Horrible airline reviews?

[sweetpee_1993]

Southwest is also our go to for flights! And their Rapid Reward program (frequent flyer miles) is AWESOME!! After our last trip to Orlando a couple weeks ago, I now have enough for a free one way for our November trip! The miles are soooo easy to redeem where I feel like other airlines are more difficult and need way more miles for a flight. We're flying SW to Disneyland in April. I was prepared for $350-400 tickets but we ended up paying $291 roundtrip! A wicked steal from Boston to LAX roundtrip! and with SW you can change the flights if plans change without a change fee. We're waiting for prices to come out for November so we can book ASAP!

Very good point. No change fees is nice. With our United miles every time we pull our miles back to our account or change a flight it's $75 each way. So for a round trip for all 4 of us to change/cancel it's $600. This is why we rarely fly. I don't like not having a free "out" when plans change.

 

[ddbowdoin]

Spirit BLOWS!

My flight from boston to LAX wasn't much better. We flew AA, where a 6.5 hour flight gave us a crappy movie and a Coke. I asked for peanuts and was offered a 7 dollar bag of nuts. I know domestics get you nothing but transcontinental and that's all you get?!?! Plus they refused to let me on the plane unless I gate checked a bag despite larger bags behind me getting on and upon boarding discovering there was more than ample overhead room.

I know they're more expensive but Jet Blue is worth every $$$.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Spirit BLOWS!

My flight from boston to LAX wasn't much better. We flew AA, where a 6.5 hour flight gave us a crappy movie and a Coke. I asked for peanuts and was offered a 7 dollar bag of nuts. I know domestics get you nothing but transcontinental and that's all you get?!?! Plus they refused to let me on the plane unless I gate checked a bag despite larger bags behind me getting on and upon boarding discovering there was more than ample overhead room.

I know they're more expensive but Jet Blue is worth every $$$.

Some airlines dont offer any movies(usair) as for your bag a gate check is no big deal...Why would it bother you?

 

[Tinkerfan4ever]

We have flow Spirit several times with no problems whatsoever. You just have to know what you are getting into. It is an a-la-carte airline. You pay for the services you use. If you want a soda, you pay for it. If you bring a carry on bag - you pay for it. If you go in expecting free drinks, pretzels and a movie, you will be disappointed. If you go in understanding what you are getting, you will be fine.

Here are some tips that can help when flying Spirit.

Pay for your bags ahead of time. This is a MUST. It will save you over $10/bag. You can pay for both checked and carry on bags ahead of time.

You are allowed a personal item. I typically bring a smaller back pack and it counts as a carry on as it fits under the seat. Check Spirit's website for the size limits. If your personal item is bigger than the limits - they will call it a carry on bag and then charge you for it. Plus you won't get the discount of prepaying for your bag.

Once you are thru security - buy something to drink and bring on the plane. Yes airport food/drink is expensive, but it is cheaper than buying from Spirit. Remember... they don't give you any food/drink for free.

The seat size (actually I think it is pitch of the seat) is smaller than a typical airline. This means there is slightly less leg room. I am 5'5" and it doesn't bother me at all. My 6'5" brother in law might have problems, but no one in my family does.

All in all - they were safe, on time and we had no complaints.

For the $$ your family would save... I would totally fly Spirit.

 

[ddbowdoin]

Some airlines dont offer any movies(usair) as for your bag a gate check is no big deal...Why would it bother you?

I had no intention of checking it, so a plain black bag with no distinguishable markings heading into LAX... That could turn bad when some person randomly grabs your bag. It's happened to many people I know. If I check a bag I have bright ribbon or something crazy so I know exactly when I see my bag.

 

[Britt]

Some airlines dont offer any movies(usair) as for your bag a gate check is no big deal...Why would it bother you?

It depends on whats in the bag, whether it would bother me...my camera, I never ever check it. So if it was in my carry on (which it will be)...it would become an issue for me...lol

 

[Britt]

You guys are awesome and so helpful! Definitely gives me more options than just driving (something I reallllly dont want to do, but WILL do if it means I get to go to Disney...lol)

 

[DisneyJoe]

I had no intention of checking it, so a plain black bag with no distinguishable markings heading into LAX... That could turn bad when some person randomly grabs your bag. It's happened to many people I know. If I check a bag I have bright ribbon or something crazy so I know exactly when I see my bag.

Very good advice for any traveler!

I have seen some that are very inventive. Colored duct tape works well.

 

[Disneydreamer23]

I flew Spirit SW and Airtran and Spirit was the worst but it wasn't bad They don't give you good snacks which I don't care about and the leg room is not much and my Husband is 6'6 so we can't fly with them again but they weren't bad

 

[teacherlady19]

We don't fly much, but when we do, it's 100% Southwest Airlines. My sis-in-law and family flew Delta when they came out to see us in 2009 for a wedding. They nickeled-and-dimed them so badly that in 2013, they took Southwest. A MUCH better experience, she said!

Most of the time, we drive. In 2012 we drove to WDW in FL from our home in SoCal. It took us 5 very hard days of driving, stopping only for overnights and a layover day (not counted in the 5 days of driving) at friends' home outside of Ft Worth. If I went again, I'd drive. We don't usually compare costs when we discuss flying vs. driving. We planned on this as part of a road trip so the cost of flying wasn't even discussed. When you drive, you have fuel, overnights, and a few extra meals on the road. But you can also SEE a whole lot of country from the road. We were able to go through Dallas (and see all the buildings I see on the TV show DALLAS) early on a weekend morning when there was no traffic, stop at Vicksburg National Military Park for an hour or so, and do so much more after WDW.

For the one above that's 15 hour drive from DL, consider driving. That's a day and a few hours.

Donna

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I had no intention of checking it, so a plain black bag with no distinguishable markings heading into LAX... That could turn bad when some person randomly grabs your bag. It's happened to many people I know. If I check a bag I have bright ribbon or something crazy so I know exactly when I see my bag.

See any time I ever had to do it the bag was waiting right by the exit to the plane when we landed. I gotta say I did not know Spirit was even smaller than most. I flew aitranand southwest a few times and found the check in folks to suck

 

[disney4life2008]

I am normally not a supporter of user reviews; however, SPIRIT is exceptionally bad. Just be mindful that the cost may be cheap but they nickel and dime you for everything else.

 

[Andrew C]

You think Spirit is bad? You must never have flown Ryan Air around Europe. Not sure if this was mentioned yet. Cheapest flights ever, but at a huge cost.

 

[ddbowdoin]

See any time I ever had to do it the bag was waiting right by the exit to the plane when we landed. I gotta say I did not know Spirit was even smaller than most. I flew aitranand southwest a few times and found the check in folks to suck

I was hoping that as well, like a stroller. But no, it got sent down to the carousel. Luckily no issues but I wasn't happy.

 

[disney4life2008]

Spirit BLOWS!

My flight from boston to LAX wasn't much better. We flew AA, where a 6.5 hour flight gave us a crappy movie and a Coke. I asked for peanuts and was offered a 7 dollar bag of nuts. I know domestics get you nothing but transcontinental and that's all you get?!?! Plus they refused to let me on the plane unless I gate checked a bag despite larger bags behind me getting on and upon boarding discovering there was more than ample overhead room.

I know they're more expensive but Jet Blue is worth every $$$.

This is what I do not understand about AA vs Southwest. I fly AA for work - and everything is nickel and dimed. You can not even get a refill on soda if the flight is short. But the prices are ridiculous. Southwest, I can get free changes, as many peanuts, cookies, pretzels, pop as I want and more recently, I have been able to watch direct tv on my tablet - and the tickets are cheap.

 

[teacherlady19]

On Southwest, which my daughter, husband and grand-daughter flew last summer, she was able to bring the stroller right up to the Gate. They let the 3 of them get situated and they dealt with the stroller. When they landed in SAN, the stroller was brought up and it met them at the plane's door. If they had flown with the car seat, which will be required now that she is 2 (along with buying the 3rd seat on the plane), they would have helped her with the car seat or sent it down to the baggage for her.


Donna

 

[ddbowdoin]

This is what I do not understand about AA vs Southwest. I fly AA for work - and everything is nickel and dimed. You can not even get a refill on soda if the flight is short. But the prices are ridiculous. Southwest, I can get free changes, as many peanuts, cookies, pretzels, pop as I want and more recently, I have been able to watch direct tv on my tablet - and the tickets are cheap.

Generally when going BOSTON to MCO it isn't a big deal , jet blue and Sw are only slightly higher or many times are cheaper but for flights to LAX JB and SW were upwards of 200 more PP for worse flights. The flight sucked but at least it was direct. I'm at LAX now heading home, couldn't find a good deal so we are on the crap red eye / connecting in Dulles.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I say road trip it! My friends and I are planning on driving to Florida from California next year.

You know that's a 35 hour drive, right? That's if you don't have to pee.

 

[Californian Elitist]

You know that's a 35 hour drive, right? That's if you don't have to pee.

Yep. We're fine with that. We're also thinking of taking a Greyhound out there.

 

[englanddg]

Yep. We're fine with that. We're also thinking of taking a Greyhound out there.

Greyhounds take even longer. Close to 2.5 days...because they are constantly making stops.

It's also about $300 one way.

You could do Amtrak in about the same time (or less, more like 20 hours) with a lounge car and a dining car for around $50 more each way.

Just something to think about.