# Your experience with Spirit Airline to Gr. Cayman



## Kola (Oct 21, 2007)

We are considering flying Spirit Airline FLL to Gr. Cayman next spring because of their low rates. Have no experience with this airline. 
Looking for any comments on your experience with Spirit service to Gr. Cayman, such as your overall satisfaction with service, safety,  on time departure/arrival, enforcement of limits on the number/weight of carry-on bags, any lost baggage problems, etc. Thanks.

Kola


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## Transit (Oct 21, 2007)

My experence was Spirit traveling through Ft Lauderdale was TERRIBLE.They simply cannot handle the amount of travelers that go through that terminal for international flights IAs far as luggage you can prepay $5 a bag online or $10 a bag at the gate. Yes carry ons and weight limits were being strictly enforced both times I trugged through this mess creating even more of a problem as people were removing items from bags at the counter. I'm still waiting for a replacement bag for luggage they destroyed in June. I think if you have a domestic flight then you can pre-print your boarding pass and avoid serious conflict at the terminal altough security lines will still be long. There were no employees to help it was every man for himself and those who didn't make to the counter simply didn't make their flights.


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## Steamboat Bill (Oct 21, 2007)

Transit said:


> My experence was Spirit traveling through Ft Lauderdale was TERRIBLE.They simply cannot handle the amount of travelers that go through that terminal for international flights



I 100% agree that terminal 4 at FLL is the worst. It took me over 2 hours just to get from the street to my gate.


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## Seaside (Oct 21, 2007)

I agree, I just arrived in GCM last Sunday through FLL....it was over 2 hours, hundreds of people on line, we were outside most of the time. Found out they have a couple of International flights leaving within 5 minutes of each other. I have flown them before, and the flights always take off late, 45 minutes or so. By the time I went through security, I had 10 minutes to get to the gate, the door was already locked. I told personnel that there were plenty of people still at security. And then to sit on the plane an extra 45 minutes was even more frustrating, everyone was boarded for most of that time. The aggravation was not worth saving a little money.


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## Kola (Oct 22, 2007)

With all these discouraging comments I wonder how come the demand for their services is so high ? Or are the line ups at the FLL terminal a seasonal factor ?

K.


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## ralphd (Oct 22, 2007)

Ticket cost!


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## Steamboat Bill (Oct 22, 2007)

Kola said:


> With all these discouraging comments I wonder how come the demand for their services is so high ? Or are the line ups at the FLL terminal a seasonal factor ?
> 
> K.



It's called the $9 fare...

Terminal 4 is the smallest terminal and Spirit is the busiest airline in FLL. They simply are growing faster than they can handle the crowds. In addition, terminal 4 has the old x-rays and you have to stand in three different lines.

Line 1 usually extends out the door and it can be hot, humid and rainy...too bad.

Line 2 divided line 1 into domestic and international flights.

Line 3 is the x-ray line where you have to drag all your bags from line 1 and 2 (to get them weighed and ticketed)...lots of fun.

Yes, Spirit has cheap flights and new planes...but FLL terminal 4 is the pits.

Yes, it was MUCH worst over the summer and it is slightly better now. But holiday traveling will be  a nightmare.

Also, this is not easy to say in words...some of the Spirit passengers reminds me of a public bus service picking up day workers that need a shower.


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## Seaside (Oct 22, 2007)

I have flown them different times of the year. It is not a seasonal factor. And another factor to consider, which to me is worse, is that arriving in FLL from GCM the lines at Immigration are also very long, worse then Miami only when you come in on the Spirit flight as they have other flights arriving at the same time and there is a very long wait.


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## somerville (Oct 22, 2007)

I agree with everything that has been said about flying Spirit out of FLL.  We waited in the checkin line last year for well over 2 hours and barely made our flight.  It was late leaving the gate, or we would not have made it.  As it was, our luggage didn't make it until the next day.

Part of the problem is that there are a large number of cruise ship passengers flying in and out of FLL on weekends.  It probably didn't help that we were fling the Saturday before Christmas.  However, there was no crowd control by Spirit and people were cutting in line.  The line for Spirit's checkin extended outside its terminal, almost to the next terminal.  There did not appear to be any sense of urgency by Spirit's counter personnel to procees passengers, despite the long line.


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## caribbeansun (Oct 23, 2007)

A good friend of mine flew Spirit from Detroit to GCM and their return flight was cancelled but not until they got to FLL - no viable explanation, nothing just two days of hell in FLL.


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## TomR (Oct 23, 2007)

I made a timeshare exchange for my son and his family to Grand Cayman over Christmas.  They are flying Spirit out of Atlantic City with a change of planes in FLL. Will they likely experience the same problems as reported here or are those problems mainly for those who check in at FLL?


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## somerville (Oct 23, 2007)

TomR said:


> I made a timeshare exchange for my son and his family to Grand Cayman over Christmas.  They are flying Spirit out of Atlantic City with a change of planes in FLL. Will they likely experience the same problems as reported here or are those problems mainly for those who check in at FLL?


If they are flying in from elswhere and making a connection, they shouldn't have the same problem as those checking in at FLL.  However, they may have to wait for all the FLL passengers who are delayed checking in.


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## alliebrian (Oct 23, 2007)

*Absolutely hated Spirit!!!*

Flew it to and from FLL for my nephew's wedding.  They lied to us about ny son;s kite board--told us it was no charge coz like a snow board and then charged us $50 for it on the return flight.  Took forever to get through their line in FLL and they were rude.  At DC end, they were fine, not crowded, planes were nice.  If you buy your tix from any website but theirs, you cannot get pre-assigned seats.  Have to get them at the airport so we ended up spread out all over the plane.  Will never fly them again.


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## Steamboat Bill (Oct 23, 2007)

caribbeansun said:


> no viable explanation, nothing just two days of hell in FLL.



Wow...I have never thought spending two days in Fort Lauderdale would be equivalent to Hades.

I am sure getting stuck in an airport for 2 days is not fun, but they could have taken a short cab ride to the beach and made the delay fun.

I was stuck for 12 hours in JFK during a snowstorm and slept on the floor (all local hotels were sold out)....that was not fun!


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## Kola (Oct 23, 2007)

Steamboat Bill said:


> Wow...I have never thought spending two days in Fort Lauderdale would be equivalent to Hades.
> 
> I was stuck for 12 hours in JFK during a snowstorm and slept on the floor (all local hotels were sold out)....that was not fun!



I only hope there will be NO SNOWSTORM IN FT. LAUDERDALE when I get there !    

K


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## escargot (Oct 23, 2007)

Kola said:


> I only hope there will be NO SNOWSTORM IN FT. LAUDERDALE when I get there !
> 
> K



Sounds like the exact OPPOSITE !!!


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## Steamboat Bill (Oct 23, 2007)

Kola said:


> I only hope there will be NO SNOWSTORM IN FT. LAUDERDALE when I get there !
> 
> K



I am sure it will be either Hot or very Hot or Hot and Humid....take your pick.


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## Seaside (Oct 23, 2007)

and/or heavy rains.....especially standing outside on the line.......


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## Steamboat Bill (Oct 23, 2007)

Seaside said:


> and/or heavy rains.....especially standing outside on the line.......



good point...bring a large umbrella


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## Kola (Oct 23, 2007)

Steamboat Bill said:


> I am sure it will be either Hot or very Hot or Hot and Humid....take your pick.



Come on now, not in January !  You get frost in parts of S-E Florida ! Years ago I tried to eat those half-frozen oranges in Orlando... Hey, that's no fun.... Brrrrrrrrr ... !  

Unless you are talking about accellerated GLOBAL WARMING ...


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## Steamboat Bill (Oct 23, 2007)

Kola said:


> We are considering flying Spirit Airline FLL to Gr. Cayman next spring because of their low rates.



I thought you were visiting during spring break....not January


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## caribbeansun (Oct 24, 2007)

Well, first Spirit left them in the airport in FLL for something like 6 hours before telling them that their flight wasn't going to actually leave - they kept insisting it was going to leave but wouldn't provide details - this is a group of 8 with several kids in the group.  Gave them their sorry little $8 voucher for food which by then all the restaurants had closed.  They left GCM around 10am on a Sunday and got home very late on the Monday.

When a carrier lies about the status of the flight the idea of going to the beach isn't feasible.  I believe they said Spirit also had all their checked bags as well.




Steamboat Bill said:


> Wow...I have never thought spending two days in Fort Lauderdale would be equivalent to Hades.
> 
> I am sure getting stuck in an airport for 2 days is not fun, but they could have taken a short cab ride to the beach and made the delay fun.
> 
> I was stuck for 12 hours in JFK during a snowstorm and slept on the floor (all local hotels were sold out)....that was not fun!


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## Holly (Oct 24, 2007)

I'll never fly Spirit, I don't care how cheap they are.  They did the same to me...kept saying my 4pm flight to FLL was going.  I finally bought other tickets on American for a 10pm flight and went on to FLL.  Do you know that the Spirit flight finally took off at 2:30am and they WOULD NOT give me a refund?

Amazing.  They really suck.





caribbeansun said:


> Well, first Spirit left them in the airport in FLL for something like 6 hours before telling them that their flight wasn't going to actually leave - they kept insisting it was going to leave but wouldn't provide details - this is a group of 8 with several kids in the group.  Gave them their sorry little $8 voucher for food which by then all the restaurants had closed.  They left GCM around 10am on a Sunday and got home very late on the Monday.
> 
> When a carrier lies about the status of the flight the idea of going to the beach isn't feasible.  I believe they said Spirit also had all their checked bags as well.


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## stevedmatt (Oct 28, 2007)

I guess I'm the only one that likes them. Yes they are no frills and charge for everything (lugagge, soda, etc.), but I use them quite often, 4 or 5 round trips a year.

In the 20+ round trip flights I have had with them, they have never lost a bag. My longest delay was an hour. But I must say that FLL was the worst experience I had.

It was ACY to GCM RT with stops in FLL both ways. The trip there went off without a hitch. when booking, I was a little unhappy about the 3.5 hour layover on the return, but we needed almost 2.5 hours to get through customs in FLL. I don't really blame that on Spirit as much as FLL airport. The setup was horrible. What made it worse was I was unaware of how long it would take and didn't use the restroom on the plane figuring I would be able to as soon as we got off the plane. Nope. No restroom until you get through the line. about 1.5 hours. Then collect your bags and recheck them was also a pain in the a**. but that is because ACY doesn't have customs.

In general, I would not hesitiate to fly them again. In fact I am currently looking for 2 RT flights and will more than likely use them for both. I may reconsider if I am looking international and the stop over is in FLL.


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## Skinsfan1311 (Oct 31, 2007)

stevedmatt said:


> I guess I'm the only one that likes them. Yes they are no frills and charge for everything (lugagge, soda, etc.), but I use them quite often, 4 or 5 round trips a year.
> 
> In general, I would not hesitiate to fly them again. In fact I am currently looking for 2 RT flights and will more than likely use them for both. I may reconsider if I am looking international and the stop over is in FLL.



Same here....we flew them from DCA(Reagan National), to GCM,(Grand Cayman), and had no issues whatsoever......


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