[Trvlr]

Wow! I wish I had Googled 'Spirit Airlines Scam' prior to booking my flight. My business partner and I were both looking at a flight that departed Ft. Lauderdale in the morning, and arrived at LAX the same morning on Spirit Airlines. We both made sure the flight was an AM flight, because I had a departing international flight out of LAX the very same evening. Again, BOTH of us were looking at the same computer screen and BOTH of us agree that the flight was an AM flight. After booking and confirming the flight, just by chance I was scrutinizing the confirmation I printed out, and behold - the AM had been changed to PM (all other facts - flight number, numerical times, etc. were the same). Contacting a human being at Spirit took over 30 minutes, at which point I was told (by a woman who sounded like a Chinese national) I should have reviewed the confirmation more carefully, and it would cost another $70 to change flights - as if I would ever consider giving Spirit Air another dime (I booked another flight on American Airlines that went ok). I wasn't too worried, because I also purchased the AIG flight insurance - however this turned out to be a worthless scam as well. I will be warning every person I can about this airline and their unethical, if not illegal practices. Made a Spirit Airlines hater out of me before I ever got on the plane, and now never will.

[jimworcs]

Apart from the TSA, Spirit Airlines, AIG, Air Pacific, Qantas, The state of Fiji, the State of Australia and uncle tom cobbly and all, have you had any other nightmare experiences with people who you will be boycotting at all costs? I am a bit suspicious about 3 posts in a few minutes documenting horror stories... but perhaps I am too cynical?

[Jetliner]

He's also the same one who posted something about getting left off of an AirTran flight due to the TSA holding him up. This has to be another bogus poster. Probably the same one over at Air Canada.

[The_Judge]

OP........something wrong with Chinese nationals?? I suggest you brush up on your Chinese cuz it's probably gonna be the world language soon. They might just buy the English language and ban it.

Joking aside.........I find it odd that in a matter of minutes they would change a flight time exactly 12 hours, keeping the same flight number. They would then have to contact every person who booked before and reschedule. It happens, I suppose, but I don't think it happened here. I am not a Chinese national but I am asking you look at the info more closely next time.

[Trvlr]

Jimworcs: I don't know who "uncle Tom Cobbly" is and I do not mention this entity in my posts, neither do I mention the phrase "boycotting at all costs" - last time I checked, travel costs much more money than staying home (depending on the currency conversion rates). Travel is a luxury to me - if I don't like a place, I don't go there again; if I don't like a flavor of ice cream, I don't eat it again. Simple enough for you? I spent over a year traveling and I had both positive and negative experiences during this time period. I am posting all at once because I returned to the US recently and while relating one of these stories to a friend, he made me aware of this website. You are aware that this is a complaints site about airlines aren't you? - hence the negative reports. Furthermore, if you don't live in a powerless hole in the ground, or have actually read the posts on this forum, you will see that I am far from the only individual who has had or has, problems with the companies/entities or immigration authorities named in my posts. In fact, my experiences are a Sunday walk in the park compared to many of the threads I have read on this website. If such issues were unusual these days, THERE WOULD BE NO NEED OR DEMAND FOR A FORUM OF THIS TYPE! In this case you are being too cynical, but I can't exactly fault you for this quality, as the utility of cynicism is reflected in virtually every post on this website (especially mine). Read my posts if you'd like, and formulate whatever opinions you choose - I wish everyone could travel the world in a perpetual state of uninhibited bliss, but, as this website is testament to the fact that this is usually not the case, awareness of what problems others have encountered while traveling increases the ability of tourists to avoid or counteract the same pitfalls.

Jetliner: Yes, the post about missing a flight due to the ludicrous TSA is mine and is accurate. It occurred on a flight from Nevada to Florida about two months ago. I am not the only person this has happened to, and quite frankly, your reasoning skills leave much to be desired - has it ever occurred to you that someone might have taken more than one flight and is reporting on them all at once? Gee, maybe? If you don't like my posts, don't read them, but you owe me an apology for the unsubstantiated 'bogus poster' comment regardless. Read my posts, believe them, or don't, I don't care either way - I won't be the one it costs. Cheers!

[Trvlr]

Hi Judge! No, I don't have a problem with Chinese Nationals, I just have a problem when I can't understand what the customer service rep is saying!
Believe what you want, however I was not the only one looking at the computer screen and booking the flight. Furthermore, the time of day was very important due to my 2nd outbound flight. We both certainly could have read the scheduling wrong, but as we are both professionals with advanced education (and were sober at the time) I doubt it. I notice you are a former Airline employee, so forgive me if this is not the case, but your opinion may be a bit biased? I ask you to re-examine your assumptions about what the airline "has" to do in the event of a scheduling error on their part - if you read the threads about Spirit Airlines, or any of the other airlines on this website for that matter, I think you will find that there isn't much consideration this airline, or any other feels obligated to extend customers in the event of a mistake on their part.

[The_Judge]

Wrongo, trvlr. The airline makes a scheduling mistake, I'm the guy who got to fix the mistake, even though I had no part in making it. I was there to help the customer yet I was treated like I, personally, caused the error even though all I did was check people in and put them on airplanes. Not really all that hard.

I stand by my earlier comments as I fail to believe it was changed EXACTLY 12 hours from am to pm. Passengers would have to be re-accomodated not to mention aircrafts, crews, freight, etc.

[jimworcs]

Trvlr.. ok well after your world travels you have decided to post all your complaints at once. I am prepared to take that at face value and accept it, and so if I have been unduly cynical, I apologise. However, your numerous posts have some inconsistencies themselves. For example, the Fiji situation. There was a comprehensive posting showing the rules relating to entering Fiji which are, in fact, more lenient than the requirements for entering the US. You had also relied on the website for your information and yet you attack the poster for providing the information. You then patronisingly suggest that you are obviously a man of means and how dare they require proof. Are you sure you are the right kind of person to be travelling abroad and experiencing different countries and cultures? You might, while you are at it, consider your attitudes to women, minorities, etc.

If you read my posts on here, you will find I am no defender of the airlines... but there is a thread through your postings which suggest that your personality is a contributing factor

[Trvlr]

Judge, your experiences at the airline you worked for do not necessarily apply to this situation or this airline - you are making assumptions which may or may not be correct. i.e. What appeared on the web could have been a posting (content) error, the duration of which may not have been significant enough to effect many reservations, and if someone didn't have a second flight to catch on the same day, they may not even care. In short, I think where we are parting ways here is that "scheduling change" is getting confused with "website error". And again, believe what you want, it wasn't your money or your experience, and the web is literally FLOODED with accounts of unscrupulous, alleged fraudulent behavior perpetrated by this airline. So again, you are free to think and do as you please, it won't cost me anything. Cheers!

[The_Judge]

The website pulls it's flight schedules directly from the airline's provided data. So if it shows a morning flight on the website, it will show a morning flight in an airport ticket counter, a travel agent or anyone else that decides to look at that particular flight. Based on your beliefs....this flight would have been either sold as 12 hours difference from when the airline put it the system 364 days before the flight or else just at that very second when you purchased it and then changed it back right after. Hard to believe either one.

[Trvlr]

jimworcs: Are you familiar with the psychological term "projection"? Or the logical fallacy "slippery slope"? I bust you on the fact that you essentially snidely called me a lier based on nothing but your defective ego and deficient intellect, and you reply by calling me a misogynist racist? Are you sure you are the type of person who should be commenting on other's statements or personality? What could possibly lead you to believe you know me from a few posts on a complaint website but the same defective ego that spawned your previous comment? Get over yourself Dr. Phil! Your comments show that you haven't even read the post to which you refer carefully or correctly. Comments about the ease of entry into the US vs. Fiji aren't even relevant! Neither is the fact that the initial information I obtained from the Fijian immigration website was brought into question! All the web-based info was! Did you read the part about the direct contact with the Fijian immigration officer? Do you know what the word "patronizing" means? Because if you did, and had meager reasoning skills, you would be able to deduce that the person who posted the website data was patronizing me. Furthermore, I clearly state I OFFERED a bank statement in order to satisfy immigration financial requirements - how does OFFERED = HOW DARE THEY REQUIRE PROOF? I VOLUNTEERED THE PROOF - nobody wanted it, even though they claimed they were required to obtain it! I would think someone from England would exhibit a greater command of the English language and the resulting reading comprehension skills. There is a thread through your postings that you are irrevocably obtuse, and jealous, I might add. I think you deserve a trip to Fiji! I recommend you totally ignore my posts and go there! Again, I don't care, it won't cost me anything. Cheers!

[Trvlr]

Judge, please refer to my previous post. Cheers!

[The_Judge]

Ok, I did. We will not agree with one another about this so no point in beating it more. On to the next one.............

[jimworcs]

you reply by calling me a misogynist racist?

Do you want to give me to link to where I did this? I can't seem to find it.

As to the rest, I am happy for your post to act as the proof of my contention that there might be an element of your personality which contributes to your problems with the airlines, chinese staff, women flight employees, fijiian airline staff, websites, australian customs officers, quantas, and I withdraw entirely my allegation that you ever had any problems with Uncle Tom Cobley!

[Trvlr]

jimworcs: You are a weasel who doesn't even have the balls to back up your statements, because you can't, or address my arguments head-on, because again, you can't. FYI: "Contention" means "argument"; an argument proceeds from premise to conclusion, frequently there are multiple premises which can lead to a conclusion, the validity of the conclusion depends upon the validity of the premises leading up to it, and the integrity of the structure formed by the premises. Clearly, in this case, you just like to present conclusions which pacify your jealous insecurities, and ignore the argument which may or may not support them. I recommend a basic logic text book for you, as well as some remedial schooling - just in case the obviously successful psychology gig you've got going on doesn't work out for you. Also, as I've already stated, if you don't like my posts, ignore them - in fact I think you should go to the places I recommend you don't, and fly a lot, just for some healthy spite! Cheers!

[jimworcs]

You are quite right Trvlr, you have exposed me for the jealous, stupid fraud that I am. I can see now that any suggestion that you may have any prejudice whatsover is utterly unjust, and I apologise unreservedly.

For obvious reasons this is absolutely ludicrous (I am a US citizen with a US passport, the sunglasses I was wearing were worth more than the average Fijian makes in a month, the laptop I was carrying was worth almost 3 YEARS salary of the average Fijian, and the bank account record I had ON HAND which they NEVER CHECKED showed 4 TIMES that amount

I now accept fully that as a US citizen and passport holder, the airline staff should have recognised that it was obvious that someone with your kind of sunglasses should be allowed to proceed, notwithstanding that their specific instructions that

These guidelines stated that the airline had to insure that I had purchased a ticket out of Fiji, AND prove funds.

I suggest you write to the airline and get them to change these instructions to read... please ensure that the passenger has purchased a ticket out of Fiji AND is able to prove funds, except where they are wearing nice sunglasses, in which case the passenger should be permitted to proceed".

I fully recognise that to imply that you were making sweeping assertions based on nationality was to totally mis-represent you, and for this I heartily apologise. I now recognise that when you wrote this..

Air Pacific go under along with the nebulous government of Fiji (which owns approx. 50% of the airline) and the tourist trade there, which is down well over 60 percent (with good reason; I found the local businesses to be as unscrupulous, greedy, and negligent as this airline), and that is exactly what I am doing

it was after exhaustive research and fully accept that all local businesses in Fiji are unscrupulous and greedy as well as all Fijians being equal opportunity scumbags.

I don't know if 'anti-American' is the exact sentiment when describing the attitude of the Fijians - I found the natives to be equal-opportunity scumbags, including the Indian (from India) business owners there - "fresh meat" or "ATM machines" is, from my experience, how any caucasian is viewed by the society.

In any event, clearly you provided back up for your views and I must have missed it the first time I read it. How could your views be considered to be in any way racist when

The Indians there view the natives as lazy, greedy, alcoholics, and, I have to say from my experiences there, generally, they're right on the mark

Clearly, if "the Indians" think that, and you substantiate it, I was wrong to make any improper implication and I can only repeat my humble apologies.

I hope you don't mean it when you say

no more American dollars from me for Australia

I am sure if you give Australia the chance to apologise, it can all be sorted out. It just seems to me that you and Australia have had a bit of a misunderstanding. I am sure that in future, all governments will let you in

judging by your appearance and obvious access to funds,

Likewise, any implication that you might hold views which are insulting to women was utterly ridiculous and I am bereft that I have maligned you in such a way. I am sure that when you said this

Luisa actually worked at the airport in Sydney though, and 'control-freak' definitely applies as well as a word with four letters that begins with c and ends with t, but then again these terms apply to just about every female employee I encountered at Kingsford-Smith (Sydney)

and this

The agent was a 'she' by the way, and curiously, almost all the power-hungry control-freaks I've encountered have been female - they bore an unsettling resemblance to the frigid nuns from Catholic school quite frankly, but I digress.

Actually, US citizens are not "lucky" we aren't harassed more when we enter foreign countries - we are just "richer" and more "powerful", having as I'm sure you know, the strongest economy and military force in the world, foreign countries want Americans as allies and for American tourists to spend American dollars in their country and hence, facilitate this spending.

On reflection, I realise that it was folly for me to question the world of someone "richer" and "more powerful" than us non US citizens, and I hope you will accept my fulsome apology in the spirit in which it is intended.


With love..

[Trvlr]

Jimworcs: Its about time you actually got over your mental laziness and realized what a premise is! And you actually put some effort into a response this time! Good on you! I see you have naturally chosen to employ numerous logical fallacies, including super-imposed hyperbole and deliberately shoe-horned my comments into the structure of your diatribe (are you sure you don't work for FOX news?) to suit your anti-American/jealous agenda, so I'll actually take the time to tear your statements apart YET AGAIN:

Let us begin with the last:

"On reflection, I realise that it was folly for me to question the world of someone "richer" and "more powerful" than us non US citizens, and I hope you will accept my fulsome apology in the spirit in which it is intended."
- Again, jealous much? I 'm not sure which aspect of my life you are most jealous of from this comment: that it is a well known fact that the United States is the most wealthy, powerful nation on earth, that other nations actually recognize this and thrive on US tourist dollars, that I am a US citizen, or that I had plenty of money to travel around the world with.

"Likewise, any implication that you might hold views which are insulting to women was utterly ridiculous and I am bereft that I have maligned you in such a way. I am sure that when you said this."
- I never stated I don't hold views "which are insulting to women"! Did you have any particular woman in mind, or just the women who I mention in my threads which abused their power and had no respect for my time, money, or the law for that matter? Negative attitudes toward specific women who have wronged me in the past, does not a general "attitude towards women" or "prejudice" make; utilize self-serving, unsupported generalities much? Do you know what the word prejudice means? Here is the definition: preconceived opinion that is NOT based on REASON or PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
Do we know anyone with deficient reasoning skills who is making negative assertions and/or sweeping generalities about someone else when they have had NO PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with them? Don't tax your limited intellect too much on this one, I'll end the suspense and merely request you look into a mirror for clues. It is no secret that certain personality types gravitate toward certain types of jobs - there are websites based on this in fact.
It is no secret that control-freak women exist (as well as men), but in the PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I have detailed, I happened to encounter mostly the female version of this variety, as I have stated. Incidentally, I made several comments about very nice women I encountered in the same structures, but I guess these comments don't fit with your prejudicial agenda. Both comments to which you refer clearly relate a PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, and I gave at least one, if not several, REASONS for my comments!

"I am sure if you give Australia the chance to apologise, it can all be sorted out. It just seems to me that you and Australia have had a bit of a misunderstanding. I am sure that in future, all governments will let you in"
- Pretty good attempt at sarcasm, however, it is not based on reason, nor is it relevant to my threads, nor based on any facts whatsoever (big surprise . . .) I didn't have any problems entering any country I visited; I only had problems (in some cases - detailed on this site because AGAIN, THIS IS A COMPLAINTS SITE -"complaints" usually refer to negative experiences) with airport staff when LEAVING Australia, and AGAIN, I am not the first person to have problems with airport staff in Sydney! Again, are you jealous because I have money to spend and the ability to choose where I spend it?

"Clearly, if "the Indians" think that, and you substantiate it, I was wrong to make any improper implication and I can only repeat my humble apologies."
- Good, because "humble apologies" from you are certainly in order.
"In any event, clearly you provided back up for your views and I must have missed it the first time I read it. How could your views be considered to be in any way racist when"
- Yep, you miss quite a lot buddy. AGAIN, please read the definition of prejudice and try to comprehend it; in both of the comments to which you refer I, as you even state, supply PERSONAL accounts of my PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. In these accounts you will find REASONS for why I express the opinions I do. And, you claimed originally that you weren't calling me a racist - are you a liar or simply a deluded weasel as I suggested earlier? FACT: Not a single person of Indian decent that I spoke to in Fiji had one positive thing to say about the native Fijians, and the comments were always along the same vein - alcoholism, laziness, greed, lack of integrity. What is your problem with me revealing this experience?
FACT: Not a single business I entered in Fiji (owned by a native Fijian or Indian) actually provided me with the goods and/or services I paid for in a competent, even semi-professional manner, except for the airport, things were on the whole okay at the airport. It is no secret that frequently American tourists are treated like ATM machines by the locals when they go on vacation, and I was no exception. What is your problem with me revealing this experience?
FACT: I arrived at my beach-front hotel in Fiji at night, was greeted by an intoxicated owner (who was intoxicated every night I was there) and an intoxicated, violent, unstable staff member (who was intoxicated almost every night I was there) - both were native Fijians. When I asked the owner if it was okay to go for a stroll along the beach, because the doors facing the ocean were closed, she told me that I couldn't because she didn't want to have to CALL THE ARMY OUT TO FIND ME, then proceeded, upon my look of disbelief, to relay a story of the MURDER of one of her Caucasian guests at the hands of the locals who strolled too far down the beach DURING THE DAY! When I was in Fiji, I couldn't use an ATM machine without several natives pacing behind me, obviously trying to get my PIN. At night, I couldn't walk in front of the hotel without drunken locals trying to usher me away to dark secluded areas, a couple times even commenting on the fact that any other local would be trying to rob me, but not them. I personally witnessed the aftermath of several tourists getting robbed or worse by locals and heard countless more stories - many related to me by the locals about the locals! I never saw a person of Indian decent get drunk, in fact I witnessed many Indians get into arguments with Fijian natives who were either just publicly, uncontrollably intoxicated, or on the job being uncontrollably intoxicated. What is your problem with me relating this personal experience?
I do truly understand your ignorance on this topic; racial and cultural commentary are frequently erroneously labeled 'racist' or 'prejudicial' by people who are 'racist' and 'prejudicial'. There is in fact a fine line between 'racism' and 'cultural/social anthropology'. As I perceived it, and I am not the only person (i.e. every local I spoke with) aware of this paradigm, in general, there was a great animosity between the local Fijian population and the British transplanted Indian population, much like in general, in the US, there still exists a general animosity between African-American and Caucasian citizens - why do you think it was such a big deal when America elected a black President? FYI: the preceding comment is CULTURAL not RACIST - the reporting of a fact that might be perceived as negative does not a negative, prejudicial attitude make. Have you ever listened to the late, great, Tupac Shakur? I had POSITIVE opinions of every culture in my travels BEFORE I HAD PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with them (some did not disappoint me, and I retain positive opinions of them) - or are you so obtuse that you actually believe someone would spend money to visit, and within, a culture they pre hoc abhor when they can travel anywhere in the world and spend their money anywhere? (Try not to let the latter comment arouse your jealousy too much.)

"I fully recognise that to imply that you were making sweeping assertions based on nationality was to totally mis-represent you, and for this I heartily apologise. I now recognize that when you wrote this"
- As you well should apologize - and as I recall it isn't the first time you've had to apologize to me for your ignorant, prejudicial remarks. My assertions were ABOUT nationalities, based on PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, as well as REPORTED, DOCUMENTED FACT. Again, your reading comprehension skills are severely lacking.

"it was after exhaustive research and fully accept that all local businesses in Fiji are unscrupulous and greedy as well as all Fijians being equal opportunity scumbags."
- Here we go with the prejudicial hyperbole - I don't think you even grasp the concept of PERSONAL EXPERIENCE at this point. I must state again that I really don't care what you accept or don't accept; I have stated many times you are welcome to take any statement I make with a grain of salt. Have you been to Fiji? I bet you haven't, and can't even comment from your own personal experience, all you can do is blindly criticize the authenticity of mine. I spent almost a month there and did quite a lot of research both personally and online. What exactly are your qualifications for comment on my subjective experiences? Desperate attempts at sarcasm?

"I now accept fully that as a US citizen and passport holder, the airline staff should have recognised that it was obvious that someone with your kind of sunglasses should be allowed to proceed, notwithstanding that their specific instructions that . . . I suggest you write to the airline and get them to change these instructions to read... please ensure that the passenger has purchased a ticket out of Fiji AND is able to prove funds, except where they are wearing nice sunglasses, in which case the passenger should be permitted to proceed".
- I actually laughed at this one, so as far as comedy goes, thanks, but as far as relevance to the thread to which you refer, again, your prejudicial jealously has poisoned the well and tainted what little reasonable faculties you possess. I sincerely hope that even your truncated intellect can grasp the fact that Fijian immigration controls who enters Fiji and on what terms they are allowed to enter, not Air Pacific, or any other airline, or an ego-maniac airline employee impersonating an immigration officer. Read the part where I spoke with FIJIAN IMMIGRATION IN FIJI.

"You are quite right Trvlr, you have exposed me for the jealous, stupid fraud that I am. I can see now that any suggestion that you may have any prejudice whatsover is utterly unjust, and I apologise unreservedly."
- About time!

Here are some kind words for you cupcake:
EVERYONE ON THIS WEBSITE HAS HAD/HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRLINES AND TRAVEL! Would you like to engage in a (pathetic) campaign of prejudicial character assassination against everyone on this site, or just wealthy Americans that make a fool of you because your mouth (fingers, in this case actually) writes checks your limited, jealous intellect can't cash?

Thank you for actually bringing your "A" game with the last post, I needed a little bit of debate and mental exercise, and I thought you could do better than your previous lame attempts. Now I am through with you. Have some dignity, exhibit a modicum of class and intelligence and actually DIRECTLY COMMENT ON THE TOPIC AT HAND, try and reign in your jealous, Anti-American prejudices, and have a nice life! Toodles lover!

[jimworcs]

Gosh, some people just don't seem able to accept an apology with any grace. You did well to spot my naked anti-Americanism. Do you think I should tell my kids both of whom are American citizens?