www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I am a medical tourism facilitator and arrange quite a bit of travel. I do not use spirit and do not recommend them. They are terrible. Uncomfortable, nickel and dime you, bad but not the worst. Their complete lack of customer service, in fact they don't give a shit abut you at all, that I find appalling.

I finally got my refund. It was denied at first, but the second time after emailing them for the 3rd time, it was authorized 2 days ago. I'll probably see it in my CC account in 6 weeks knowing them.

Not worth the hassle.

I beg to differ. That title goes to VivaColombia VivaColombia is definitely the Latino version Spirit.

For what it's worth, I've found the Avianca FLIGHT EXPERIENCE (as opposed to deailing with their customer service as you had to) to be head and shoulders above Spirit. Arguably surpasses some major US airlness.

I've flown Avianca several times to/from Colombia as well as inside Colombia, and it's actually a pretty decent airline. Decent meals (with wine at no charge) in economy, cute young Colombiana flight attendants, newer planes with decent seats and individual entertainment screens in economy, no bag fees, and (so far) on time departures/arrivals. On international flights they even have a duty free shop on the plane - a even cuter salesgirl comes down the aisle to offfer duty free products as you fly.

And their prices are usually lower than American, so that's a plus.

My only beef with Avianca is they don't participate in TSAPrev in MIA. But they do fly out of / arrive in Terminal J instead of the Terminal D zoo so that's also a plus.

mh

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mh

I too used to like flying on Avianca(LASCA/TACA) 2 years ago. The service was god and as MH said free wine in economy and decent food (for an airline these days) Also no baggage fee for the first bag but recently their fares from San Francisco to San jose are at least $100 to $150 higher than Delta or United.
Never had to deal with their customer service though.

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Softbob

There is nothing either good or bad
but thinking makes it so.
HAMLET

You are correct. I have flown Avianca (before as Taca) over 35-40 times to CR/Colombia and I let this nonsense cloud my memory. They aren't like Spirit because their on-board experience is very good, their only issue is with logistical efficiency, whereas Spirit sucks royally in both aspects.

One interesting Avianca tidbit: I know at least 2 former working paisas who are now flight attendants, flying into MIA and NYC on a regular basis! Sadly they no longer "work", at least not in the sense I knew them.

I guess whoring does pay!

mh

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mh

Yes I also have heard others say it sucks. They charge for every little thing. Kind of the "clip joint" of airlines!

However, Volares to and from Mexico/Costa Rica is worse.
They have the smallest acceptable size for a carry on of any airline I've seen and so then they want to charge you extra money because yours is too big, even though it was fine on the last 8 airlines!

I complained politely to someone about it, explaining I would be unlikely to take Volares again because of it and they just shrugged, like "why should I give a sh*t?"

I'll never fly them again and I'm on here warning you not to either unless you have a carry on the size of an overnight kit.

I also agree that Avianca used to be very good but have gone downhill. My friend missed her flight in Panama - she was sick and in the bathroom - but they had only closed the boarding one minute earlier. Wouldn't let her on the flight AND the c-word administrator there would not help her get another flight out of Panama on to USA. She had to wait HOURS for the next Avianca person to come, and he did help her but she ended up having to take one of those 12 hour flights with 2 stops. All because the biatch at Avianca would not let her board a minute late.

This also happened to someone I know once in the USA on Aeromexico. So all these airlines are off my list.
So far I've had good luck with Delta and American, and Jet Blue lately.

On international flights they even have a duty free shop on the plane - a even cuter salesgirl comes down the aisle to offfer duty free products as you fly. /quote]
I like Avianca and I like Jet Blue....alhough easy to run up a $100 bar bill at the Avianca gate at MIA, damn those drinks are expensive. Funny Story - I was flying to COL with my novia and they pass out that catalogue on the flight for duty free and she asks me if she could get something, so I thought it was just a magazine that the flight attendant was handing out and said, " sure, get whatever you want. " She gives me a big kiss and was so happy, ok. Well at the end of the flight, I get a big bill and she has all sorts of stuff WTF? I say where'd this come from, and she shows me the magazine....I never knew or expected they order right there. "Alright, baby, you got me "

Another time, the Avianca male flight attendant moves asks me to move with a big grin on his face and I'm thinking why is the dude moving me around, well, he sits me next to the hottest chica on the plane and we had the row to ourselves, I nod and smile and tip him well when drinks came.

Spirit, cheap yes, nightmare, yes. I used to not care b/c I would find a row to myself but they switch to smaller planes making it uncomfortable. And I swear their seats are made smaller than other airlines....Bad fleet of planes.

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Livin' & Lovin' in Key Largo....oh....And the one in The Keys, too!

Spirit has just announced it is now part of the TSA Pre Check program, Avianca has been added as well.

https://www.tsa.gov/news/releases/2017/ ... a-precheck

Mark the date, TSA Pre is now oficially meaningless.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

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This post is provided purely for entertainment purposes and free of charge on the part of the author. No tourist or travel promotion is expressed or implied. The author of this post was not provided compensation (monetary or otherwise) for this potentially entertaining contribution.

TSA has been officially meaningless. From day 1.

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Any opinion or observation in the post above is purely presented for entertainment purposes and does not promote "sexual tourism" or "human trafficking". The laws of Costa Rica apply to all activities in Costa Rica. No warranty is expressed or implied. Void where prohibited by law. Your experience, observations or perspective may be different.

In exile in pu*sy prison

I would not call it a "clip joint." It is an "ala carte" airline, or an "unbundled" airline.

They offer you a very low airfare. If another airline charges you $600 to get to your destination, they charge you $300.

The price goes up to between $340 and $400, depending upon whether you want a regular seat in the back, a regular seat up front, an emergency row seat, or a first class type seat, and how much luggage you want to bring on board or check in.

Yes, you do not get the "free" soft drink and pretzels, or the B movie you would not have watched even if you picked up the DVD at a yard sale for 50 cents, or an inflight magazine you would not read if it comprised the only reading material on death row, but is all that really worth another $200-$250 dollars.

How many of complain of bundled services like our cable bills?

Booked a flight on Spirit from Dallas for $209 r/t for 2/10. No bags or seat. It was over $800 on American. Will be traveling JTF-Bravo style with just a free small backpack. Also booked a $117 trip to Vegas for Superbowl weekend.

Those discount fares have allowed me to take many more trips than I would have if I were paying $500 - $900 per trip. It may be a little cramped on the plane but I can manage for a few hours for that kind of savings. They have only stranded me a few times and always put me up in a hotel and some meal vouchers. From my experience they are about on par with the majors for cancelled and delayed flights.

Like everthing it depends right? I just did a Kayak search for late Feb going IAH to SJO on a Weds to Sunday trip. Spirit will get you there for a $463 ticket.

You'll change planes at least once each way, oh and your arrival will in fact be Thursday at 1:22 am. Of course given your arrival hour you can skip a night in the hotel, saving even more, and just hang at HDR till sun up. Or give Hotel Paradise a shot, lol.

viewtopic.php?t=48493

For just $9 more you can go direct on the 2nd worst airline (United) and be at HDR in time for shift change on Weds. Bridge closure not withstanding.

Now some will say phuck it $9 is $9. I'd pay up way more than $9. How much I don't know, but it's way more than that. I'm almost always willing to pay up for the direct flight, no matter the airline.

I remember the days of ATA. I'd pay up to not be on their flights sharing a plane with the halfwits that carrier seemed to attract. Full disclosure, I've not flown Spirit so maybe that concern is unfounded.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

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This post is provided purely for entertainment purposes and free of charge on the part of the author. No tourist or travel promotion is expressed or implied. The author of this post was not provided compensation (monetary or otherwise) for this potentially entertaining contribution.

[quote="hotdogg"] You'll change planes at least once each way, oh and your arrival will in fact be Thursday at 1:22 am. Of course given your arrival hour you can skip a night in the hotel, saving even more, and just hang at HDR till sun up. Or give Hotel Paradise a shot, lol.

viewtopic.php?t=48493

That's my plan right now. Done it before and the numbers look good in my master monger spreadsheet, but I will probably woos out and spend all 3 nights at Castillio. Either way I will head over to HDR at 2:30 am.