What do you know about this airline?

I'm shopping for tickets for my annual trip to the National Matches in August, and found that Spirit Airlines has their round trip tickets about $100 cheaper than the other airlines. Do any of you have any experience with them? (If it's horrible, please PM me....don't want to set up TCS for liability lawsuits!) Thanks!

I'f I remember correctly (and that's a big IF) I believe I heard that this was the "rebirth" of ValuJet airlines, who went belly-up due to that whole explode-and-crash-in-the-Everglades thing a few years back. So do some research into that incident and then make your decision. Not injecting my opinion one way or the other (I happen to work for a co that's fought its way out of bankruptcy and we're doing quite well, thanks).
I for one have no trouble traveling a discount airline. I happen to think Southwest is a lot of fun! But you have to really hunt for the discount airlines, and their destinations are usually pretty limited. And you really do get what you pay for - I always counted on bringing my own snacks on SW.

Spirit is a perfectly fine airline. I've never had any trouble when I've flown it. It is very no frills (think no food) but they will get you there!

It is NOT the reincarnation of valuJet. The reincarnation of ValuJet is Airtran.

I'd say buy those cheap tickets and GO!!

Spirit is Fine Val. I've flown them a half dozen times. Definitely no-frills, but on time, and the people seem to enjoy what they do. I highly recommend them.



Jeff

Originally Posted by valanhb

I'm shopping for tickets for my annual trip to the National Matches in August, and found that Spirit Airlines has their round trip tickets about $100 cheaper than the other airlines. Do any of you have any experience with them? (If it's horrible, please PM me....don't want to set up TCS for liability lawsuits!) Thanks!

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Howdy, Heidi,

Where are the National Matches these days? I spent many a pleasent week at Camp Perry during a prior life, and they got me away from some rather miserable duty stations for a short while. And Ann was able to meet me at the Notell Motel, which was all there was available. Since then I have lost touch with the sport.

Hold 'em and squeeze 'em, Heidi. We wish you the best. It is a rare and admirable sport you are participating in.

All the best,

Jim

Yup James, it's still at good ol' Camp Perry. The newer hutments (by Commercial Row) are a definite improvement over the old double-letter ones, although I'm sure you stayed in the Barracks.

When were you there? I actually started going there around 1988, was there every year through 1998. Real life (too much work and not enough money) got in the way. Last year I got involved with the team again as Team Coordinator, Captain for our top Junior Whistler Boy and NTT teams, and Coach for our NTIT team (and with two Marines heading that up, there's just a little pressure to WIN ) Not to toot my own horn, but since there is at least two of you who will know what in the heck I'm talking about...... I used to be pretty good. I was the first woman to make Master Classification in Colorado (with an M1A no less, full course), and the first woman in Colorado to go Distinguished (41st woman ever).

Oops, I didn't mean to go on and on about it... You hit on one of the things, besides cats, that I am truly passionate about.

Congratulations on that Heidi! I shall admit I like and have always been attracted by target shooting... but its so next to impossible to obtain a firearms permit in PR... I will rather wait till I am studying or living abroad.

Anyway, I want to check out that airline... could they have flights to Spain from Puerto Rico?

I think that discount airlines are great when they save money on the "frills", like the food served, and ticketing. I flew JetBlue this past summer, and was very pleased.

I am not as happy when the discount is derived from lax security, and maintenance, and cancelling flights when the plane is not completely full. I had a very bad experience with a discount airline one time, which produced a 24 hour layover in Orlando on a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Toronto. That is not an acceptable economy. And although they claimed that the warning light that said there was a fire in the engine was a faulty warning, I was not convinced when, a month later, that plane had a fire in one engine.

Originally Posted by valanhb

When were you there?

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You were probably not yet with us then, Heidi. This was in the 60's, early to mid-60's, if I have counted backward correctly. I'm an old timer, you know. At least it was before things really heated up to the westward and we had less playtime.

The M1 -- wow! I am confident that you fully understand and will not consider this to be a sexist statement when I observe that in my day not many ladies took that tiger on. I just barely limped along with the long guns, and did my competition in NRA with .22, .38, .45, and then .45 at Perry, which was sort of a graduate course. Just to be invited was an honor to me.

I compliment you on your endeavors and attainments in this field. The discipline and self-control required to do as well as you have are not that often encountered -- in either men or women.

To stay on topic, I will observe that Samwise is destroying the guest room; Ann is away with some quilting buddies; and I have to put things to rights before she returns. I have not yet given him his night-night exercise, and if I do not get with it none of us will sleep tonight.

All the best,

Jim

I'd grab it Heidi!!.

We have so many cheap offers over here in the uk now with the airlines, it's all competition with them!!.

My company sometimes holds exhibitions in London, and the fares would normally be £187 with British Airways, but then there was another airline who no one had hardly heard of offering the flights for £39!

We took the cheaper and they were fine

Originally Posted by cla517

Spirit is a perfectly fine airline.
It is NOT the reincarnation of valuJet. The reincarnation of ValuJet is Airtran.

I'd say buy those cheap tickets and GO!!

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Thank you! I knew my memory was going. ( NOOO!!! I'm too young!!!!!) But that's good to know.

And I second (or is that third or fifth judging from the responses) the motion to grab the cheap fare and run with it!!!