It’s the luck of the draw if your carry-on will fly free with Spirit.
For proper spacing: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1URaWL1NrzmHskx-fHSDPSfBXrDygKxv2k2_3mdfGfRQ/edit?usp=sharing
I have flown over 20 times on Spirit airlines
Each experience is wildly different.
But one question mark is certain:
Will they charge me for my carry-on at the gate and make me pay $99?
or
Will I be able to walk on with my unpaid carry on and not pay a dime?
I’d say I have about a 70% success rate.
70% of the time, I am able to walk up to the gate.
With a backpack or duffel bag.
And another tote.
About to board.
Always nervous.
Always trying to small talk and act casual.
And get on with a free carryon.
30% of the time
They call me out.
Big time.
‘Step aside SIR and pay for your carry-on’
Or recently with Frontier (basically Spirit)
Was told to put it in the bin to measure it
And it fit when I pushed it down, but still had to buy it because ‘it didn’t slide in naturally.’
Needless to say.
It’s the luck of the draw.
Sometimes you get chill attendants.
Sometimes you get rule-following policy sticklers.
Sometimes the managers are around.
Sometimes it’s just you and the attendant
It can’t even be defined by the airport.
But I must say, in my experience, Las Vegas has tended to nip me for a carry-on.
Denver has done the same for me with Frontier.
It’s a risky one to fly budget airlines.
But it’s a vibe.
Not all of us have the big dawg baller jobs which allow us to fly with carry-ons.
Background:
Spirit is known for cheap fares.
Low cost flights that will get you from point A to point B.
In between point A and B may be a few other random points (layovers in random airports).
I have stared at slot machines on layovers in Vegas far too many times.
The kicker with a low cost flight is the baggage situation.
How much can you bring on?
‘Carry-on not included’
There is even a carryon graphic with a slash through it when booking on Google Flights.
You do get 1 personal item.
However, I have shown up to gates many times with duffel bags, huge backpacks, and many times am able to get through.
Many times in airports they call out a final boarding call.
1 final boarding call.
Hence ‘FINAL’ boarding call.
But recently, I have noticed Spirit calling out the final boarding call about 4 times.
What’s up with that?
What can I trust?
How much time do I really have?
I usually like to wait to be the last one on board because being a tall guy, I like to slide into the aisle seats or seats with empty next-to seats. Once everyone has boarded, you can just slide wherever, they never check the ticket.
Experience recently
Flight from Salt Lake to Las Vegas
No fuss when walking with a carry-on and personal item
4 hour layover
Flight from Las Vegas to Portland
Huge lines
I wait until only a few people are left to board
Go up to attendant
Told I ‘need to consolidate’
So I step aside to try
It doesn’t all fit in my backpack
I go up to the person after 1 minute.
Say I can’t fit it all in.
They say, sorry, we closed the doors.
No more people on the flight.
Um what?
You just told me to consolidate?
‘We were saying over and over on the intercom to consolidate and final boarding call’
Well every other flight’s first ‘final boarding call’ means they have 4 more ‘final boarding calls’ coming.
I was prepared to step aside and pay the $99 fee for a carry-on and then board.
I had to get to Portland.
I had a concert to get to.
But they said it’s too late to buy the carry-on, the flight doors are closed.
Bizarre.
The manager gave me a business card to call corporate, which see might as well have handed it to me with air, because Spirit customer service doesn’t exist.
4 more hours until the next flight.
Walk up, ready to board.
Flight canceled.
No voucher for accommodation or food. ‘Due to weather.’
Tough roll of the dice this go-around.
Maybe next time I’ll get better luck, or I’ll just get a higher paying job and never have to deal with budget airlines again.