‘I would’ve opened that back door and been gone’: Spirit Airlines passengers get stuck on plane, wait over 7 hours before takeoff

When asking an Average Joe or Josephine which airline they think is the worst, one company often rises to the top of that discussion—Spirit Airlines. Frontier is almost always in the mix as well.

The too-good-to-be-true low ticket prices of budget airlines like Spirit are often juxtaposed with unfortunate operational issues. TikToker and Spirit customer Lindsey Mascera (@lindsey.mascera) further confirmed this rumor with a video that has exploded to 11.6 million views, showing a plane full of angry Spirit Customers waiting for their plane to take off for over seven hours.

@lindsey.mascera

SPIRIT AIRLINES. PASSENGERS STUCK ON FLIGHT

♬ original sound - Lindsey Mascera

Lindsey starts her video showing disgruntled customers, some standing and fidgety and some likely doing their best not to internally combust. She narrates, “We have 200 passengers on this flight right now. How long have you been waiting? 7 hours,” she continues, “It’s almost 11pm and we’ve been here since 4.” 

She then turns the camera to the cockpit, which is empty, and says “We got delayed. And now there’s no pilots to be found and there’s no answer.” 

Lindsey ends the video by exclaiming, “Do not ride Spirit. They suck.”  

Spirit Airlines, a budget carrier known for ultra-low-cost fares, has earned a reputation as "America's worst airline." Despite low prices, the company consistently faces negative attention due to various issues that plague its customer experience.

So why is Spirit Airlines so bad? According to Aviation Nepal, it has:  

• Unreliable Flight Schedule:
  • Frequent flight cancellations and delays lead to customer frustration.
  • Inadequate compensation and rebooking options
• Refund Issues:
  • Rigid refund policies and lack of transparency for canceled flights
  • Slow refund processing and additional hidden fees add to passenger grievances.
• Hidden Fees:
  • Spirit Airlines charges extra for essential services like checked bags and priority boarding.
  • Accumulated hidden fees can offset initial cost savings and lead to an unsatisfactory experience.
• Notoriously Uncomfortable Planes:
  • Tight seating and lack of comfort due to minimal amenities contribute to discomfort.
  • Passengers face cramped conditions and little privacy during flights.
• Lack of Inflight Amenities:
  • Absence of entertainment options, limited connectivity, and paid refreshments disappoint passengers.
  • The airline's no-frills approach extends to basic amenities, further diminishing the onboard experience.

Spirit’s reputation suffers due to its shortcomings in providing reliable schedules, reasonable refunds, clear fee structures, comfortable seating, and basic onboard services.

To sum it up, travelers prioritizing savings over comfort might tolerate Spirit Airlines' drawbacks. Yet, for those valuing convenience, comfort, and a smoother flying experience, the potential hassles associated with the airline might outweigh the cost savings.

Users in the TikTok comments were unanimous in this assessment. “My dad waited 12 hours and it was canceled,” one user recounted, while another one-upped them, sharing, ”Once I was with spirit and it took 13 hours.” 

Many others said they would’ve demanded to get off, with one user writing, “Bro I would've opened that back door and been gone.” 

Even with all the negativity in the comments, many users took the glass-half-full approach and followed the old adage: if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Oddly enough, much of this positivity was about the seats. “Seats look comfortable though,” one user chipped in, while another wrote, “Never flew spirt but those seats look good.”

Well, let’s hope the seats are comfortable when waiting on the tarmac for seven hours, which as Lindsey later admitted in a comment, “Turned out to be 12 hours." 

The DailyDot has reached out to Lindsey via TikTok comment and Spirit Airlines via email.

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