Complaint Review: Spirit Airlines - Nationwide

Updated report with "rebuttal" reply:

Around 10am on Friday, Nov. 7, 2014 I asked the employee of Spirit Airlines (at Bush International Airport) how to get my ticket. I explained I didn’t travel a lot. Her nametag was backwards, but she was a little taller than 5’8, greyish colored hair and had a Russian sounding accent. She offered to assist me with the kiosk machine. She told me that because I had a computer bag (backpack with a computer and paperwork inside) and a bag with clothes (2 total) I would have to pay extra for a carry on. I figured that was the rules and went with it. I paid $45 dollars for Spirit Airlines to send my clothing bag and carried my computer bag onto the plane.

When I got back to Houston at around 5pm on Monday, Nov. 10, I noticed another passenger exiting the plane with his computer bag and luggage bag in hand. I asked him, “Sir, did you pay extra for traveling with a computer bag and a luggage bag?”

“No.” He said, “They didn’t charge extra for a computer bag.” He was shocked that I did pay more. As were other passengers who heard us.

I went to the Spirit Airlines ticket area and explained to an employee named Mr. Moore that I was told to pay extra because I had a computer bag and my luggage bag. He said first off that that shouldn’t have happened and I was owed a refund. I said I wanted to speak to a supervisor to get the refund. Simple, right? Mr. Moore brought over a woman who said she was a supervisor from Atlanta, even though I was in Houston. She tried to “handle” me by telling me, “Not that you’re a liar, Sir, but we don’t know what you hand with you when you traveled.”

So, she called me a liar in other words. I said there were cameras all over the airport that showed me with my computer bag (nothing unusual) and luggage bag and showed them both. The Atlanta Supervisor and Mr. Moore were confused as to why I was charged extra and couldn’t explain why. The Atlanta Supervisor underhand-ly called me a liar again and kept trying to “handle” me.

I said "I don’t need to be “handled” just given a refund for something I shouldn’t have paid for in the first place and stop arguing with me." 

The Atlanta supervisor, whose nametag was turned around and didn’t identify herself beyond, “I’m the Atlanta supervisor” continued to talk down to me instead of simply refunding me the $45.

Eventually she brought over someone else, named James [no last name given]. He clamed that the other passenger on the plane should have paid to have brought his computer bag and luggage bag onto the plane, which completely goes against what Mr. Moore and the Atlanta Supervisor said. Also, when I asked what the Russian woman’s name was, Moore kept saying, “I know who she is,” but wouldn’t say her name.

I decided to email instead of argue. 11/11/14 I emailed them at 12:30pm: 

“At Bush International Airport Nov 7 around 10am your employee: Russian type accent said I had to pay $45 to send my luggage because I had a computer bag. When I came back on Nov. 10 5pm I saw a passenger exiting with a computer bag and luggage bag in hand. He said he didn't have to pay extra. I went to the Spirit ticket area and a Mr. Moore told me I shouldn't have paid more just because I had a computer bag w/ luggage bag. I asked for a supervisor who didn't help. Refund me $45 or I'll tell who will listen.”

Their reply 11/13/14 10:47am: “Hey My First Name, Thanks for contacting us.

We truly appreciate you bringing your concerns to our attention and assure you that the level of service you received is not what we strive to provide our customers. We’ve shared your comments with our General Manager in Houston for review and use in our ongoing training efforts. Guided by your feedback, we are taking the steps necessary to continually improve our operation.

Our Customer Service Agents have been trained to detect larger carry-on bags and have been directed to ensure all carry-on bags charged the appropriate fee. For your convenience, I’ve shared the following page on our website which will provide you with additional information regarding baggage: http://www.spirit.com/Policiesbags.aspx

As such, we're unable to process your request for a refund of your non-refundable baggage charge. While I understand your disappointment, and we wouldn't want to lose your business, our policies are clear and holding to them is one of the reasons that we can keep our fares as low as possible.

We can assure you that guided by your feedback; we are taking the necessary steps to continually improve our operation. We hope we get the chance to welcome you on board another Spirit flight soon.

Sincerely,

Jesse

Spirit Airlines Support”

My reply minutes later: “No. You can A) refund the $45 dollars that you owe me, or B) not and I will then have my bank reverse the charges and tell anyone who will listen how you ripped me off. You will then lose a lot more than $45. And you will have a dissatisfied customer who will do everything in their power to make certain you go out of business. This is your last chance to do the right thing.”

Their reply some minutes after: “Hey My First Name again,

Thank you for your continued correspondence.

Again, I'm sorry to hear about your experience. However, we're still unable to refund your non-refundable baggage charge.

We hope to welcome you on-board a future Spirit flight.

Sincerely,

Jesse

Spirit Airlines Support”

I called my bank and they are reversing the charges. Just a note to Jesse [no last name given], don’t call an angry customer by their first name and act casual. Learn some respect! 

As a side note, when I typed into Bing.com “Who do you report to when airlines rip you off?” Spirit Airlines Rip Off Reports were third and a few more times. And more to this: They charge for everything on the plane. If you need tap water because you’re dehydrated . . . just don’t fly with them thirsty. It’s only a matter of time before they charge to use the restroom. They charge a little less than everyone else, but don’t be fooled by these scammers. They are con artists and penny pinchers with planes. Boycott.

Update:

Dear Tyg,

Thank you for your reply as a representative of Spirit Airlines. It’s great to see such fantastic customer service from your company…is what I would write if you did the right thing and apologized instead of disguising yourself as something you’re not in using your version of English in a poor attempt at attacking me, which is the only law broken here. Me stating, “Do the right thing or I will get my bank to reverse the charges, and tell everyone what your company did,” is not blackmail. You need to educate yourself in the English language, particularly words like “blackmail,” question mark usage, and most importantly capitalization. You don’t fully cap words. That’s for forums and Facebook. Moreover, the Internet is not a veil. People are traceable, and if you continue your assault of my character I will file charges against you, I have copies of your verbal / online assault. If you think my words are wind, here is a list of whom Spirit Airlines has been reported to as promised:

Ripoffreport.com

Yelp.com

Business Bureau's Online Complaint System.

Chase Bank

Federal Trade Commission

Skytrax

Kayak

Expedia

CheapAir

Orbitz

Priceline

hotwire

and soon The Department of Transportation, but I was giving your company time to apologize before I did this.

Tyg’s original “rebuttal” for anyone interested:

childish much????

AUTHOR: Tyg - ()

SUBMITTED: Thursday, November 13, 2014

So not only do you think that YOU can blackmail them to get your way, but YOU THINK that you should get a refund because someone else didn't get charged. So where in all of this have you been ripped off? You are a busy body who got charged correctly yet YOU feel that YOU should get a refund. Grow the hell up you child! You have zero idea if the other passenger situation is anywhere similar to yours. So you made an a*s of yourself on the assumption that the other passenger wasn't charged. The reality is that THEY were probably charged when they bought their ticket.

YOU are a prime example of stupidity in public. And of the public. YOU are trying to blackmail the airlines into giving you your way when YOU ARE WRONG!  Thankfully what YOU are doing is a crime and YOU have admitted to this online. YOU are not bright enough to cover your tracks online so the airline will have PROOF that it was YOU who made this post freely admitting to a crime.

So not only do you think that YOU can blackmail them to get your way, but YOU THINK that you should get a refund because someone else didn't get charged. So where in all of this have you been ripped off? You are a busy body who got charged correctly yet YOU feel that YOU should get a refund. Grow the hell up you child! You have zero idea if the other passenger situation is anywhere similar to yours. So you made an a*s of yourself on the assumption that the other passenger wasn't charged. The reality is that THEY were probably charged when they bought their ticket. 

YOU are a prime example of stupidity in public. And of the public. YOU are trying to blackmail the airlines into giving you your way when YOU ARE WRONG!  Thankfully what YOU are doing is a crime and YOU have admitted to this online. YOU are not bright enough to cover your tracks online so the airline will have PROOF that it was YOU who made this post freely admitting to a crime.