Spirit is well known for offering cheap fares, whether cheap airplane tickets or cheap vacation packages. Unfortunately it is also sports a well deserved reputation for introducing innovative passenger fees.
In response to the Department of Transportation (DOT) instituting a series of passenger protection regulations on January 26th, Spirit has introduced a new fee. Spirit is calling its $2 each-way fee a DOTUC (Department of Transportation Unintended Consequences) fee to offset the costs resulting from DOTs new regulations. This fee went into effect on January 31st.
One of DOTs new rules gives fliers the right to change or cancel a reservation, without penalty, within 24 hours of booking. Spirit claims that now it is being forced to reserve seats for customers who have yet to commit to flying, causing Spirit to lose inventory and thus money. It is therefore passing on the claimed cost of this regulation onto its customers. No hard data had been presented that verifies Spirits actual cost of this regulation.
Given that it has been less than two weeks since DOTs new rules went into effect it is questionable whether the airline has had a chance to make an accurate estimate of how much the rules have impacted its profits.
Instead it appears that Spirit is using the new regulation as an excuse to come up with yet another innovative passenger charge. Spirit is currently the only U.S. airline that charges its customers to place carry-on luggage in overhead bins.
Spirits position is People love the idea of not having to commit to a reservation, but this regulation, like most, imposes costs on consumers. Wouldnt we all like to eat all we want and not get fat? Regulators like to try to sell the idea of this rule, but have ignored the cost impact to consumers. You simply cant eat all you want without consequences.
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