www.CostaRicaTicas.com

MG- I have a wingman in Cocoa Beach. He tells me there is a non-stop to SJO from MCO but it is prohibitively expensive (don't recall airline), so he drives down south to join us on the Spirit flight from FLL.

After Labor Day I think I will retire from Spirit and take AA, be it from MIA or the new FLL flight (whichever has better times and lower fares). Of course, I will probably have a bad experience on that flight. Oh well.

I flew back on Spirit on the 6th. No problems landing there in fla. at 5am.

dutch

I think it's Martin Air that flies direct from Orlando to SJO, but I've got a good friend who had numerous problems with them in the past, and he won't fly with them anymore. And because of this, I haven't ever given them a try.

And I agree Mendowbrew regarding ALL airlines having problems lately. And it's DEFINITELY a YMMV issue. But I fly monthly on AA direct from Miami to San Jose (or Liberia). And over the past 60+ flights, the few problems that I've encountered have been normal, minor problems. I've also had many other un-eventful flights over the past several years on AA to destinations like Cabo San Lucas, Las Vegas, New York, Dallas, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Connecticut, Turks & Caicos, San Francisco, Atlanta and Chicago. After hearing the negativity about AA from some of the CRT members, I certainly consider myself lucky that my problems with them have been very minimal.

In addition, on more than one occasion with AA, I've seen prices advertised for more than I originally paid, and I have NEVER had a problem getting a refund for the difference. All this, plus throw in several free flights per year with AA, and they are definitely my carrier of choice.

Respectfully,
Mucho Gusto

_________________
You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

I usually fly Martin Air but this trip I took Spirit. My trip back to Orlando took 15 hours (remember this is a 2.5 hour flight). But, I really cannot blame Spirit. Our flight left on time and we arrived in Fort Lauderdale in about 2 hours. The problem was getting through customs. About 8 airlines landed at the same time and everyone had to go through customs. Then CUSTOMS made us get our luggage (should have been transferred to Orlando) , had their dogs sniff them then reinquired where we were going. Next we had to recheck our luggage back on Spirit air to Orlando.

The whole customs process slowed down and Spirit delayed ALL flights so that we didn't miss or connection.

I really think Spirit is trying to do the right thing. I don't believe all the problems are theirs.

I always take martin air from orlando and have only been delayed once.
The flight connects out of amsterdam so it can sometimes be delayed.
I am willing to pay the extra hundred bucks for a direct convenient flight.
If I drove to south florida to take spirit or AA, I would spend just as much or more in gas , parking and aggravation.

I scrubbed an entire long weekend of fun in the CR because I booked on Spirit for a lower fare. Was suppose to go this weekend 16th-20th and saw that monster forming and just knew from all the bad feedback about Spirit on this site that Spirit would eff it away even if Dean doesn't hit CR or FLL. They proly will use that damn huracane as an excuse to cancel all kinds of flights and create long delays anyway. I'm on very tight timeframe with little vacation to lose if I get stuck in SJO. Would love to get stuck there but my job very much wouldn't so I paid Spirit a smaller change fee ($60) for a future flight. Did this all in the 11th hr. also. Any changes have to be made 24 hrs. in advance.

Another tip for Spirit. DO NOT accept their "free" credit card. It is complete BS. I tryed to de-select it after finding out there is a $40 annual maint. fee. Also found out later that they charge that fee up front. I filed a complaint already and haven't even taken one flight. They cancelled my CC and I paid the higher fare which is OK however since I changed my flight to a new date with a lower fare and paid the $60 change fee feel I am entitled to the fare difference back. I have filed a 2nd complaint with this shit ass airline. If they don't at least give me a voucher I'm going to file a formal complaint.

I really apreciate everyone's feedback on Spirt. Has saved me some real headaches. Although not in the Pura Vida now suspect I will have saved myself a lot of headache next week.

Hey Richards,

How long did it take just to clear customs at FLL? MIA is usaully less than an hour. If it takes too much longer than that at FLL will bypass it.

Thanks,
Jester

depends on when you arive in FLL, if there are a bunch of planes landing at the same time, it can take awhile, my last time thru there in May, took all of 10 minutes to clear customs.

i took spirit flight from fll to sjo on friday the 17 returing on tuesday night. all flights were on time and customs was a breeze. took about 15 minutes from deplanning to get bags and thru immargrations and customs. i was hesitant flighing spirit after reading the horror stories but maybe i just got lucky. i think the only bad experience i had this trip was the ft lauderdale ticket staff. i was there with about 25 people in line. there were 5 agents and in one half hour time i counted them taking care of 10 people. now that is slower than anyone else i have ever seen in the checkin department. looked like the agents didnt care at all.. could have been that all the people seemed to be flying international and there is absolutly no automated check in on the kiosks for international. should be bull because other airlines allow you to use the kiosks for international they just check your id. well i had a great trip. word of advice if your taking the 12:45 flight home. eat first . everything is closed by the time you get thru checkin at sjo.

It is no wonder that the "customer service" staff of Spirit have no regard for the customer. They are simply following the corporate mentality that originates at the very top.

According to http://consumerist.com/consumer/insert- ... h-disease/ this is an actual email from the CEO to one of his underlings concerning a customer complaint. He pressed reply to all rather than reply and the message was sent not only to the staff member but also the customer who wrote the complaint letter.

"This is how Ben Baldanza CEO of Spirit Air responded to a complaint letter from a first-time customer:

Please respond, Pasquale, but we owe him nothing as far as I'm concerned. Let him tell the world how bad we are. He's never flown us before anyway and will be back when we save him a penny."

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I have flown MartinAir about 25 times. At least half the time it was from 1-2 hrs late. Last Nov. landed in SJO at 3:30 am for a flight that was to land at 10. I will fly AA now also I must be lucky I have flown Spirit twice with no problems.

Trip #4 on Spirit fll to sjo ida y vuelta 8/17-8/23. On time , uneventful flight, no problems. $168.00 todo

I don't know if I was the first to post on Spirit here, but my evaluation of them is under trip report "my sixth trip". Ben doesn't really know that unless spirit air is the last and only airline to or from a destination, I will "never" use them again. I try not to use that word too often as things have an unpredictable way of changing, BUT, he is sadly mistaken if he thinks that saving 75-100 dollars is a deal changer so much so that I just can't resist his offers. IMHO, his airline is one of the worst, period, end of sentence.

It kind of reminds me of some the chica attitudes. They figure they can charge cien or more and when they wiggle and jiggle it, no one can resist. And if this guy does, another one won't. To Ben Baldanza and the some of the chicas. Au contrere.

3P

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CR LOS or PI Come horny, Leave Happy
Being 'over the hill' is damn sure better than being under it!
I was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one.

Nothing to do with that. They said, "Spirit has 36 planes, Russell said. Flights connected to those planes had to be canceled. The crews were then out of position for their Saturday morning flights." I worked for an airline with 12 planes once. One problem, weather or maintanance affected everything.

I have worked for a number of airlines including one where one of my responsibilities was aircraft scheduling. I also in that capacity had a very strong working relationship wit crew scheduling. Your point that a problem, be it maintenance or weather, can cause serious disruptions is well taken especially with a carrier operating a small fleet.

I disagree however that a thunderstorm and one maintenance problem could in themselves cause the widespread delays that Spirit suffered. Those delays were more reminiscent of a blizzard closing down an entire section of the country for a day or two. Spirit can spin it anyway they want but the bottom line is they are, or at that time were, having labor problems with their operating crews who I suspect were sticking to the letter of their contractual obligations. Yes weather was partially to blame but there were other factors Spirit is unwilling to divulge, to the public, as is the usual case when labor relations spill over and effect the operation.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine