\n<\/p>\n
This article is part of <\/span><\/i>Upstream,<\/span><\/i><\/a> The Daily Wire\u2019s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories \u2014 from our featured writers to you.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n ***<\/span><\/p>\n If the mention of Spirit Airlines triggers rage in any part of your soul, take heart. The highlighter-yellow carrier may not be long for this world. With <\/span>multiple outlets<\/span><\/a> reporting that Spirit could go under at any moment, \u201caccording to people familiar with the matter,\u201d everyone even vaguely \u201cfamiliar\u201d with flying Spirit wants to pull the plug.<\/span><\/p>\n What, you don\u2019t like paying extra for a <\/span>carry-on bag<\/span><\/a>, a pack of seven mini pretzels, and room-temperature water? Flying is annoying enough. Snacks should be free.<\/span><\/p>\n Claiming to offer a pleasurable flight without frustrating upcharges for amenities you don\u2019t need (like <\/span>basic WiFi<\/span><\/a>), Spirit\u2019s super-saver strategy has allowed it to masquerade as the most affordable ticket in the biz for <\/span>decades<\/span><\/a>. Banking on not<\/em> serving customers, however, seems to have finally caught up with the economy brand. Not even two cocktails and a couple of \u201cfun size\u201d bags of pretzels for <\/span>$38.99<\/span><\/a> can save Spirit now.<\/span><\/p>\n After a judge said no to a <\/span>merger with JetBlue<\/span><\/a> in 2024, and Spirit tried two Chapter 11 filings within the following year, the company may be headed toward an airline hangar estate sale. It attempted to slash overhead by curbing flight routes, downsizing staff, and limiting onboard service, but insiders now claim Spirit is set to <\/span>liquidate<\/span><\/a> its entire fleet. Apparently, high <\/span>fuel prices<\/span><\/a> were the final nail in the coffin on the ol\u2019 bankruptcy exit strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n Dear Spirit, we see your Hail Mary with the extra row of \u201c<\/span>Big Front Seats,\u201d<\/span><\/a> but overpriced \u201cpre-reclined\u201d economy seating has never done it for us. Unlike <\/span>cheap thrills<\/span> on terra firma, we enjoy a little luxury at 35,000 feet. Y\u2019all weren\u2019t serving it because you didn\u2019t think we were worth it. Don\u2019t let the door hit you on the way out!<\/span><\/p>\n At this point in polite society, it is our custom to spend $7 billion airport dollars on squeezing into economy class with our knees folded into our chests, trying to be chill about the people in front of us reclining their seats into our faces and fluffing their hair over the headrests. It\u2019s common for seatmates to remove their shoes and socks, wriggling sweaty toes into the carpet. If someone didn\u2019t watch a movie at full volume while mouth-breathing airport Chick-fil-A on your arm, it didn\u2019t happen. Pass me another one of those $70 Barbie-sized pinot grigios.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Air travel used to be elite. While you can still taste the good life by affording yourself a <\/span>Four Seasons Private Jet<\/span><\/a> charter, enjoying a shower with Bvlgari amenities mid-<\/span>Emirates<\/span><\/a> flight, or lying like a starfish in a two-person suite on <\/span>Singapore Air<\/span><\/a>, most of us don\u2019t have an extra <\/span>$10,000<\/span><\/a> to secure the comfort of an airborne lounge.<\/span><\/p>\n I flew Spirit Airlines once from Los Angeles to Puerto Rico. After an 18-hour round trip, I feel qualified to share my user experience. Zero stars.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I easily fell for Spirit\u2019s bargain-basement pricing, lighting up a random booking site like I\u2019d won a bare-bones experience at half the usual cost. Fully convinced that I didn\u2019t need any of those pesky amenities that had been forced upon me by other airlines, I imagined saving myself from overpaying for whatever unnecessary cookies and warm washcloths were happening in business class. I was just flying from one place to another place. Other than a capable pilot and a 1950s car seatbelt, what else did I need?<\/span><\/p>\n I regretted my purchase immediately. As soon as I reached the ticket counter, I discovered I would be charged for everything but oxygen. (Maybe that, too. Hidden fees.) I got the feeling that Spirit marketing execs were watching us shuffle onto their Temu plane via satellite, congratulating themselves on tricking us into thinking we weren\u2019t paying for extras, when really we wouldn\u2019t receive essentials.<\/span><\/p>\n The interior design of the cabin did no one any favors. While they read chic in literally every other instance, <\/span>all-black seats and tray tables<\/span><\/a> made the plane feel like a communist cafeteria. I guess we didn\u2019t pay for color, so no surprise there. I think someone checked for fastened seatbelts and mentioned oxygen masks in passing, and one person accidentally welcomed me for no fee. Since I didn\u2019t pay ahead for snacks or drinks, there was no reason for the staff to pop in every now and then.<\/span><\/p>\n I eventually shelled out for ginger ale when I could no longer survive without liquids. (Pro tip: You unfortunately can\u2019t drink <\/span>outside alcohol<\/span><\/a> on the plane, even if mini bottles pass security. Don\u2019t believe everything you read on Reddit.) And no, I didn\u2019t sign up for the Spirit credit card offered over the intercom. Vive la r\u00e9sistance!<\/span><\/p>\n With two and a half out of five stars from 33,000 customer reviews on <\/span>Tripadvisor<\/span><\/a>, one and a half stars on <\/span>Yelp<\/span><\/a>, and one star on <\/span>TrustPilot<\/span><\/a>, Spirit Airlines isn\u2019t merely a victim of the recent spike in fuel prices. It\u2019s cattle class service, no offense to cows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As we wrap up Spirit\u2019s funeral arrangements and keep an eye on this \u201c<\/span>fluid<\/span>\u201d situation, you might be wondering what happens if you\u2019re currently booked on a Spirit flight. While things are running as usual at the moment, if operations shut down entirely, your flight will be <\/span>canceled<\/span><\/a>. A refund is most likely via credit card dispute. Sorry for your loss.<\/span><\/p>\n