Complaint Review: Spirit Airlines - Miramar Florida

After booking a week in advance, traveling at 4am from Robert q shuttle service in london on for a 9:58 am flight on Monday two weeks ago I was right ready for my flight at 9:58 am. This flight was delayed due to "weather". There was a bit of fog. We heard flights taking off, other airlines were leaving the ground, by 10 am I could hear other aircraft landing as well if not the entire time. We were informed the aircraft could not land and it was diverted to Cincinnati instead of landing in detroit. We waited, we were told it would be delayed until 11 at first, then 12, the staff at dte called to try and get information, they did not know what was going on. We, the customers, waited patiently. They told us every hour that it would be here one hour later. Finally, after batteries drained on all electronics, 30 mins free wifi time well up, some of us sleeping, grabbing some overpriced airport food at our expense, children getting cranky, parents getting equally upset, at after 4pm we were told the plane was leaving Cincinnati. Flights had been coming and going for hours in detroit, even spirit flights! (We had been told our plane would be leaving Cincinnati before so we held up slight hope, it had taxied out we had been told an hour or so before but never left the ground. The plane did arrive at around 6pm (8hrs later after our scheduled departure time), there was a cheer from everyone inside, the staff who had been holding us at bay all day insisted they would get the plane cleaned up and be ready to board 5 mins after the passengers got off. Some of us talked to passengers getting off the plane, we heard of them being boarded 3 times, taxi-ing out to the runway, we heard of a fuel issue where they did not have enough to get to detroit, the details of this all a little unclear. We were expecting to be boarded shortly as the staff had informed us 5 mins prior, just then, they make an announcement our flight had been cancelled. I myself was 2 hrs from home and had taken a $70 shuttle to the airport and cleared customs, I had a rental car waiting for me in ft myers at a prearranged rate. I was looking forward to relaxing at my parents winter home in cape coral for the week. Well, there was an uproar! Some older gentlemen yelled for a manager, no-one heard of any compensation or another flight being arranged for us or anything! Spirit Staff threatened of calling airport security after obscenities started being hurled, "you b*tch" and whatnot and I noticed one or two standing by managing the situation. We were only told to go to The spirit booth and "see what we could work out". There was at this time over 100++ people in line, all of us, and new passengers trying to check in. I butted in line pretending to be with a nice older couple to see what they were offering, I was sitting near this couple for the 8 hour wait. It was total chaos! I'd be surprised if I was the only one who wrote a review of this "flight" 506 from Detroit on Dec 3, 2012. It was either that or wait another hour in line to try and figure out how I was to get to florida. I was told that all flights were booked to ft myers airport for the next 3 days. Of course they were, they just cancelled a flight of 50+ ppl. I asked if there was anything going to anywhere in florida within a 2 hour drive. There was one the next day at noon to lauderdale. Knowing the line of 100 people behind me they changed my ticket to that flight. I would have to wait in the airport overnight, with complete uncertainty if that flight would go ahead as planned, be flown in to a destination 2 hrs from where I was going, have to get a rental car without my pre-arranged rate and figure out how to drop it back off in lauderdale or pay the $100+ premium to drop the car off at the ft myers airport upon departure. What was I to do!!! There was no flights to ft myers side. I had my time off work.  After this was changed, while standing at the front still, another couple told me delta had a flight leaving in an hour to ft myers. I asked where, 3 miles in the next terminal. Not knowing if it was booked, its status, its price, etc, I went over there via shuttle. Spirit had nothing to where they were supposed to fly me (ft myers/southwestern florida airport just by bonita there). I could always suffer through and go to ft lauderdale if I must the next day at noon but that was NOT where I was going. Delta was less than $100 more than Spirit's flight and didn't charge the $50 bag, (so like $40 more than Spirit). I got on that flight, the return flight was at a more convenient time 3:58pm return not 6am with Spirit. It was settled, I was flying delta. I got on in just enough time. I could not cancel my ft lauderdale flight two hrs after it was changed I was 30000ft in the air. I informed them the next day (call centre in india)that I expected a refund for their trip that my trip was being executed by delta from this point forward. I informed them I had a return trip with delta as well so they could re-book my return seat. I had no need for spirit air. I have/had and still have no intentions to ever fly with spirit ever again. I have heard and been subject to horror stories and lack of customer service unimaginable. Spirit's customer service is horrid.  I had been offered one half of my trip refunded, a far cry from the whole amount that should be returned to me.  Even this has now shown up.  They promised it would be sent to their "accounting department"to figure out the amount.  They told me it would take 6 days to issue the refund.  over 3 weeks later nothing has shown up.  I have talked to an older friend of mine who said he was promised $50 one time he never recieved.  I suggest no-one ever fly with this airline if they need to get where they are going.  If you can go later or stay later or whatever, feel free to give it a shot, but they are completely unreliable.  Over booked and under staffed (at least in flight crew)   This discount airline provides next to no service.  The pilots were obviously overdrawn, but they should have had communication and let us know well before 8 hrs of waiting that our flight would be called off.  Weather, as they claim, was not the reason or I wouldn't have jumped on a delta flight 1 hr later, leaving and arriving on time.   I talked to my cousin at Christmas yesterday.  She said they got to the area with spirit once but then as soon as they landed they called and said they were overbooked for the return, asked if their party could delay a day or two and they would give them a voucher for a free flight.  She would have taken it as she did not need to be back on the exact date they were leaving, however others in her party could not leave a day or two later than scheduled.  this just goes to show you what I have told you.  BE VERY CAUTIOUS WHEN FLYING WITH SPIRIT OR GO DELTA AND DO NOT FLY THEM AT ALL.  My parents have had good luck with Allegiant Air.  That is all.  USE EXTREME CAUTION if you wish to use spirit for your vacation destination!  For any questions you can email me at (((REDACTED))) and I would be more than happy to go over my experience with Spirit air with you personally.   Spirit doesn't seem concerned about my bad experience, they are not even willing to refund a $272.65 RT flight they did not deliver on.
The fact of the matter is, Spirit did not get me to my destination. Ft lauderdale was not my destination. I found someone who could.  I want a full refund, not a voucher, not one half refunded.  I went with another carrier because you cancelled on us after making us wait 8+ hrs.  They are stealing my money.  Spirit airlines are theives.  That's my experience.  what's yours?


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