I agree that most of the complaints regarding Spirit are for those who expect service vastly disproportionate to what people paid for their trip.
Spirit is the currently among the most profitable commercial airlines in the United States, and it's first quarter 2012 financials that were recently released are unheard of in the industry. $37 million in income from revenue of $301 million.
The $100 carry on bag fee is only for those who try to be sneaky and try to bring a bag aboard without paying anything. The one thing about Spirit is that it strictly and uniformly follows its policies no matter how much you yell and complain, no matter if you go to the media, no matter how much you swear up and down you will never fly with them again. (to which the answer should be "sure you will, as long as it is cheaper")
When Spirit released its IPO, it specifically said that its target market is VFR traffic from South Florida to Latin American and Caribbean destinations (immigrant population returning to their country to visit relatives or friends, much of this population is price sensitive) and very price sensitive leisure travelers.
If you live in the South Florida area, (as the cheapest flights are usually nonstop flights only), are flexible with your travel times, follow the rules, and don't pack like you're moving there, Spirit can be a great deal.
I really think Spirit is on to something with the carry on bag fee. The amount of carry on baggage passengers bring on board (or attempt to bring on board) the aircraft is absolutely unbelievable. Last week, flying on AA in business class MIA-SDQ and then in the main cabin the other way around, I noted that boarding and disembarking from the aircraft is painfully slow. There is just not enough space for all the bags people bring on board. No wonder why in MIA boarding began a solid hour before departure time. In comparison, boarding and deplaning Spirit flights is remarkably fast. Since few people purchased carry on baggage the bins remained mostly empty, Even sitting in row 20 I was outside the aircraft in less than 4 minutes after the doors opened upon arrival in SDQ, ( and the gate crew already had the passengers lined up and ready to board the plane back to FLL as soon as it emptied out) as opposed to well over 15 minutes to empty out an AA 757 upon arrival. All of Spirit's aircraft are leased, not owned and it's in Spirit's interest to use the planes as much as possible to make money off of them, as a plane only makes money in the air. This is why we have all these overnight flights. Instead of the plane sitting on the tarmac at FLL all night, it can go to Managua, or Santiago DR, or San Pedro Sula, Honduras and be back by the early morning and be making money. I have been on all three of those overnight routes and in all three cases the plane was completely full,mostly with people returning to their country to visit family.
I think other airlines, desperate for revenue and for quicker turnaround times, will eventually adapt a modified version of this rule, perhaps lowering the first checked bag fee while charging for a carryon, making it more cost effective for the passenger to check a bag and bring only a small personal bag for under the seat on the aircraft. It could look like this. ( I use AA as an example as I am most familiar with its policies)
Domestic US flights- current
Carry on baggage-free
1st checked bag-$25
2nd checked bag $35
Domestic US flights- with carry on bag fee
Small personal item- free
Carry on bag- $25
1st checked bag- $15
2nd checked bag $35
Then we can market the carry on bag as a convenience for someone who does not want to hang out at the airport in the baggage claim
For Caribbean flights- current
Carry on bag-free
1st checked bag-free
2nd checked bag-$40
For Caribbean flights- with carry on bag fee
small personal item-free
Carry on bag-$25
1st checked bag-free
2nd checked bag $40
All the usual exceptions would apply for waiving these fees (first class passengers, full fare, millitary, elite level frequent fliers)
These policies could be enforced the same way Spirit currently does it. Whether you check in online and go to the gate or check in at the counter, you will be given the option to check carry on bags, if you do not buy it, your boarding pass will read in large letters, "No carry on baggage" The gate agent will verify on boarding that your small bag will fit under the seat if you did not purchase a carry on bag and if you are not in compliance charge you $25 to carry the item onboard (if space is available) or $15 to check it.
Spirit is not for everyone, and if you have a lot of baggage, are not flying nonstop, need high frequency routes like a business traveler would, or are such a frequent flyer that you are elite status with a legacy airline, you would probably do better flying someone else. But there IS a market for this kind of product in the United States, as Spirit's excellent financials show. They've never been more profitable and their planes have never been fuller.
