This was so awesome, Russ. Thank you for sharing. I would love to put this as an actual post on my blog — what do you think?

1) ALWAYS book through the airline’s website, NOT a third party like Priceline, Expedia, Travelocity, etc. I just booked a getaway to Vegas with my wife on Spirit’s website a few days ago ($200/person cheaper than the closest competitor, even AFTER all of the fees so many people are griping about). The advantage here is that, at least with Spirit, ALL of their policies are clearly stated BEFORE you click “Buy Tickets”. Sure, some of the fees sound silly (UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF DOT REGULATION, LOL) but in the end if I’m paying half of what I would be paying with the closest competitor, I don’t really care how that price is arrived at.

2) Research the airline’s policies, BEFORE you drive to the airport. In this day and age of readily available information with internet access for even the most poverty-stricken people in our country, there’s no excuse for not knowing ahead of time…that’s just poor planning and/or laziness. Know the dimensions required for carry-on and personal item ahead of time, and plan accordingly. If you do this, there will be no surprises as far as bag fees go.

3) This should go without saying, but SHOW UP AT THE AIRPORT WHEN YOU ARE TOLD TO…2 HRS BEFORE DEPARTURE FOR DOMESTIC FLIGHTS AND 3 HRS FOR INTERNATIONAL. I just laugh when I read about people complaining when they show up at the airport 30-45 minutes before departure and then wonder why they missed their flight. Now I know the lines can be rather long for the “Fast bag drop” at some of the larger, busier airports, but a great option available at many airports is CURBSIDE CHECK-IN. The line for this is almost always a small fraction of the line inside the airport. Sure, you need to tip the skycap a couple of dollars per bag but if it looks like the line is a mile long and there’s a chance you’ll miss your flight, tipping the skycap and using Curbside check-in is certainly preferable to shelling out hundreds of dollars because you missed your flight (and most likely didn’t show up when you were supposed to).

3) Have low expectations, meaning just expect the flight to get you there safely..which Spirit does (no record of ANY plane crashes since their inception, which is pretty stellar if you ask me). The airline isn’t there to entertain you…so instead of using WIFI like you would on another airline most of the flight, try having an actual conversation with someone during the flight, it’s a revelation!

4) Realize that no matter what airline you fly these days, there’s always a chance your flight could be delayed significantly and you could be SOL due to a flight being cancelled…it happens at EVERY airline at times, be it top of the line or low budget. HAVE A PLAN B in case the worst happens…research ahead of time and see how many other flights are going to your destination that day on both the airline you are flying on as well as others, and find out how much they are and which could give you the best deal just in case the worst does happen.

5) Keep your sense of humor (if you have one), no matter what happens. Don’t yell at the people who work for the airline, being pleasant and keeping one’s sense of humor sometimes pays off in unexpected ways.

Spirit is the worst. Their continued existence is a mockery of decent business practices and corporate social responsibility.

It’s time we do something about it! https://fspiritair.com/

That made me laugh, too 🙂