Spirit Airlines staff fed up being called DD MILF’S by their employer

by Scott Carmichael on

The hard working cabin crew at Spirit Airlines are fed up – they are annoyed that their boss is inviting passengers to check out their DD’s, and asking people to come book a “MILF”.

For those that missed out on a “movie classic”, MILF is a reference from American Pie, and the abbreviation means “Mother I’d like to F**K”.

That’s right – Spirit is using that cheeky reference as a way to get passengers on their low cost flights. In the world of Spirit Airlines, MILF means “Many Islands Low Fares”, a reference to their $9 island flights.

Oh, and DD? It doesn’t refer to the breast size of their staff, it’s just a way of saying “deep discounts”.

Still, the cheesy innuendo has become so much of an issue that the staff have asked their union to force Spirit to pull the series of ads.

Another hot issue is ad placement – Spirit began selling ad space on tray tables, cups and napkins. The next item in line for ads was the staff apron which has become a placard for Bud light, and the crew is fed up with it.

Union reps claim that flight attendants will have a hard time telling drunk passengers that they will be cut off from booze sales, when they are walking around as walking beer commercials – and I happen to agree with that.

Of course, the airline says the initiatives help the company grow, and secure jobs, but there have to be better ways to make a few bucks, especially if it is annoying your staff this much.

(Via: Foxnews.com, image from Zazzle.com)

Spirit Airlines attempts to collect a cancellation fee off flight 1549 passengers

by Scott Carmichael on

OK folks – it is no secret that airlines use fees and rules to increase their bottom line. If they mess up, you lose, if you mess up, you lose. Either way, the airline always manages to come out on top. And never has that been more clear than in the case of Rob and Jeff Kolodjay.

Rob and Jeff were scheduled to fly from La Guardia to Charlotte on a Spirit Airlines flight. When that flight was canceled, they were rebooked onto US Airways flight 1549.

Of course, we all know what happened next – naturally none of that can be blamed on Spirit, but when Rob called them to cancel his return tickets, the company representative insisted that he charge them a $90 cancellation fee.

That’s right – even after being put on a flight that ended in the water, Spirit stuck to their rule books and demanded more money.

Of course, all worked out in the end when the story hit the press. Once Rob told his story on the local Fox news affiliate, Spirit Airlines issued a full refund. It’s amazing what a bit of really bad PR can do.

Fox61.com, via Consumerist.com

Spirit Airlines to sell ad space on overhead bins

by Grant Martin on

The era of in flight advertising is upon us, spearheaded by our friendly do-anything-for-a-buck carrier, Spirit Airlines. The airline known for its oft lewd fare sale names (see: MILF sale) recently started selling ad space on its tray tables, overhead bins and even, as The Crankyflier reports, on their garbage bags. I do wonder how much it costs to advertise on a garbage bag.

Apparently their first partner, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism will begin running ads today.

Something about the busyness and clutter of in flight advertising doesn’t sit right with me. It’s already stressful enough being stuffed into an aluminum tube shoulder to shoulder with two hundred other people only to be treated like crap. Now, in addition to being uncomfortable, hungry and thirsty, you now get bombarded with advertisements. Sounds like a great recipe for misery.

But as Spirit’s CEO Ben Baldanza once eloquently pointed out, passengers will do anything to save a few cents. If revenues from these sales case ticket prices to be one dollar more competitive, maybe passenger loads will actually go up.

[I was on the fence about whether or not to post this article until I saw the ridiculous, ridiculous photo that Brett at The Cranky Flier put together formerly illustrating this concept. You sir, are ridiculous.]

Spirit Airlines to start charging for MIDDLE seats!

by Grant Martin on

Airlines have been doing anything they possibly can to raise money over the past few months, from checked bag fees to charging for soft drinks to increasing the price for almost everything that formerly had a fee associated with it.

Now, according to an article over at Smarter Travel, Spirit has decided to start charging extra for online seat selection.

Carriers have done this before — many current legacy carriers charge extra for sitting in an aisle or window near the front of the plane or in preferred seats. But what Spirit is proposing is to charge for ANY seat selected online before departure — even the seats that most people don’t want.

Fees will range from $15 for a window to $10 for an aisle to $5 dollars for a middle seat.

So if you want to sit next to a person that you’re traveling with or want to sit in a decent seat and want to pick your spots before departure, you’re basically screwed into paying these fees. It looks like you can still go to the airport the day of departure and get assigned seats, but there’s no telling who you’ll be sitting next to and where at that point.

[Via Airfarewatchdog]

What strange things have been found on planes?


Click the image to read the bizarre story…

Spirit Airlines: Workin with the commies

by Grant Martin on

Remember that trade embargo that the US has against all of Cuba? The one that forces you to drive to Tijuana to pick up Cuban cigars and the one that prevents you and your family from stopping in Havana on your annual cruise? Yep, that embargo.

We as Americans have been forbidden from trading with the Socialist nation for over forty years now, as our good buddy Fidel Castro kept the country under lockdown and its population in poverty. Our “sanctions,” which have recently come under increased scrutiny, are meant to punish the totalitarian government and encourage democracy in the island nation. How well that’s working is another debate.

But our trade embargo sure isn’t stopping Spirit Airlines from doing business with the Cubans. They’ve been paying the government regularly to use Cuban airspace on their flights over the Carribbean — something that spokeswoman Misty Pinson claims was not premeditated, saying: “Spirit Airlines never had the intention of violating any requirements or laws to carry out its international operations.”

How does your morality buzzer NOT go off when you’re writing checks to Cuba? Aren’t all business transactions with the communist state illegal?

Needless to say, the embattled airline is now coughing up 100G’s in fines for illegal payments to the Cubans. Better to fly around next time.