I will Never Fly Spirit Airlines....

[chqflyer]

As a veteran I am sympathetic to his situation and public opinion will be on his side. If Spirit refunded his ticket they would be making themselves vulnerable to civil litigation. It would be setting a terrible precedent.

This kinda crap is part of what is so wrong with the world today. The HUMAN response should be to just give he old guy his money back and let him go die in peace. The lawyers and bean counters have everything so ********************ed up that showing any kind of human compassion or merely deviating from corporate policy can get you sued.

 

[Sherpa]

Can you transfer the name of the ticket? There could be a niche market out there for re-selling tickets if they would allow you to transfer them when you can't travel for some reason.

 

[Sig]

Can you transfer the name of the ticket? There could be a niche market out there for re-selling tickets if they would allow you to transfer them when you can't travel for some reason.

I think the Tub Stacking Authority/Too Stupid for Arby's/Toiletries and Shoes Army would throw a penalty flag immediately.

 

[Traderd]

This kinda crap is part of what is so wrong with the world today. The HUMAN response should be to just give he old guy his money back and let him go die in peace. The lawyers and bean counters have everything so ********************ed up that showing any kind of human compassion or merely deviating from corporate policy can get you sued.

I am not well versed on the legalities of providing a refund on a non-refundable ticket and there might be legtimate concerns for Sprirt in that regard.

I cannot imagine this issue will cause Spirit any harm in the market place as I guess they are used on a pure cost basis by their customers. If there were any fallout, a reduction of a few bucks on tickets in select markets would most likely ramp up demand and offset any "boycott" activity.

I'm a veteran and have spent a good number of hours in the cockpit and around tables at Veteran Hospitals with Vietnam vets. I have a bias and one hell of a soft spot for a guy like this; not to mention the young souls who have survived ground ops in our most recent wars.

If I were the CEO of Spirit Airlines, I would make arrangements to meet with this man with no publicity allowed. Once there, I would express my sympathy for his medical condition, thank him from the bottom of my heart for his service to this nation and write him my personal check to compensate him for his ticket purchase which can longer be used.

Might not be a reasonable thing to do, even outside any capacity as an officer of the corporation. I understand this might be the kind of thing that happens on a regular basis and would be difficult if not impossible for a given CEO to manage without being overwhelmed.

I still believe it would be a good and decent act, maybe worth the risk. Of course as I said, I have my bias when it comes to vets. If this were a construction worker from Peoria, I am not sure I would have the same reaction.

 

[JustaNumber]

I special ordered some car parts and ended up not needing them. 450 dollars worth. Their policy is no returns for special ordered parts.

Should they have refunded my money if I was in this persons shoes?

Spirit's situation is even more clear-cut than your example. They are selling a perishable commodity. That's what so many people are missing. You are purchasing the rights to a seat on a specific flight at a specific time. When you purchase that ticket, the airline can't sell it to someone else (beyond a small percentage of intentional overbooking). If you don't show up for the flight, it takes the same amount of gas to move that seat, which is a loss if a refund is given and nobody fills the seat.

You're not purchasing the right to travel anywhere, anytime; you are buying something that only exists for a short period of time, and if you don't use it, it can't be sold to someone else. It's like trying to return a gallon of milk after it goes bad, saying that your doctor advised you to stop drinking milk. Should the store give you a refund, now that you prevented it from being sold to someone else?

 

[T-1GUY]

Just issued a memo to my travel department. My company WILL NOT purchase travel on Spirit Air now or anytime in the future. If you can't see the PROBLEM, then you are a bigger DU$HBAG then most. 10 million veterans and their families and friends think differently of this piss poor decision....

I'm waiting for a real company to step up to the plate and offer the family free travel. Can you say Southwest ???

 

[JimNtexas]

As a vet myself I don't see this sad incident as a reason to boycott this airline. It's not like they painted a picture of Jane Fonda on the tail.

Had they made an exception in this case I'd be more likely to fly them though.

ASIDE:

No, I don't automatically pick the cheapest ticket. I prefer airlines that have some kind of humanity and at least slight nod to customer service in their operations and will pay more to avoid the more horrible rides.

For years I wouldn't fly Southwest because I didn't like their Darwinian seat selection policy. You used to have line up a week early like they were selling the new iPhone or something to avoid a middle seat, and even then you had to fight tooth and claw once the cattle gate opened while the gate agents screamed at you to hurry up.

Now that I can pay ten bucks and not have to jump into a scrum to avoid the rearmost middle seat I'm happy to fly Southwest any time.

 

[ROSWELL41]

Just issued a memo to my travel department. My company WILL NOT purchase travel on Spirit Air now or anytime in the future. If you can't see the PROBLEM, then you are a bigger DU$HBAG then most. 10 million veterans and their families and friends think differently of this piss poor decision....

I'm waiting for a real company to step up to the plate and offer the family free travel. Can you say Southwest ???

Its sad that this man is sick and we all thank him for his military service. I don't see how that has any bearing on the rest of this. Those things don't make him any more worthy of a refund than any other customer who wants to refund their non-refundable ticket. What's with all the contrived outrage? Spirit employs veterans too. So by 'helping' this man, you would advocate hurting those in Spirit's employ?

 

[landlover]

this reminds me of when delta changed their policy on waiving baggage fees for military pax. Only delta did the right thing and got a lot of good press for it. I cant see how anyone would buy a spirit ticket unless they had no other choice finically or other wise. poor service in general and almost no leg room

 

[PCL_128]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/3...licy-denies-dying-florida-man-refund-request/


Spirit Airlines you Suck... As a Veteran, I will never fly your $hitty airline. I suggest all veterans do the same...

Why do you feel that you're entitled to special treatment?

 

[J.Otto]

As a vet myself I don't see this sad incident as a reason to boycott this airline. It's not like they painted a picture of Jane Fonda on the tail.

Had they made an exception in this case I'd be more likely to fly them though.

ASIDE:

No, I don't automatically pick the cheapest ticket. I prefer airlines that have some kind of humanity and at least slight nod to customer service in their operations and will pay more to avoid the more horrible rides.

For years I wouldn't fly Southwest because I didn't like their Darwinian seat selection policy. You used to have line up a week early like they were selling the new iPhone or something to avoid a middle seat, and even then you had to fight tooth and claw once the cattle gate opened while the gate agents screamed at you to hurry up.

Now that I can pay ten bucks and not have to jump into a scrum to avoid the rearmost middle seat I'm happy to fly Southwest any time.

Kudos to you if you actually notice an appreciable difference in service or humanity. That would be hit or miss depending on how the agent/FAs days is going (usually never well). They're all about the same, hence seeking the cheapest seat...

 

[kf4amu]

Spirit's situation is even more clear-cut than your example. They are selling a perishable commodity. That's what so many people are missing. You are purchasing the rights to a seat on a specific flight at a specific time. When you purchase that ticket, the airline can't sell it to someone else (beyond a small percentage of intentional overbooking). If you don't show up for the flight, it takes the same amount of gas to move that seat, which is a loss if a refund is given and nobody fills the seat.

You're not purchasing the right to travel anywhere, anytime; you are buying something that only exists for a short period of time, and if you don't use it, it can't be sold to someone else. It's like trying to return a gallon of milk after it goes bad, saying that your doctor advised you to stop drinking milk. Should the store give you a refund, now that you prevented it from being sold to someone else?

I agree wholeheartedly. I don't understand why airlines are held to such a higher standard than the company I purchased car parts from who refused to grant me a refund because they were special ordered parts.

In addition, the Audi dealership I bought some other parts from for the same project refused to accept them in return because they were also special ordered. I tried, but it says right there on the receipt that there are NO REFUNDS ON SPECIAL ORDERED PARTS. I'm out 680 bucks because these "mean" companies won't change their policies I voluntarily agreed to and entered into contract with when I thought I needed them.

If I was a veteran, would these companies be just as evil and mean as Spirit? Not only is the dollar amount higher, but the items are not perishable as Justanumber pointed out!!

And by the way...how much of a veteran would I need to be to get this refund? 4 years in the National Guard? 30 years Marine Corpse as a drill sergeant? Special Forces? Would I need to see combat? Kill people? Be injured? I know veterans in all segments and nobody would have payed any attention to my buddy who did 4 years as a weekend warrior firefighter in the Nat Guard, although he's just as much a veteran as anyone.

As I said before, I avoid Spirit at all costs and I fly for free. God forbid I actually had to buy a ticket on their crappy airline. But this argument is so dumb, it's like blaming Obama for not voluntarily paying more taxes than he was required to because he advocates more revenue for the Federal Government.

 

[Freight Dog]

I agree wholeheartedly. I don't understand why airlines are held to such a higher standard than the company I purchased car parts from who refused to grant me a refund because they were special ordered parts.

In addition, the Audi dealership I bought some other parts from for the same project refused to accept them in return because they were also special ordered. I tried, but it says right there on the receipt that there are NO REFUNDS ON SPECIAL ORDERED PARTS. I'm out 680 bucks because these "mean" companies won't change their policies I voluntarily agreed to and entered into contract with when I thought I needed them.

If I was a veteran, would these companies be just as evil and mean as Spirit? Not only is the dollar amount higher, but the items are not perishable as Justanumber pointed out!!

And by the way...how much of a veteran would I need to be to get this refund? 4 years in the National Guard? 30 years Marine Corpse as a drill sergeant? Special Forces? Would I need to see combat? Kill people? Be injured? I know veterans in all segments and nobody would have payed any attention to my buddy who did 4 years as a weekend warrior firefighter in the Nat Guard, although he's just as much a veteran as anyone.

As I said before, I avoid Spirit at all costs and I fly for free. God forbid I actually had to buy a ticket on their crappy airline. But this argument is so dumb, it's like blaming Obama for not voluntarily paying more taxes than he was required to because he advocates more revenue for the Federal Government.

All due respect, it's not nearly as dumb as you spelling Corps with an 'e' at the end. Look up the difference between the two and you'll see why it may be offensive, especially these days.

Also, for your "edumacation" - there are no drill sergeants in the Marine CORPS. They're called Drill Instructors.

Just sayin'....

 

[filejw]

I agree wholeheartedly. I don't understand why airlines are held to such a higher standard than the company I purchased car parts from who refused to grant me a refund because they were special ordered parts.

In addition, the Audi dealership I bought some other parts from for the same project refused to accept them in return because they were also special ordered. I tried, but it says right there on the receipt that there are NO REFUNDS ON SPECIAL ORDERED PARTS. I'm out 680 bucks because these "mean" companies won't change their policies I voluntarily agreed to and entered into contract with when I thought I needed them.

If I was a veteran, would these companies be just as evil and mean as Spirit? Not only is the dollar amount higher, but the items are not perishable as Justanumber pointed out!!

And by the way...how much of a veteran would I need to be to get this refund? 4 years in the National Guard? 30 years Marine Corpse as a drill sergeant? Special Forces? Would I need to see combat? Kill people? Be injured? I know veterans in all segments and nobody would have payed any attention to my buddy who did 4 years as a weekend warrior firefighter in the Nat Guard, although he's just as much a veteran as anyone.

As I said before, I avoid Spirit at all costs and I fly for free. God forbid I actually had to buy a ticket on their crappy airline. But this argument is so dumb, it's like blaming Obama for not voluntarily paying more taxes than he was required to because he advocates more revenue for the Federal Government.

I agree and furthermore there is travel insurance you can buy for when you purchase this type ticket for just this type of event. Being a vet myself I fail to see how I am supposed to get a free ride in this kind of situation..

 

[kf4amu]

All due respect, it's not nearly as dumb as you spelling Corps with an 'e' at the end. Look up the difference between the two and you'll see why it may be offensive, especially these days.

Also, for your "edumacation" - there are no drill sergeants in the Marine CORPS. They're called Drill Instructors.

Just sayin'....

LOL fat fingers I guess...unfortunately I cant edit it, but consider me edumacated!