F you Spirit Airlines!

ENFIDL

Article says it all http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/01/veteran-group-calls-on-spirit-airlines-to-reverse-decision-denying-refund/. What a bunch of freaking dirt bags!

catfishbluezz

+1412341345325423452324

Roberto99

Guess I won't be flying spirit airlines anytime soon.

Toombes

What a bunch of pathetic, greedy, low life bastards!

jgibv

That's unbelievable.....(err, sort of).
We've flown with them a few times because they would be the only carrier who flies the route/times we needed but we've always had bad customer service from them, so I'm not surprised by this poor customer service.
But it is hard to believe that they would treat a vet like this, WTF.

In my experience, Spirit's been just a $hitty company all around - I would not be sad to see them go out of business, especially after this.

[Deleted User]

Couldn't even get through the whole thing I was so mad. Really? Come on Spirit Airlines. Show some compassion.

Ken_Light

This is crazy. I don't even think it matters that he was a veteran, though it certainly makes it appear worse, the man sent in EVIDENCE OF HIS OWN PENDING DEATH to try and recoup less than 200 dollars. That should send a signal to someone that an exception should be made.

0patience

I'm afraid if I were the ticket agent, regardless of their "policy", I'd be compelled to just give the guy his money, even if I had to take it out of my own pocket.

I can't believe they are standing by their decision. Not only is that just wrong, it's bad business.

Duke2

This is one low cost airline I don't think the world will miss should it go *** up, hopefully soon.

The Sniper

What a crock of ****!!! If you have a death of someone in your immediate family, most airlines will extend you a bereavement rate, and the amount of that discount is gonna be much more than the refund this guy was DUE. Ive never honestly heard of Spirit Airlines before, but karma is a stone beeotch - it may not be today or tomorrow, but the wonk who made this call is gonna get his sooner or later. Bank on it!

Goldy

I might be kicking the bee's nest here but whats the issue? A guy bought a ticket and was unable to use it. Unless I am missing something here its just like buying a ticket to a movie or ball game and not being able to go at the last min.

Unthought_Known

Ken Light:

...I don't even think it matters that he was a veteran...

I disagree. If he wasn't a Vet, this would be a non-story. Every day there are people that have to skip a flight because they can no longer fly. Some people get pregnant after buying the flight, some people have surgery, some people are just too ill to fly. I don't expect a budget airline (or any airline, for that matter) to give a refund when you bought a non-refundable ticket instead of buying insurance. It looks terrible for the airline because he's a Vet - and they've gotten a ton of backlash because of it - but if it was a regular Joe it wouldn't have made the news. I did read today that they gave him a refund, but it was too-little too-late for them.

As for bereavement, do airlines even do that anymore? I thought those discounts went away years ago.

The Sniper

Goldy:

I might be kicking the bee's nest here but whats the issue? A guy bought a ticket and was unable to use it. Unless I am missing something here its just like buying a ticket to a movie or ball game and not being able to go at the last min.

IMHO a guy who is dying from cancer and needs to travel to be with his child who is having surgery, forgetting for a second he is a veteran who served his country in a time of war, and is told he cant fly by a medical professional that he cant fly due to his condition, is a little different than work calling right before I walk out the door to my White Sox game or Avengers premier.

From a business standpoint? Maybe. From a moral and ethical standpoint? Reprehensible!

The Sniper

Unthought_Known:

Ken Light:

...I don't even think it matters that he was a veteran...

I disagree. If he wasn't a Vet, this would be a non-story. Every day there are people that have to skip a flight because they can no longer fly. Some people get pregnant after buying the flight, some people have surgery, some people are just too ill to fly. I don't expect a budget airline (or any airline, for that matter) to give a refund when you bought a non-refundable ticket instead of buying insurance. It looks terrible for the airline because he's a Vet - and they've gotten a ton of backlash because of it - but if it was a regular Joe it wouldn't have made the news. I did read today that they gave him a refund, but it was too-little too-late for them.

As for bereavement, do airlines even do that anymore? I thought those discounts went away years ago.

Given my previous post in this thread, I think it DOES matter that he's a vet, but probably not in the same way others do. I cant help but wonder how many other people this morally bankrupt company broke it off in when they were in a similar situation and it was NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN (dude is DYING fer Chrissakes, and his doctor told him he was in no condition medically to fly when the date came close). So I think its important he was a vet from the viewpoint that maybe it took a veteran to stand up and shout BS in order to shine a light on Spirit valuing the almighty dollar over their customers welfare.

And yes, airlines do still give bereavement fares. I got it last year when my grandmother passed. See? There are still a couple companies out there who care about more than getting in your pocket as deep as they can. :-)

Ken_Light

The Sniper:

Unthought_Known:

Ken Light:

...I don't even think it matters that he was a veteran...

I disagree. If he wasn't a Vet, this would be a non-story. Every day there are people that have to skip a flight because they can no longer fly. Some people get pregnant after buying the flight, some people have surgery, some people are just too ill to fly. I don't expect a budget airline (or any airline, for that matter) to give a refund when you bought a non-refundable ticket instead of buying insurance. It looks terrible for the airline because he's a Vet - and they've gotten a ton of backlash because of it - but if it was a regular Joe it wouldn't have made the news. I did read today that they gave him a refund, but it was too-little too-late for them.

As for bereavement, do airlines even do that anymore? I thought those discounts went away years ago.

Given my previous post in this thread, I think it DOES matter that he's a vet, but probably not in the same way others do. I cant help but wonder how many other people this morally bankrupt company broke it off in when they were in a similar situation and it was NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN (dude is DYING fer Chrissakes, and his doctor told him he was in no condition medically to fly when the date came close). So I think its important he was a vet from the viewpoint that maybe it took a veteran to stand up and shout BS in order to shine a light on Spirit valuing the almighty dollar over their customers welfare.

And yes, airlines do still give bereavement fares. I got it last year when my grandmother passed. See? There are still a couple companies out there who care about more than getting in your pocket as deep as they can. :-)

All I meant was that ANY person dying of cancer deserves better treatment than this, regardless of what they did with their lives, veteran or not. I agree with both of you, thought, that him being a veteran possibly
a) made him more likely to stand up and shout, knowing he had that backing behind him of other vets and people who are good enough to stand up for vets and
b) made the story get the attention of newspeople.

The Sniper

Ken Light:

All I meant was that ANY person dying of cancer deserves better treatment than this, regardless of what they did with their lives, veteran or not..

Amen and well said Ken. It really pisses me off when companies value the almighty dollar over being HUMAN BEINGS.

marineatbn03

Good for him. I am glad that he stood up for it. I know ther are people who think that veterans don't deserve treatment over others, and that is your right to opinion, a right that veterans fought for. I think of veterans like I do the elderly of this nation. We owe them them the gratidtude for making this country what it is. Without them, we are speaking german.

Vulchor

Its funny that me, "the ultimate liberal", kinda sides with the company here. Morally, its a real $hit move and the people who made that decision should rot for it----------That said, Im with Goldy. Its a business, he couldnt use the ticket and Im sure therre was a disclaimer that "youre screwed" in the event you have to change. Until we start blowing up corporations and taking out the greedy leaders of them----which I may or may not advocate------this is the system we have. Dead or alive, vet or non vet, you read the fine print and bought the ticket.

kingjk729

Its absurd that a company wouldn't issue a refund to a dying person and now that this whole fiasco has gone bonkers they cave in and issue the refund ..... http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/spirit-airlines-dying-flyer-not-getting-money-back-160001321.html ......... What a joke this airline is and it will be nice to see them gone eventually.

Ken_Light

Vulchor:

Its funny that me, "the ultimate liberal", kinda sides with the company here. Morally, its a real $hit move and the people who made that decision should rot for it----------That said, Im with Goldy. Its a business, he couldnt use the ticket and Im sure therre was a disclaimer that "youre screwed" in the event you have to change. Until we start blowing up corporations and taking out the greedy leaders of them----which I may or may not advocate------this is the system we have. Dead or alive, vet or non vet, you read the fine print and bought the ticket.

I think you and Goldy are a bit confused here. There is an ENORMOUS difference between someone saying "They should give him a refund. I'm not going to use their service anymore because they didn't." and saying, "Someone, anyone, force that company to refund this man." The former is an essential function of the free market system, the latter is a function of an over-regulated, litigious society that we're moving towards. You seem to be arguing against the latter, but I believe (I can only really speak for myself though) we are saying the former.

Yes, the company fully within its rights to stand behind their policy. But I'd also like to believe that people are smart enough to realize that every dollar spent is a vote cast for that company to stay in business, and further that enough people will cease to vote for this company and others like it which see dollars instead of customers.

Ken_Light

Ken Light:

Vulchor:

Its funny that me, "the ultimate liberal", kinda sides with the company here. Morally, its a real $hit move and the people who made that decision should rot for it----------That said, Im with Goldy. Its a business, he couldnt use the ticket and Im sure therre was a disclaimer that "youre screwed" in the event you have to change. Until we start blowing up corporations and taking out the greedy leaders of them----which I may or may not advocate------this is the system we have. Dead or alive, vet or non vet, you read the fine print and bought the ticket.

I think you and Goldy are a bit confused here. There is an ENORMOUS difference between someone saying "They should give him a refund. I'm not going to use their service anymore because they didn't." and saying, "Someone, anyone, force that company to refund this man." The former is an essential function of the free market system, the latter is a function of an over-regulated, litigious society that we're moving towards. You seem to be arguing against the latter, but I believe (I can only really speak for myself though) we are saying the former.

Yes, the company fully within its rights to stand behind their policy. But I'd also like to believe that people are smart enough to realize that every dollar spent is a vote cast for that company to stay in business, and further that enough people will cease to vote for this company and others like it which see dollars instead of customers.

I'd like to add that I do have evidence that the free market works. If you think about the three worst industries in this country in terms of customer service and product quality, I think it's easy to agree that they would be air travel, automobiles, and banking. It's hard to come up with something as bad as those three. It is NO coincidence that these are the only three industries to be "bailed out," allowed to stay in business after being essentially voted out of office (to use my metaphor from above) by consumers. In these three cases the free market system was aborted and what we're left with is abominable.

Medic45

That is compete BS......

Goldy

Ken Light:

Vulchor:

Its funny that me, "the ultimate liberal", kinda sides with the company here. Morally, its a real $hit move and the people who made that decision should rot for it----------That said, Im with Goldy. Its a business, he couldnt use the ticket and Im sure therre was a disclaimer that "youre screwed" in the event you have to change. Until we start blowing up corporations and taking out the greedy leaders of them----which I may or may not advocate------this is the system we have. Dead or alive, vet or non vet, you read the fine print and bought the ticket.

I think you and Goldy are a bit confused here. There is an ENORMOUS difference between someone saying "They should give him a refund. I'm not going to use their service anymore because they didn't." and saying, "Someone, anyone, force that company to refund this man." The former is an essential function of the free market system, the latter is a function of an over-regulated, litigious society that we're moving towards. You seem to be arguing against the latter, but I believe (I can only really speak for myself though) we are saying the former.

Yes, the company fully within its rights to stand behind their policy. But I'd also like to believe that people are smart enough to realize that every dollar spent is a vote cast for that company to stay in business, and further that enough people will cease to vote for this company and others like it which see dollars instead of customers.

I was actually arguing about the former in your two examples. The person had the opportunity to purchase the cheap trip insurance and decided to risk it and it bit him due to some unfortunate circumstances.

In my eyes this is a non-issue and not news worthy.

Vulchor

+1 Goldy