Is the Spirit Airlines $100 baggage fee a bad PR move for the airline?

Spirit Airlines, a US airline based in Florida, has taken its low-cost model to new depths by charging $100 for passengers to fly with a carry-on bag. The flying public are readying and sharpening their pitchforks as the carrier is set to implement the new charges from November this year.

On Spirit’s website, a comforting message from the carrier reads:

“We empower customers to save money on air travel by offering ultra low base fares with a range of optional services for a fee, allowing customers the freedom to choose only the extras they value.”

We just love the buzz words “empower” and “freedom” in this piece of PR fluffery. But that’s where our flattery ends. We all need to consider the impact of airlines decoupling services and then charging ancillary fees for what was previously gratis with the paid airfare. Is this the future of air travel?

The good news is that the carrier is allowing passengers to avoid the full $100 fee by pre-purchasing the cost of the carry-on item which can be reduced to $35 when booking the ticket. The eye-watering $100 fee applies if a passenger rocks up to the gate without having paid for the carry-on, though the bag can be paid for upon check-in for $50. Check out the Spirit fee schedule here.

Do you think Spirit are being stingy?