Friday, April 16, 2010

Spirit Airlines... Penny Fares but Pay for Carry-On Bags


Ultra low cost leader Spirit Airlines is lowering fares even further. Spirit today introduced PENNY PLUS fares¹ and reduced its checked bag fees exclusively for its $9 Fare Club members. The airline reduced its lowest fare by over $40 each way on average in this unprecedented move. Members of Spirit’s $9 Fare Club now pay as low as a penny plus fuel, taxes and fees for their reservation.
“Our new PENNY PLUS fares¹ are the best value in travel, and with over one million seats available, they are not hard to find!” says Barry Biffle, Spirit’s Chief Marketing Officer.
In order to continue reducing fares even further and offering customers the option of paying only for the services they want and use rather than subsidizing the choices of others, the low fare industry innovator is also progressing to the next phase of unbundling with the introduction of a charge to carry on a bag and be boarded first onto the airplane.
Members of Spirit’s $9 Fare Club who pre-reserve their carry-on bag in advance online receive a $10 discount compared to non-members and pay only $20 for their carry-on. In addition, checked bag fees for $9 Fare Club members have been reduced to $15 for domestic flights and $20 for international flights, both a $10 savings compared to non-members. The baggage discounts will be available for purchase by July 1, 2010, for travel August 1, 2010 and beyond.
“In addition to lowering fares even further, this will reduce the number of carry-on bags, which will improve inflight safety and efficiency by speeding up the boarding and deplaning process, all of which ultimately improve the overall customer experience,” says Spirit’s Chief Operating Officer Ken McKenzie. “Bring less; pay less. It’s simple.”
The new carry-on bag fee is effective for reservations purchased after April 5, 2010, for travel August 1, 2010 and beyond, and will be available for purchase on or before July 1, 2010. The fee applies to carry-ons to be placed in overhead bins and includes priority boarding in Zone 1. Personal items that fit under the seat are free.
Examples of Spirit Airlines PENNY PLUS Fares¹ Exclusive to $9 Fare Club Members and available in most non-stop markets:

Ticket
Fuel**
Taxes & Fees***
Total
Atlanta – Myrtle Beach
$12.32
$18.70
$31.03
Boston – Myrtle Beach
$27.57
$18.70
$46.28
Detroit – Fort Lauderdale
$36.49
$18.70
$55.20
Detroit – Las Vegas
$54.22
$18.70
$72.93

Spirit recently introduced its Fuel Pass Through Calculation (www.spiritair.com/howmuchismyfuel) to ensure transparency in fuel costs, making sure customers know how much of their reservation is for the fuel to cover their trip. “With Spirit’s Fuel Pass Through Calculation, we are not just the low fare leader, but now also the transparency leader,” says Biffle.
Spirit Airlines Bag Fees
(available for purchase by July 1, 2010, for travel August 1, 2010 and beyond):

DOMESTIC
$9 Fare Club Member (Online in Advance)
All Other Channels
Except at Gate
Gate Only
Personal Item°
FREE
FREE
FREE
Carry-On
$20
$30
$45
Checked (1st)
$15
$25
$45
Checked (2nd)
$15
$25
Not Available
INTERNATIONAL
$9 Fare Club Member (Online in Advance)
All Other Channels
Except at Gate
Gate Only
Personal Item°
FREE
FREE
FREE
Carry-On
$20
$30
$45
Checked (1st)
$20
$30
$45
Checked (2nd)
$20
$30
Not Available

°Personal item must fit under the seat in front of customer as space is not guaranteed in an overhead bin.
All bags purchased at gates must be paid by credit card; no cash accepted at gates.
Carry-on Personal Items (Under Seat Space):
Personal items that fit under the seat are free, such as a purse, briefcase, backpack or laptop computer. Dimensions must not exceed 16 inches by 14 inches by 12 inches. New personal item bag sizers will be available at Spirit airport locations.
Carry-on Bags (Overhead Bin Space):
Dimensions for paid carry-on bags for overhead bin space must not exceed 22 inches by 18 inches by 10 inches.
Exceptions to the carry-on bag fee are: umbrella, assistive devices, outer garments (coats, hats, wraps), camera, car seat/stroller, infant diaper bag, medicine, pet container, reading material for the flight, or food for immediate consumption.

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