Spirit Airlines is the most barebones way to travel possible.
Spirit’s whole pitch is that it will get you where you are going, but it won’t give you anything else. At least, not for free.
People love to complain online, and also on “The Daily Show,” that you have have to pay extra to bring on any piece of luggage bigger than a purse, or to get more leg room, to print out your boarding pass, in some situations, or get a snack.
While the company has announced plans to make its flights somewhat more comfortable by adding a few extra inches to its new Airbuses, it has also made it clear that these new Airbuses will not include power outlets or UBS ports on the seats, nor do the seats recline.
Spirit’s (SAVE) detractors complain that taking a flight on the company’s planes is rough experience, and that to make it reasonably comfortable, you have to pay for so many amenities that it eventually rounds up to the about the cost of a regular, non-budget flight.
But Spirit, and its company’s defenders, will push back and argue that by offering such inexpensive, no-frills flights, they make travel more accessible to low income people who otherwise couldn’t afford a ticket.
By cutting the flight experience down to just the barest essentials, Spirit does make it easier on budget conscious travelers. But now, in a surprising move, the company hasn’t just cut back on amenities; it’s cut something even more essential.
Spirit Has Made Some Hard Cuts
Spirit has announced that it has removed 37 routes from its schedule.
Spirit is based in Miramar, Fla., and it seems the company’s home state is the one being hit the hardest, as Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers and Tampa, are respectively losing six, seven and eight routes. The company’s new outstation in Miami, which debuted last year with 31 routes, is also losing three routes: Atlantic City, N.J.; Hartford, Conn., and Orlando, Fla.
Other high profile cuts include George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston to Denver International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
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Why Did Spirit Make These Cuts?
Spirit hasn’t announced the reason for any of these cuts. But Zach Griff of The Points Guy notes that “airlines overall have been dealing with a mix of slowing demand, supply chain issues and operational hiccups,” a lot of which can be attributed to covid-induced delays and an ongoing lack of pilots, as the airline industry is struggling to train a new generation of pilots to make up for the ones that retired or took a buyout during the pandemic.
So, in this climate, and with airlines unable to operate at 100% capacity, and with inflation rising, “Spirit could be seeing some softness in bookings,” Griff notes.
It's unclear how permanent these cuts are, and if any of these routes could be added back, as Spirit has only announced flights through May 2, 2023.
All in all, these cuts shave off roughly 5% of Spirits capacity for the first quarter of 2023. But it’s not all cuts, as the company brought back Pensacola, Fla., and plans to add San Antonio, Texas, to its route map on Nov. 17.
