Spirit, a no class airline
04-30-2012, 02:57 PM
#1
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Joined APC: Apr 2011
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Spirit, a no class airline
After a weekend of brutal publicity over its refusal to grant a dying Vietnam vet a $197 ticket refund because his doctor forbids him to fly, Spirit Airlines issued has a simple response:
"No."
The terse, one-word retort from company spokeswoman Misty Pinson appears to have grounded any hope that Jerry Meekins, 76, of Clearwater, Fla., might get his money back. Meekins bought the ticket to Atlantic City last month so he could see his daughter before she had surgery of her own. But when his esophageal cancer left his immune system too ravaged for travel, all the airline offered him was another ticket.
"What are they going to do?" Meekins asked the Tampa Bay Times. "Fly my casket up to Atlantic City?"
"Spirit airlines is the most ruthless, uncaring airline that shows callous disregard for its customers and, frankly, [CEO] Ben Baldanza would agree with this statement about his own airline," Kate Hanni, executive director of airline watchdog group FlyersRights.org told FoxNews.com. "They are a low-cost air carrier and all they want to do is grab those revenues at all costs. But when passengers need one ounce of customer service, forget about it!"
The airline, which has angered consumer groups with its pioneering charges for carry-on baggage and $5 fee for having a boarding pass printed at the airport, claim the no-refunds approach allows the airline to pass savings on to customers.
“At Spirit, we treat all of our customers equally and with respect,” the Fort Lauderdale-based carrier said in a statement Friday. “That means our non-refundable fares are non-refundable – for everyone.
“We are very saddened to hear about Mr. Meekins’ diagnosis and sincerely hope his health improves and that we have the opportunity to serve him again on his current ticket and many more flights.”
Other airlines have application procedures in which customers may be able to get their money back if they can show a reasonable cause. Hanni recommended Meekins file a complaint with the Depatment of Transportation.
"If someone is ill and they have a doctor’s note, airlines must refund their money," Hanni said. "That’s in every airline’s contract of carriage. Interestingly enough, remember swine flu? They don’t want sick people flying due to spread of disease. And if someone is dying, they also must refund their money."
For now, there appears to be only one way for Meekins to get his refund, and it is simply too grim to contemplate. Death before or during a scheduled flight may qualify someone for a partial refund, according to Spirit’s website. A death certificate is required as proof, although the carrier presumably relaxes the requirement for an in-flight death.
Meekins, a Vietnam veteran and former police officer, told the Tampa Bay Times that he couldn’t understand the airline’s lack of compassion.
"If they call it 'Spirit Airlines,' where is their spirit?"
"No."
The terse, one-word retort from company spokeswoman Misty Pinson appears to have grounded any hope that Jerry Meekins, 76, of Clearwater, Fla., might get his money back. Meekins bought the ticket to Atlantic City last month so he could see his daughter before she had surgery of her own. But when his esophageal cancer left his immune system too ravaged for travel, all the airline offered him was another ticket.
"What are they going to do?" Meekins asked the Tampa Bay Times. "Fly my casket up to Atlantic City?"
"Spirit airlines is the most ruthless, uncaring airline that shows callous disregard for its customers and, frankly, [CEO] Ben Baldanza would agree with this statement about his own airline," Kate Hanni, executive director of airline watchdog group FlyersRights.org told FoxNews.com. "They are a low-cost air carrier and all they want to do is grab those revenues at all costs. But when passengers need one ounce of customer service, forget about it!"
The airline, which has angered consumer groups with its pioneering charges for carry-on baggage and $5 fee for having a boarding pass printed at the airport, claim the no-refunds approach allows the airline to pass savings on to customers.
“At Spirit, we treat all of our customers equally and with respect,” the Fort Lauderdale-based carrier said in a statement Friday. “That means our non-refundable fares are non-refundable – for everyone.
“We are very saddened to hear about Mr. Meekins’ diagnosis and sincerely hope his health improves and that we have the opportunity to serve him again on his current ticket and many more flights.”
Other airlines have application procedures in which customers may be able to get their money back if they can show a reasonable cause. Hanni recommended Meekins file a complaint with the Depatment of Transportation.
"If someone is ill and they have a doctor’s note, airlines must refund their money," Hanni said. "That’s in every airline’s contract of carriage. Interestingly enough, remember swine flu? They don’t want sick people flying due to spread of disease. And if someone is dying, they also must refund their money."
For now, there appears to be only one way for Meekins to get his refund, and it is simply too grim to contemplate. Death before or during a scheduled flight may qualify someone for a partial refund, according to Spirit’s website. A death certificate is required as proof, although the carrier presumably relaxes the requirement for an in-flight death.
Meekins, a Vietnam veteran and former police officer, told the Tampa Bay Times that he couldn’t understand the airline’s lack of compassion.
"If they call it 'Spirit Airlines,' where is their spirit?"
Last edited by vagabond; 04-30-2012 at 03:25 PM. Reason: fixed formatting for easier reading
04-30-2012, 03:28 PM
#3
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Joined APC: Feb 2008
Position: Switch, Lever & Light Specialist
Posts: 1,065
You want a refund??? Buy a refundable ticket or travel insurance. It's really that simple. This customer had the option to do so and chose not to. So, while it may appear as though Spirit is being classless.....the same could be said about a customer demanding a refund on a no-refund ticket.
Look, everyone and their brother has problems. It's unfortunate this individual has received bad news (the same news we're all going to get some day); but I agree with Spirit and their policy. Want to ensure you can change your travel??? Buy a refundable ticket or purchase travel insurance....that is, unless you're too cheap to do so. If that's the case, well....guess you get what you deserve.
Look, everyone and their brother has problems. It's unfortunate this individual has received bad news (the same news we're all going to get some day); but I agree with Spirit and their policy. Want to ensure you can change your travel??? Buy a refundable ticket or purchase travel insurance....that is, unless you're too cheap to do so. If that's the case, well....guess you get what you deserve.
04-30-2012, 03:42 PM
#4
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Joined APC: Sep 2009
Position: B737 F/O
Posts: 425
Originally Posted by Cruise
You want a refund??? Buy a refundable ticket or travel insurance. It's really that simple. This customer had the option to do so and chose not to. So, while it may appear as though Spirit is being classless.....the same could be said about a customer demanding a refund on a no-refund ticket.
Look, everyone and their brother has problems. It's unfortunate this individual has received bad news (the same news we're all going to get some day); but I agree with Spirit and their policy. Want to ensure you can change your travel??? Buy a refundable ticket or purchase travel insurance....that is, unless you're too cheap to do so. If that's the case, well....guess you get what you deserve.
Look, everyone and their brother has problems. It's unfortunate this individual has received bad news (the same news we're all going to get some day); but I agree with Spirit and their policy. Want to ensure you can change your travel??? Buy a refundable ticket or purchase travel insurance....that is, unless you're too cheap to do so. If that's the case, well....guess you get what you deserve.
04-30-2012, 04:08 PM
#8
veut gagner à la loterie
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: Light Chop
Posts: 23,286
Originally Posted by gunner
Death before or during a scheduled flight may qualify someone for a partial refund, according to Spirit’s website. A death certificate is required as proof, although the carrier presumably relaxes the requirement for an in-flight death.
Originally Posted by pilotmyf
There are the 2 Spirit pilots on the board
04-30-2012, 04:32 PM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: blueJet
Posts: 4,511
Originally Posted by EMBFlyer
I feel for the guy and I understand his frustration, but on a totally unrelated note, am I the only one who hopes Kate Hanni gets run over by a SuperTug?
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