MIRAMAR, Fla., June 20, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spirit Airlines (Nasdaq:SAVE) customers have spoken and the airline is listening. The ultra low cost carrier is lowering fares on all non-stop flights by $5 each way beginning November 1st providing savings for customers checking in online and printing their own boarding passes. Customers who choose to have their boarding pass printed by an agent will be charged $5.
As part of Spirit's continuing efforts to offer low fares, the airline recently surveyed its database of four million consumers to learn if they would be interested in saving money by checking in online. An overwhelming 94 percent said they favored lower fares in exchange for checking in online.
Starting November 1, 2011, Spirit is giving customers the option to save $5 each way by checking in online or at an airport kiosk to print their own boarding pass. As Spirit has done in the past when introducing new options, the carrier is also reducing fares – by $5 each way on all non-stop flights – with the introduction of a $5 fee to have an agent print a boarding pass at the airport. As a result, those who prefer having an agent print their boarding pass will see no change in their total price. And those who check in online or at an airport kiosk will save!
"If you choose to check in online you will save more than ever before. If you choose to continue checking in with an agent you will see your fare go down as much as the new fee. It's a win-win for everyone: more ways to save and only charging customers for services they actually use," says Spirit's Chief Marketing Officer Barry Biffle.
"We believe it is important to let customers decide what is of value to them. We want to give them the ability to choose the extras they want without forcing them to pay for add-ons they don't want or need," said Ben Baldanza, Spirit President and CEO. "Why would you want to pay for services you don't use? Sure, we could charge more and include everything in a high fare, but that presumes that all customers want all options. By lowering the fare for everyone and then charging only those who choose for us to print their boarding pass, we let the customer decide. It's all about consumer choice. Imagine if you went to a restaurant and all the meals came with dessert. That's great if you like dessert, but if you don't, you would prefer the option to pay less for the meal and not take the dessert."
Spirit's $5 fee for printing a boarding pass is per person and applies to all domestic and international flights booked June 21, 2011 and beyond for travel November 1, 2011 and beyond. The fee is waived in cities where Spirit does not have airport check-in kiosks or if a customer is not able to use the automated kiosk to print their boarding pass.
Starting June 26, 2012, Spirit's online check-in will continue to be free, boarding passes at airport kiosks will be $1.00, and printing a boarding pass from an agent will be $5.
About Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines (www.spirit.com) is the largest Ultra Low Cost Carrier (ULCC) in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. As the unbundling leader in the industry, Spirit allows consumers the option of paying only for the features they value without subsidizing the choices of others. Its all-Airbus fleet, the youngest in the Americas, flies more than 150 daily flights to over 40 destinations. The company is based in South Florida.
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Media Note:
Spirit aircraft photos and video b-roll is available at http://marketing.spirit.com/press.