Spirit Airlines Sticks It To Customers Again, Institutes “Unintended Consequence Fee”


Spirit Airlines is by far one of the biggest nickel and dime operations in the aviation industry, if there’s a way for the company to cram in more seats (making flights less comfortable), sell a drink for more money or charge to use a bathroom (still a possibility) they’ll find a way to do so. This week the company started adding a $2 “Department of Transportation Unintended Consequence Fee.”

The $2 fee is in response to a Department of Transportation rule that went into effect this week which requires an airline to offer a full refund to customers if they request it within 24 hours of booking their flight.

Spirit Airlines says the move is “costing customers millions” because unfilled seats on flights force them to spread the costs to other customers who purchased a seat and actually kept it.

In the meantime Spirit’s plan hasn’t fazed Department of Transportation chief Ray LaHood who shot back:

“This is just another example of the disrespect with which too many airlines treat their passengers.”

While the new fee is very transparent to customers Spirit Airlines has tried to hide other fees from customers in order to win their business. Most notably the company is against a rule that requires them to include all taxes and fees in advertised ticket pricing. Essentially the customer can’t say a one-way fair is $67 and then throw in an additional $60 in charges at the time of checkout.

Do you think Spirit Airlines is shooting themselves in the foot by instituting a fee that comes off as whiny and ultimately disrespectful to customers?

Share this article: Spirit Airlines Sticks It To Customers Again, Institutes “Unintended Consequence Fee”
More from Inquisitr