Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Discuss anything with like-minded people.
No posting of copyrighted material.

Moderators: mpallett, bakerjw, renegade, Hush

Post Reply

Should Spirit Airlines refund in spite of its 'no refund' rule without insurance?

No. I sympathize with Meekins, but if he was in danger of not being able to fly, he should have bought their insurance.
18
86%
Yes, he should get a refund - he simply is not able to fly.
3
14%
 
Total votes: 21

User avatar
silencertalk
Site Admin
Posts: 33978
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:31 am
Location: USA

Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by silencertalk »

Concept of Spirit Airlines - lowest fares, as long as customers agree to no refunds under any circumstances. Vet who is too sick to fly, but did not buy their refund insurance, is asking for an exception.

This case is strikingly similar to the fire department that let the house burn that did not pay in advance for their services. If the airline gives a refund, then who will ever buy their insurance?

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/01/ve ... latestnews
User avatar
robpiat
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 870
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:34 pm
Location: Roswell,GA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by robpiat »

I think spirit is going to stand their ground. Its like $10 IIRC for the insurance and he chose not to buy it. They just simply don't make exceptions. If he'd bought a ticket on Delta the story would be different.
User avatar
silencertalk
Site Admin
Posts: 33978
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:31 am
Location: USA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by silencertalk »

82% of Foxnews polled say to give him a refund. We so far have the opposite results here. Why do the Foxnews readers say the opposite? While I would have given him the refund if I owned the company, I do not hold it against Spirit for following their published rules - especially since they provide a ~$10 option to have flexibility.
User avatar
Libertarian_Geek
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 3116
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:52 am
Location: Snarkeville, MS

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by Libertarian_Geek »

silencertalk wrote:82% of Foxnews polled say to give him a refund. We so far have the opposite results here. Why do the Foxnews readers say the opposite?
Interesting observation. Maybe ST readers have a stronger sense of individual responsibility and preparation which aligns due to gun-owner demographics.
https://www.facebook.com/DareDefendOurRights
-k-
Industry Professional
Posts: 1136
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 1:48 pm
Location: OR

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by -k- »

I would never use my veteran status to ask for special treatment.
User avatar
silencertalk
Site Admin
Posts: 33978
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:31 am
Location: USA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by silencertalk »

He is certainly doing his best to use his status as a tool to bully them.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/02/vi ... -airlines/

All of these people should just send him $197.
User avatar
smcharchan
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 2268
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2007 6:06 am
Location: VA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by smcharchan »

-k- wrote:I would never use my veteran status to ask for special treatment.
Can I get an amen?!?

That crap rubs me raw. It is volunteer service - don't use it as leverage.

When someone offers me a mil discount and starts to thank me I always say thanks for the appreciation, but it was an honor for me to serve.
User avatar
silencertalk
Site Admin
Posts: 33978
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:31 am
Location: USA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by silencertalk »

"We've got 3 million Legionnaires, and when you take into account all veterans, you're talking 10 million people,” said Bill Hamlin, commander of American Legion Post 5 in Tampa. “Can Spirit Airlines really afford the negative publicity and the possible boycott of at least 10 million veterans?”
This guy says that all veterans will agree with him that Spirit should make an exception to their policy.
User avatar
smcharchan
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 2268
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2007 6:06 am
Location: VA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by smcharchan »

A lot of Americans are fawning over vets right now. Regardless of if it is justified or not, some vets are taking advantage of that fact. Soon enough, people will get sick of hearing the bad ones claim a right to special privileges etc. A few loudmouths will ruin the American public's view of the whole group.
User avatar
renegade
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 4547
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:19 am
Location: Texas

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by renegade »

They should have given him a refund as soon as he went public.
User avatar
renegade
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 4547
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:19 am
Location: Texas

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by renegade »

smcharchan wrote:
-k- wrote:I would never use my veteran status to ask for special treatment.
Can I get an amen?!?

That crap rubs me raw. It is volunteer service - don't use it as leverage.

When someone offers me a mil discount and starts to thank me I always say thanks for the appreciation, but it was an honor for me to serve.
He is a VN vet, he might not have volunteered, but your point is still spot on.
User avatar
continuity
Elite Member
Posts: 4554
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2008 6:39 am
Location: Ohio

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by continuity »

The hard decisions are always... hard.
We have begun to slip into the "I want a redo" society. Get to deal with it every day.

Would think that a Spirit exec might want to provide this guy with a financial handout in private, but should not do it in public. The whole thing makes me sick.

He made a deal and now, apparently wants to back out of it. Not cool, actually sorta disgusting, especially given his assumed honorable service.
What amount of a man is composed of his own collection of experiences... and the conclusions that those experiences have allowed him to "know" for certain as "Truth"? :Ick
User avatar
silencertalk
Site Admin
Posts: 33978
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:31 am
Location: USA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by silencertalk »

“A lot of our customers buy that insurance and what Mr. Meekins asked us to do was essentially give him the benefit of that insurance when he didn’t purchase the insurance,” Baldanza said. “Had we done that, I think it really would’ve been cheating all the people who actually bought the insurance … and I think that’s fundamentally unfair.”
Baldanza likened the situation to a homeowner with no policy calling up an an insurance company after his house burns down.
“We feel very badly for Mr. Meekins, however, this is a country and society where we kind of play by the rules,” he said. “And he wanted to really not do that and that’s really not fair to the 10 million other Spirit customers and that’s why we made that decision.”

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/03/sp ... z1tpvdBTC4
Sleeper362
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 160
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 8:22 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by Sleeper362 »

Guys like this vet reduce the legitimacy of our vet status. Not trying to be mean because I do feel bad for this guy, its unfair to expect an exception though.
User avatar
silencertalk
Site Admin
Posts: 33978
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:31 am
Location: USA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by silencertalk »

He should ask for an exception and desire one, but not expect one.
driver6814
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 10:34 am
Location: Panama City, Fl.

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by driver6814 »

He should man the f up.

Made a choice now live with it.
CThomas
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 1274
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 1:48 pm

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by CThomas »

I do not know if one of links to Fox showed it but one of the hosts (Doocey, spelling) gave him a cash refund and the Vet took it and said he would donate it to Wounded Warriors. Not sure where the money originated from.

I agree a deal is a deal and a contract is just that, but no doubt this hurt SPIRIT and cost them more in bad PR. Isn't SPIRIT the airline who wants to now charge up to $100 a bag. Don't know the back story on this one but not good to have bad PR twice in a week.

Also a slow news week.
User avatar
robpiat
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 870
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:34 pm
Location: Roswell,GA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by robpiat »

CThomas wrote:I do not know if one of links to Fox showed it but one of the hosts (Doocey, spelling) gave him a cash refund and the Vet took it and said he would donate it to Wounded Warriors. Not sure where the money originated from.

I agree a deal is a deal and a contract is just that, but no doubt this hurt SPIRIT and cost them more in bad PR. Isn't SPIRIT the airline who wants to now charge up to $100 a bag. Don't know the back story on this one but not good to have bad PR twice in a week.

Also a slow news week.
They charge fees on everything but consider it all good PR. At the end of the day, they have driven fares way down wherever they fly. They charge you only for the services you use. People buy tickets based on the lowest price that pops up on their flight search and they have adapted to that. It works out to $35 or so for a prepaid bag fee, $50 at the counter. Whether you check it or carry it on, same fee.
User avatar
silencertalk
Site Admin
Posts: 33978
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:31 am
Location: USA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by silencertalk »

User avatar
silencertalk
Site Admin
Posts: 33978
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:31 am
Location: USA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by silencertalk »

CThomas wrote:Isn't SPIRIT the airline who wants to now charge up to $100 a bag..
The flip side is - why make everyone pay more so that some can carry heavy bags? Instead, separate out the bag expense so that the fair is low, and then charge people who need to bring bags. It actually costs jet fuel to fly more weight. Really they should just charge by the seat+by the weight of the passenger.
CThomas
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 1274
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 1:48 pm

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by CThomas »

silencertalk wrote:
CThomas wrote:Isn't SPIRIT the airline who wants to now charge up to $100 a bag..
The flip side is - why make everyone pay more so that some can carry heavy bags? Instead, separate out the bag expense so that the fair is low, and then charge people who need to bring bags. It actually costs jet fuel to fly more weight. Really they should just charge by the seat+by the weight of the passenger.
Sounds good after all UPS charges by weight to ship and it works for them.

Now take this concept to every level in life.
You smoke you pay.
You eat crap you pay
You have kids in school you pay, no kids no pay.
Pay per garbage can at the curb
Use a park you pay
A road you pay
User avatar
Libertarian_Geek
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 3116
Joined: Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:52 am
Location: Snarkeville, MS

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by Libertarian_Geek »

CThomas wrote:
silencertalk wrote:
CThomas wrote:Isn't SPIRIT the airline who wants to now charge up to $100 a bag..
The flip side is - why make everyone pay more so that some can carry heavy bags? Instead, separate out the bag expense so that the fair is low, and then charge people who need to bring bags. It actually costs jet fuel to fly more weight. Really they should just charge by the seat+by the weight of the passenger.
Sounds good after all UPS charges by weight to ship and it works for them.

Now take this concept to every level in life.
You smoke you pay.
You eat crap you pay
You have kids in school you pay, no kids no pay.
Pay per garbage can at the curb
Use a park you pay
A road you pay
Unfortunately, the current American culture expects that the standard scenario should pay for any of your exceptions. In the end, we all pay premiums for average mediocrity.

Welcome to the one-size-fits-all society. Here's your sweatpants. Enjoy your Big Mac.

I find it sad that the CEO of Spirit Airlines is sticking to a very honest and fair policy, yet he and his company are taking a beating over it. Folks are constantly being rewarded for being an unprepared, irresponsible, bitchy mob. Guess what that will do to the future of our country.
https://www.facebook.com/DareDefendOurRights
User avatar
silencertalk
Site Admin
Posts: 33978
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:31 am
Location: USA

Re: Spirit Airlines and vet that wants refund.

Post by silencertalk »

Post Reply