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| Founded | 1980 (as Charter One) | |||
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| Bases |
Note: Spirit Airlines refers to Fort Lauderdale, Detroit and Atlantic City as "Bases" |
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| Fleet size | 28 | |||
| Destinations | 40 | |||
| Company slogan | The Ultra Low Cost Airline For The Americas | |||
| Parent company | Indigo Partners & Oaktree Capital Management | |||
| Headquarters | Miramar, Florida | |||
| Key people | Ben Baldanza (President / CEO)
David Lancelot (Sr. Vice President and CFO) Barry Biffle (Sr. Vice President Marketing) Tony Lefebvre (Sr. Vice President Customer Service) John Prestifilippo (Sr. Vice President Technical Operations) |
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| Website | www.spiritair.com | |||
Spirit Airlines is a United States ultra-low-cost airline operating scheduled flights throughout the Americas. The airline is headquartered in Miramar, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area.[1] Spirit currently maintains bases in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Detroit, Michigan; and Atlantic City, New Jersey. Over half of the airline's flights are to destinations in the Bahamas, Caribbean, and Latin America.
Contents |
History
Spirit Airlines was founded in 1980 in Macomb County, Michigan, as Charter One[2], a Detroit-based charter tour operator providing travel packages to entertainment destinations such as Atlantic City, Las Vegas and the Bahamas. In 1990, Charter One began scheduled service from Boston and Providence, R.I., to Atlantic City. On May 29, 1992, Charter One brought jet equipment into the fleet, changed its name to Spirit Airlines and inaugurated service from Detroit to Atlantic City.
In April 1993, Spirit Airlines began scheduled service to destinations in Florida. During the next five years, Spirit expanded rapidly, increasing service from Detroit and adding service in new markets such as Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Los Angeles and New York.
Spirit relocated its headquarters in December 1999, moving from Eastpointe, Michigan, to Miramar, Florida. Expansion continued with the addition of the Chicago market as well as coast-to-coast service to Los Angeles.
In November 2001, Spirit inaugurated service to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and implemented a fully integrated Spanish-language customer service plan including a website and dedicated reservation line.
On June 24, 2002, Spirit launched Spirit Vacations in conjunction with GOGO Worldwide Vacations.[3] The service offers air, hotel, and activities similar to many other vacations sites. The service is offered to many destinations in the United States and several of the most popular in the Caribbean and Latin America.[4] The vacation brand is now operated solely by the Mark Travel Corporation.
In 2002, Spirit started new service to Denver, Colo., and Las Vegas, Nevada, and expanded service to many of its existing markets. The airline has since discontinued service to Denver.
In the Fall of 2003, Spirit resumed flights to Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport, which had been suspended after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and began service to Cancún, Mexico.
In 2004, the airline added Santo Domingo and Providence to its network. In 2005, Spirit Airlines launched its biggest expansion effort yet, adding numerous destinations in the Caribbean and Bahamas. By February 2006, Spirit’s portfolio of destinations in the region totaled ten. Spirit also began service to Grand Cayman, San Francisco, and Boston in 2006, and in 2007 filed DOT applications to offer service to Costa Rica, Haiti, the Netherlands Antilles, and Venezuela.
In 2006, Spirit announced it will exercise options and order 30 Airbus A320-200 aircraft for further expansion.[2] The aircraft will have a scheduled delivery starting in March 2010.
On March 6, 2007, Spirit announced their transition to become the first ultra-low-cost carrier in the United States. Their initial plan is to begin charging US$10 per checked bag for the first two bags ($5 if bags are pre-reserved online prior to the flight), in addition to charging $1 for drinks which were previously complimentary. Starting June 20, Spirit Plus was rebranded as BIG FRONT SEAT will no longer provide business class service. For an additional fee, a person can choose BIG FRONT SEAT, or upgrade at the airport. The airline models its business plan and operating style to that of ultra low-cost carriers Ryanair and Air Asia yet has added numerous innovations to further the "ala carte" pricing option. As of October 1, 2007, Spirit is charging $2 for all drinks and $2 for bottled water.[3] In 2007, Spirit became the largest air traffic carrier at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.[5]
On September 26, 2007, Spirit announced a new branding image for the airline that updates the look of its aircraft. Spirit stated that this new image will save money by being lighter weight and thus burning less fuel in flight. The new image is white background with accents in colors most represented in Caribbean and Latin American countries, consistent with Spirit’s route network. This new image will affect the carrier’s aircraft, uniforms, airports, and website.
On June 3, 2008, Spirit Airlines made a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining notice) application to potentially relocate or lay off hundreds of pilots and flight attendants, and the closure of its San Juan crew base and LaGuardia crew base, with no change of flying at those stations.[4][6]
Starting in September 2008, Spirit aircraft became “air billboards.” Plans for advertising on the overhead bins, tray tables, seatback inserts and bulkheads is being rolled out at present. US Airways and Ryan Air are the first airlines to start advertising in the airplane, as well as the now defunct Skybus Airlines that also sold "branded airplanes" as full-body advertisement along the fuselage.[5]
A Bureau of Transportation Statistics report concluded that in 2008 Spirit had the highest number of complaints per passenger among U.S. airlines that carries more than 5 million passengers. [6]
On April 14, 2009, Spirit raised the price of the first checked baggage paid online from $15 to $19 for tickets booked after December 16, 2008; customers continue to pay $25 at the airport. The second checked bag still costs $25, and 3-5 bags at $100 each. Other baggage fees apply for special items.[7]
Spirit has been consistently changing fees, including seat fees: middle from $5 to $7, aisle from $10 to $12, while exit has remained at $15, and window has decreased from $15 to $12.[8][9] Also, other fees that have changed include non-refundable ticket cancellation/re-booking from $80 to $100 online ($90 to $110 otherwise), unaccompanied minors from $75 to $100, and pet in cabin from $85 to $100. However, some of these fees are lower than other airlines in the industry.[10]
In May, 2009, Spirit pilots overwhelmingly voted in favor of strike action (98% of votes) due to stalled contract negotiations with management. Areas of dispute include compensation, work rules and benefits. Talks are currently undergoing federal mediation. Spirit pilots are among the lowest paid Airbus pilots in the United States.
On 4 July 2009, The Jamaica Gleaner reported that Spirit Airlines had reached an agreement with the Jamaican government to acquire Air Jamaica.[7] However, the Jamaica Observer reported on 5 July that the airline had not been sold as yet.[8]
On Thursday September 17, 2009, the Federal Aviation Administration fined Spirit Airlines $375,000 for violating the agency's consumer protection regulations.[9]
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (www.bts.gov) has reported Spirit Airlines as being among the few U.S. passenger airlines generating net profit during the current economic recession: $36.2 million for the year of 2009.
Destinations
Spirit Airlines currently flies to 40 destinations throughout Central America, the Caribbean, South America, and the United States.
Currently, Spirit maintains bases at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Atlantic City International Airport.
Awards
The International Business Council of Florida (IBCF) has presented Spirit Airlines with its prestigious "Florida Business Award" for best company in the airline category for 2009. Spirit was among a select group of finalists nominated by the IBCF's strategic alliance partners, including leading business organizations and chambers of commerce from throughout the state. American, Delta, Southwest and United were the other candidates. [11]
Fleet
Current
The Spirit Airlines all-Airbus fleet consists of the following 28 aircraft (as of March 2009) [12]:
| Aircraft | Total | Order | Passengers (BIG FRONT SEAT/Deluxe Leather) |
Routes | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | 0 | 30 | 178 (4/174) | Short haul | Deliveries to begin in March 2010 |
| Airbus A319-100 | 26 |
0 | 145 (10/135) | Short-medium haul | |
| Airbus A321-200 | 2 | 0 | 218 (4/214) | Short-medium haul | Operating MCO-SJU, SJU-MCO FLL-DTW, DTW-FLL, FLL-SJU, SJU-FLL, MYR-DTW, MYR-LGA, DTW-MYR, LGA-MYR, FLL-PAP, PAP-FLL |
As of September 2009, Spirit’s average fleet age was 3.3 years old.[13] Spirit has the second youngest Airbus fleet in the Americas[10] after the Mexican airline, Volaris[11].
Retired
The following planes no longer operate in the Spirit Airlines fleet, or are being leased:
| Aircraft | Total | Year retired | Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A321-200 | 4 | 2008 | Airbus A320 Family |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-81 | 1 | 2006 | Airbus A320 Family |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 8 | 2006 | Airbus A320 Family |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 5 | 2006 | Airbus A320 Family |
FREE SPIRIT
In 2006, Spirit launched a frequent flyer program called FREE SPIRIT. The three status tiers for members are Somebody, Elite, and VIP, offering progressively increasing benefits.. In common with many frequent flyer programs, the level of membership increases as the member accumulates additional frequent flyer miles. [14]
In-flight services
Spirit has Skymart, a buy on board program that offers drinks and snacks for purchase.[12]
Controversial advertisements
Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza says Spirit has cut its marketing and distribution expenses by more than 80% during the last three years "by using edgy, viral marketing." The savings have resulted in very inexpensive fares, he says. Spirit's advertising "may be more colorful than some," but it isn't "out of the norm" when compared with many retailers' ads, Super Bowl commercials and the content of TV series, Baldanza says. [15]
2006
In 2006, the airline released a “Hunt for Hoffa” advertising campaign with the tagline “Help us find Hoffa with our Hunt for Hoffa game and enjoy fares from just $39 each way.” The point of the game was to dig for Jimmy Hoffa’s body by clicking grids on the airline’s website, and “winners” were taken to another webpage, saying "You found Hoffa!" thanking them for assisting the National Spirit Sale Center find the union leader’s body.[13] Within hours after the promotion debuted, the airline received many complaints, and the promotion was taken down immediately and changed to another promotion, simply titled “Happy Sale.” This promotion was later listed as #8 on CNN Money’s 101 Dumbest Moments in Business.[14]
2007
In December 2007, the airline released a sale with the acronym MILF, standing for “Many Islands, Low Fares.” Online and TV media picked up on this and noted that M.I.L.F. was popularized in the movie American Pie as an acronym for "Mom I'd Like to F---" This controversy was covered on CBS and ABC News, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and The O'Reilly Factor.[15]
2008
In April 2008, the airline sent an email to its marketing subscription list announcing “We’re having a threesome. Join us in the fun.” Offering "three sales in one," the email repeatedly proposes the "threesome."[16]
2009
On January 8, 2009, the airline announced the return of the MILF Special.[16] The airliner also hosted another deal called the "Red Light Special", suggesting a reference to a Red-light district.
On December 2, 2009, shortly after a well publicized car accident involving golfer Tiger Woods, Spirit launched lowered fares in a promotion called the "Eye of the Tiger Sale". Imagery for the campaign featured an SUV crashing into a fire hydrant, with a tiger leaning out the driver's side window.[17]
References
- ^ "Fact Sheet." Spirit Airlines. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
- ^ Spirit founded as "Charter One"
- ^ PR Announcement of Spirit Vacations Established With GOGO Vacations
- ^ Spirit Vacations Destinations
- ^ Spirit the Largest Carrier at FLL
- ^ Spirit Airlines Announces Massive Layoffs
- ^ Report: Spirit Airlines buys Air Jamaica
- ^ Air Jamaica not sold yet, say Gov't officials
- ^ Frogameni, Bill. "Spirit Airlines hit with record fine." Atlanta Business Journal. Friday September 18, 2009. Retrieved on September 20, 2009.
- ^ Spirit Air Youngest Fleet
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Drinks, Snacks and More." Spirit Airlines. Retrieved on September 20, 2009.
- ^ "Airline scraps online 'Hoffa' game". USA Today. 2006-07-19. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2006-07-19-hoffa-promotion_x.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-27.
- ^ Horowitz, Adam; David Jacobson, Tom McNichol, and Owen Thomas. "8. Spirit Airlines". 101 Dumbest Moments in Business. CNNMoney.com. http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/biz2/0701/gallery.101dumbest_2007/8.html. Retrieved 2007-04-27.
- ^ "Fort Lauderdale’s Spirit in the sky*". anna.aero. 15th August 2008. http://www.anna.aero/2008/08/15/fort-lauderdales-spirit-in-the-sky/.
- ^ Gorell, Robert (2007-04-01). "Spirit Airlines Proposes a Threesome With Me". Spirit Airlines Proposes a Threesome With Me. Future Now (grokdotcom.com). http://www.grokdotcom.com/2008/04/01/spirit-air-threesome/. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
- ^ Huffington Post, "Spirit Airlines' Tiger Woods Ad"
External links
- Spirit Airlines official website
- Spirit Vacations official website
- Skylights inflight magazine
- "Don't Come Crying to This Airline," N.Y. Times, March 28, 2009
- Dominican Today - Florida Business Award
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