Low-cost airlines have a niche serving markets where large carriers won't readily fly.
Low-cost airlines show how air travel is now a no-frills customer experience. You get where you're going, safely, but don't expect extras - unless you want to pay.
And, low-cost airlines prove you cannot have both price and a premium experience.
I just traveled Spirit Airlines round trip from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The Airbus A-319 was new and clean as Spirit Air claims to have the youngest fleet in the U.S.
Seats
The seats were comfortable but with our infant grand-daughter traveling on our lap, my bottom and my wife's bottom got quite sore on the 4 1/2 hour flight. They didn't recline more than two inches making it difficult to sleep on the overnight flight we took going. The headrest did have a built-in pillow to keep your head relaxed but it could have leaned back further without cutting into the leg room of the passenger behind.
Snacks and Drinks
This is where you see the major changes in service. I'll have to go back and check what we paid for our tickets. They were low-cost but we could have gotten similar prices on major airlines when we purchased through Orbitz. You pay $6 for mixed drinks and $5 for beer. Okay. No problem since I rarely drink and my wife never drinks. When she does she shivers . . . alright, enough of that.
But you also pay . . . $1 for soda. And, soon, you'll be paying for bottled water according to the flight attendant.
Food? Do you like chips? Are you willing to pay for chip-style snacks?
The days of being pampered on an airline have flown right out the window faster than a Concorde.
Flight Attendants - People "Touching" the Customers
There were 3 flight attendants and they were kept busy during the flight.
Did you know flight attendants are not paid when the airplane is sitting on the tarmac? A friend told this to me and one of the Spirit Airlines flight attendants told us the same thing. He said the flight attendants even get charged for luggage just like the regular customers.
I thought to myself, "is it a labor of love to be a flight attendant?"
The Little Things
On the evening flight back to L.A., the pilot never came on the intercom to say "hi" or converse with the passengers. Not even shortly after takeoff to give the cruising altitude and our flight path. Since I don't fly often, maybe this is an extra that the pilots no longer provide.
But we did check a stroller through both ways and the people who brought the stroller to the jetway were helpful and considerate.
Tips (and Questions) for You
What is your business model? Spirit Airlines reminds me of BMI in Great Britain which we flew from London to Brussells in 2005. You get there safely but you're a paying customer and you're paying for a safe flight.
Do you say you'll offer a premium service for your clients? If so, can you afford to do so?
Do you offer a low-cost experience for your customers? If so, are they expecting this?
How do your employees who interact the most with the customers feel about their employment and positions? How are they motivated to offer excellent service?
The experience you offer to your customers does matter in your pricing structure and their expectations.
Do you want an Apple iPhone? Then you'll pay for the experience and the cost to support the technology and service. Do you want to fly cheaply from LA to Ft. Lauderdale? Don't expect the luxury days of air travel.
Overall, Spirit Airlines got me there and back.
2 comments:
Honestly if you are going to write an article trashing a company you should atleast make sure that you have your information correct. The Flight Attendants are paid when they are on the tarmac, they are actually paid from thirty minutes before their report time till thirty minutes after they return from their flight, also they are not charged for tgheir luggage, just as the customers they are charged for bringing extra luggage. This just goes to show you that they are not trying to screw the customer. It actually has to do with safety and managing the weight of the aircraft. In addition when you are buying your ticket at such low cost what is the big deal that you have to pay for refreshments. With the way that the industry has been they are not really making a profit on the refreshments and soon all of the airlines are going to be charging so stop being cheap. Atleast you are having a safe flight.
Thanks for your input and clarifying an important issue in air travel.
I'm really not trashing Spirit Airlines in the least . . . like I mentioned, the plane was quite new and overall comfortable.
I'm just pointing out that customers in any business can't expect to pay a low cost and yet have a silver platter experience . . . nor can a business offer a product or service at a low cost and provide too many extras or amenities.
Yes, I'll likely fly Spirit Airlines in the future . . .
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