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Spirit to fly to MSP from ORD and LAS. $9 tix. Really?

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Jetmann

Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2003
Posts
7
Spirit Airlines launches service from Twin Cities

The Associated Press
Posted: 02/29/2012 10:20:19 AM CST
Updated: 02/29/2012 03:26:03 PM CST


MINNEAPOLIS—Discount carrier Spirit Airlines Inc. said Wednesday it will begin service from the Twin Cities to Chicago and Las Vegas in May. Spirit, based in Miramar, Fla., said it will fly out of Terminal 2, the Humphrey terminal, at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Starting May 31, the airline said it plans to offer three daily nonstop flights from the Twin Cities airport to Chicago O'Hare Airport and one daily nonstop to Las Vegas.
Spirit bills itself as an "ultra low-cost carrier." The airline charges low base fees and then extra fees for such typically free services as carry-on bags, advance seat selection and snacks. To hold down base prices, Spirit charges $28 for carry-on luggage, defined as anything that fits into an overhead compartment, the Star Tribune reported.
"We look at every penny," Spirit spokeswoman Misty Pinson said at a news conference Wednesday at Terminal 2. "We look at everything that does not affect the safety."
Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesman Patrick Hogan said airport officials have been talking with Spirit for several years about entering the Twin Cities market.
"It always takes a while to court these airlines, but we've been pretty successful," Hogan said. He said Spirit is the fourth airline since 2008 to begin service to the Twin Cities, Minnesota Public Radio News reported.
Airport officials have tried to increase competition at the Twin Cities airport, which has been criticized

for having some of the highest fares in the nation, the Star Tribune reported. Metropolitan Airports Commission Executive Director Jeffrey Hamiel said Wednesday that the Twin Cities airport is still trying to get discount carrier JetBlue to fly there. Spirit said it hopes to compete with Delta Air Lines and other carriers by offering low base ticket prices, plus fees for the services travelers choose.
"We're all about choice," Pinson said.
Pinson declined to say if Spirit is planning to expand routes from the Twin Cities beyond Chicago and Las Vegas, the Star Tribune reported. But she added, "We're always looking."
As part of its service rollout to the Twin Cities, Spirit plans to offer $9 base fares in June that will total $28.79 with fees and taxes.
 
Someone on another thread had a good point. MSP airport authority makes such a big fuss when DAL makes any reductions in flights, but at the same time they approach $9 carriers to enter the MSP market and drag down DAL's business.
 
Well MSP doesnt want to trun out like CVG or MEM. Look what delta did to those cities. I say good for MSP.
 
Is it the $9 fare or that Spirit would enter the MSP market that merits a thumbs down?
 
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As a life long MSP resident, I am disappointed. And am not sure they will do very well here. Yes, they will do well enough to not pull out, but most here will be very turned off by 50.00 carry-on bags and .005 inches of leg room. For many reasons, I wish this had been jetBlue.

But yes, we need more competition because Delta does not prioritize this market and we have the 11th highest airfares of any major market, with some important markets with NO competition at all for big Delta...

Not impressed.
 
Sorry if anyone is confused, i don't care who serves MSP, "Spirit plans to offer $9 base fares in June that will total $28.79 with fees and taxes". Obviously this is not a money making price, and is not sustainable, so as the previous poster mentioned I don't see a path to much success especially on these highly competitive routes.
 
The airline that everyone loves to hate, and yet they keep filling up the airplanes.
 

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