wear layers of clothing if required....
Family fully fed and watered pre-flight.
Zero additional purchases allowed.
This allowed a family of 5 to fly numerous times per year for long weekend vacations for a price that far less than a quarter the cost of a day at Disneyland.
Diss them all you want, but it's great that they're around....over the past 20 years, I've saved literally 10s of thousands over the cost of legacy airlines.....and/or was able to go on adventures that couldn't otherwise be financially justified on legacies.
That’s awesome. If you can do it right, it’s a great option. Honestly I think people go into the experience expecting too much from them. With the right expectations and planning, an airline like Spirit is an incredible thing to have around
For a transcon, the competition is so fierce between the NYC area and the Bay Area among full-service carriers that you can score an economy seat for under $150 w/ a free carryon and a wider selection of buy-on-board meals. And charging ports LOL! But as you pointed out, Spirit is great for short/quick hops and/or trips where you don't need additional luggage. That's where it shines, and I've taken advantage of that a couple of times!
Totally! The trans-con service on Spirit is tough. Hard to justify imo
I've flown with Spirit from the midwest to Vegas or the west coast for the past several years with no issues, (I probably just jinxed myself). I always book the "Big Front" seat for either the same cost or cheaper than a regular seat on either United or Southwest. Even though the larger seat is a water downed version of a "1st class seat" I'm Ok without the extra frills and at least get the comfort of the larger seat.
For domestic first class, by far, the biggest perk is the seat, which is why European regional business class is just not worth it at all. Having flown Frontier and not being impressed, I'm not surprised they'd copy that of all things.
I still like bags included and while you could still save money by prepaying for them, I don't always know how many bags I'll need when I book the trip. I figure it out when I'm packing and then it's so expensive on ULCC. If you're only going on a short trip, it's probably easier, though, but that's not really the way I travel. I go on infrequent but long trips and then once I get there, go on side trips. My last trip was two days shy of a month. The last trip I went on before that was 5.5 years before but it was also almost a month
Totally. Especially on those shorter flights it’s a great way to go
I have thought of taking Spirit MANY MANY MANY times but can never get myself to do it. I am ExP on AA, so the price usually ends up being around the same. That said, we do need Spirit airlines to continue to exist. They are the reason why the big carriers have not gone crazy on the ticket prices.
Agreed. The 6 big US carriers conjoined into 3 have ruined air travel. Shitty airlines like ValuJet, America West, Frontier, Southwest, Allegiant and Spirit have somehow kept their relative shittiness in check. Every AA First Class flight is different. With Spirit, at least you expect a shit experience
Spirit’s competition is great to have and honestly, if you can plan ahead and do it right, it’s not terrible. But for a little more you can get everything standard with a “full fare” carrier
Thank you Patrick for your analysis of this flight. Hahaha😅, you and I are apart of the industry. For all those passengers on this flight, you and I understand why some or certain would want to fly on Spirit. And that is fine! I would not fly on Spirit especially long-haul flights and that is the same for Southwest. But there are a market of people for those airlines!! Again, that is fine. For me, I have worked and prefer traveling on wide-body aircraft on long-haul flights. I want the service that my airline points memberships give me!!😊😊 I continue to wantvto go to the lounge before and after flights. And the hot towel and meal service.😊 Now, narrow body JetBlus out of New York to London or Paris in the Mint Class I will try only if I am seeing family in New York fir a few days and then decide to fly a narrow body eastward.😊😅 And then west way a 757 from Los Angeles to Hawaii for that narrow body I don't mind flying.😊 So, again, thank for sharing this flight but not for me!!😊😊Hahaha!😅
I used to take Spirit regularly back when the Big Front Seat upgrade was only $50-60. I noticed this fee increase quite a bit after the pandemic. It's not worth it to me now I'd rather fight domestic first class.
As a frequent Ryanair flyer in Europe, I think they’ve mastered the ultra low cost model. Most of their flights are 1-3 hours with max being 4.5 from Dublin. No real need for IFE although I think wifi would be a great addition. But they did have a brief partnership with a company providing cell service inflight around 12 years ago. Anyway, imho Ryanair beats Spirit!
Great review as always 👌🏼
I do like Ryanair. Spirit’s biggest fall is their customer service, and I don’t have any experience with Ryanair’s customer service. On board product is worth it if you know what you’re paying for
I think what sets you apart, Patrick, is that you minimize subjectivity, that is, you don't present your opinions but facts, and let the viewers make their own opinions. That's very rare. I don't know any other aviation reviewer who sticks to the facts as scrupulously as you. Kudos.
Thanks man! I appreciate it!
Thanks Patrick. I fly us domestic all the time for work. The major carriers aren’t great but this is even worse. Still refuse to fly this airline. Thanks as always!
Sometimes even with all the fancy upgrades and checked/carry-on bag fees, ULLCs can be cheaper than mainline. I was looking into fall break trips for RDU-DEN. With United, it was $400+ RT BASIC economy. On Frontier, with checked bag and their equivalent to the Big Seat, was $260 RT. I didn’t end up making the trip but I was very tempted.
I’m headed to Vegas from Columbus, oh April 16 and I got the big front seat for $320 round trip. First time flying spirit, but they were the only nonstop flight in my date and time slot so I’ll see what it’s like.
That should be worth it as long as you charge devices and bring snacks
What's the seat number and did you sleep on the plane, if so, how many hours, even though it's a 6 hour medium haul flight?
Good to know I'm flying spirit in a few weeks time from MCO-LGA big front seat with my baby to hold
As someone based out of FLL, I love spirit. They are so convenient and I rarely have issues
Great! When there isn’t delays/cancellations I’ve got no problems. You get what you pay for, so it’s not bad if your expectations aren’t too high. The problem is mostly with thei customer service and the ability to be re-accommodated when things happen
@@PatrickSheaAviation I get that. I guess I just go in with zero expectations but I also understand how much stress their customer service reps get. All the online hate must put some real pressure on them
Great video as always Patrick . I would spend the money to avoid Spirit . But I can't afford to fly anywhere right now . I love watching the world of aviation from afar . Kind of think Spirit would charge extra if there was a good brawl onboard . Can't be giving out that out for free !
Ha! Gotta pay extra for that type of entertainment 😂
No frills. When I take spirit I try to do a nonstop 1 way anything else means I'm choosing violence😂. Also I completely agree the crews are amazing
I live in Mexico and I use an ULCC (VivaAerobus) for domestic flights from MEX-GDL and MID. Even after paying for bags and seat selection, I save a great deal over Aeromexico. For the 1.5-2 hour direct flights, Viva works great. But for longer flights back into the US, it’s worth it to pay more to go with Aeromexico which has meal service, IFE’s, etc..
Totally agree. As long as you know what you’re getting on board then it’s not the end of the world. Long flights kinda suck though. 6 hours was pushin it
Transiting from Terminal C to Terminal B at Newark is very fast and easy. You walk downstairs to a bus that takes 5 minutes and requires no security check. The transit from B to C requires riding the Air train, walking a mile, and going through security. This takes at least an hour.
Yea, but that doesn’t work if you’re changing airlines. The New York airports seem to suffer that similar problem unfortunately
You are much more adventurous than me. I avoid budget airlines at all costs. However, you made Spirit look doable…..in the big seat that is. I could never fit in their coach seats. However, I’d still probably find a United seat with a lie flat seat instead.
Spirit with the big comfy seat is my favorite way to travel
Expensive carry-on and one baggage. Big front seat is just big eco seat. I rather fly regular airlines over than Spirits or Frontiers. Great video
I don’t think you should say that “We all know Spirit Airlines” as I’m from the UK and I follow you, but I never knew of this Airline until now... Remember you have International Subscribers too👍😀
If your regular spirit customer then a spirit credit card is a must .. you'll get a 25%discount on food and baggage fees
I used to fly Spirit when they were just a LCC, not the ULCC airline they are now. The big seat up front was a steal, now, forget it, it's just not worth the hassle.
It’s tough, but if you go in with the right expectations it can be alright at least 🤷♂️
I had no idea there was a "first class" ahah -- excellent review as usual!
Thanks man. “First class” for sure lol
Background music is a little loud, otherwise excellent video as always from you. 9.850 (I've never considered flying with Spirit, and this video solidifies that even further!)
Bro, that was the exact opposite of “first class “ 😅I’d hate to see cattle class. Thanks for TOFTT 😊
lol… with spirit you get what you can 😂
I wouldn't mind flying with Spirit.You get what you pay for.I have spent a lot more for a better service on a classic and famous airlines that they didn't worth it.
I have flown Spirit several times and found out one thing. If you KNOW what you are getting and familiar with what they offer, half of your battle is won. Just KNOW what to expect.
Totally agree. Although my biggest gripe is their customer service. If things go right, it’s a great experience. Otherwise, you’re kinda left on your iwn
@@PatrickSheaAviation According to my logs I have flown Spirit about 12 times and each time everything went okay. So I have not been baptized by fire.
$92 for a 6 hour flight to Oakland is super cheap, but not a good airline. In comparison, in July of 2022, I flew Cebu Pacific from Kuala Lumpur to Manila for 3 and a half hour flight, it's $80, it's super cheap and it's a great airline. Cebu Pacifc is a low cost airline in the Philippines and it's the only option to fly, it's the cheapest sometimes and I would like to fly again.
7:25, When I flew a 26 year old United, 737-800 (N26226) last Tuesday from San Francisco to Seattle, I was sitting in the middle seat in economy class and I felt cramped, the seat is very narrow, less than 17 and a half inches to 17 inches of seat width, not enough shoulder room to share with my seatmate and I felt almost uncomfortable, but I did sleep on the plane for 1 hour and it's okay, the old in flight entertainment TV is a little dated, but outdated, it needs a refurbished and the entertainment box is annoying because it reduces the legroom space.
Yea those old 737s can be tight…. Not as tight as Spirit though!
Really? No way, I see.
At 1:37, I noticed how enthusiastically it says on the self-check-in kiosk screen - "Add it here or pay more at the gate!" 🤣 Complete with an exclamation mark at the end.
Also, "Closest thing you'll get is a Waffle House" - you sure one doesn't have to pay for that also? ;)
Ha! The amount of fights over bag fees, they gotta put it all over the place
@@PatrickSheaAviationHaha yep, good point.
Did you bring a carry on bag on this flight? If not, that’s why the highest you could get was boarding group 2. Group 1 is reserved for those who bought carry on bags so the gate staff can easily distinguish who paid
And who didn’t if they bring a carry on bag.
Totally get that. I just feel like if you’re paying for premium boarding, group 1 is fair enough 🤷♂️
By the way Group 1 boarding on United Airlines meant Star Alliance Gold members from either United Airlines or non-us-based like Royal Orchid Plus TG and SQ Krisflyer. My brother's friend's parents flew Spirit Airlines ATL-EWR the problem for them is that they had to pay for luggage. Regarding the big front seat the same model seen on United Airlines has a TV screen on it. How did you like EWR Patrick? For me I have been to the original Terminal A the food court is outside of the TSA. In East Asia you are looking at Philippine Airlines for a Full Service carrier to have the same legroom as this one in Fiesta class so is the low cost carriers Cebu Pacific Scoot Jin Air and Air Asia. Speaking of the Legacy carriers United American and Delta peacock is built into them which means if you have NBC The Voice app you can watch the whole episode on the plane. If you had a seat mate with you he or she might complain why are you playing along. In the case of snacks at Newark Airport you need to pay the 6.625 sales tax JFK Airport hits you harder 8.875 tax. First group in Alaska Airlines are the One World emerald and sapphire tier
EWR just kinda sucks. I still appreciate the terminal upgrades, but the delays and congestion is just a hard thing to fix
👍👍👍👍👍
I've done this on Spirit; but when you add everything up, discounted First Class on other airlines, can and is cheaper, & comes with more benefits.
Domestic First Class (DL, AA, UA) gets you two checked bags (70 LBS) and a carrier one. Also, the seats recline, express TSA screening, possible paid lounge access, inflight meal & drinks, pre-boarding, express bag delivery, etc.
Yea it’s about $200 more for a full fare carrier’s domestic first, but with everything included I’d spring for that if I really wanted more than economy
@@PatrickSheaAviation Plus if anything goes wrong, FC fliers are taken care of!
I've never flown Spirit but I'm impressed that they have a sort of premium class! NO inflight entertainment???? NO charging ports?? NO THANKS!!! I prefer the prestige airlines. BTW, you say "we" a lot. Do you travel with someone else?
Cuz it's a low fare airline they don't have to
I do sometimes. The “we” is usually just me and the “viewer”. Spirit is great at what they do, but definitely not worth the cheap fares for some
People complain about spirit so much but it's a LOW FARE airline! You get what you pay for, you want better do better simple as that yet people brag about this and that without doing proper research, i work near the spirit gates and i see this all day long. What are you excepting out of a less than 50 bucks flight from san diego to LA?
I totally hear you. It’s great if you realize what you’re paying for. Tbh my biggest gripe is just the customer service. I’ll suffer with narrow seats and all, but I’ve been screwed out of money or had plans change just due to the difficulty getting help when things go wrong
Hi 👋🏻
so many 'worst' elements off the bat - this BIG seat branding is an unfortunate choice (almost condescending TBH) this neo is 2 years old?? why do the seats look a bit worn (maybe just me) the strong wi-fi was a nice surprise. end of day: 'yes, kind of' is not exactly a 'most def' tho is it ; ) here in Canada, i'd fly Porter over AC if wanting to do it cheap(er) and from YYZ to YYC or to YVR the 4 or 5 hr leg can sometimes be worth nickel and diming it
What class does Southwest fall under?
Their own category pretty much. But they are a LCC that charges full service prices.
Maybe use on shorter travels. Not sure on the 6 hr route.
Yea… 6 hours was tough
Who flies United/ Frontier
👇
And I thought frontier economy legroom was bad😅
Technically they are tied. Equally as shitty 🤷♂️
Sky ghetto
Is sleeping free? 🤣
‘We all know Spirit Airlines’. Ummmno ‘we’ don’t unless 100% of your viewers are in the U.S.
Soooo you’re the only one living under a rock. Got it.
Ha. Waffle House.
Ha! Glad someone caught that one 😂
I like waffle House. We don't have them in California
I know. I had them all over when I lived in the Midwest!
@@PatrickSheaAviation I lived in Tennessee for a couple of years. That's how I discovered them
way too cramped for 6 hours. absolutely not. single aisle aircrafts are the worst.
Indeed! I prefer two aisles anytime.
I do love the widebodies, but these transcon domestic flights are almost always these types of planes unless you’re flying between hubs
I'd prefer a full fare airline economy 😉 standard seat💺🧳that comes with free snacks 🥨🧆
Definitely has its perks for sure