Last night my girlfriend and I were supposed to fly from Tampa and Lauderdale for a wedding this weekend. Our scheduled departure time was 9:30pm, we got to the airport and checked in around 8-8:15. At this time the woman at the counter informed us that the flight had been delayed. We went through security check, looked at the arrival/departure screen and all it said was "delayed". Went to the gate to get more specific information and they said they still didn't know how long the delay was.
So, we go to the Chili's in the airport to grab something to eat. Every 10 minutes or so, I got up, checked the arrival/departure list, and each time the flight continued to say "Delayed". Well, we eventually head to our gate, sit down for a bit, and when I go to the counter to ask the status of the flight, they inform me that it already left.
Now, I am aware that technically it is the passenger's responsibility to board the flight (something that was made annoyingly clear to me by the 3 spirit CSRs/supervisors that I just got off the phone with), but in my many years of flying, I've never flown an airline that doesn't update their information on the arrival/departure board. Is this a frequent occurance for this airline?
Anyways, the people I spoke with were basically of no help whatsoever, parroting off whatever standard issue lines they are given to read customers with complaints. Kept telling me that since they were non-refundable tickets, there was nothing they could do. I didn't even want my $$ back, just to be put on another flight to Lauderdale today, but apparently the minimal cost it would take to get 2 people on a flight was not worth this airline losing my business forever (as well as the business of everyone I can convince to never fly with Spirit).
So, our weekend is ruined. Our luggage is in Lauderdale, which has to be sent back to Tampa now since my g/f is no longer going. I have to drive to Lauderdale myself, which will easily cost me over $100 in gas, and that's in addition to the $50 cab ride we had to take from the airport back hope last night.
I guess maybe I should have expected that in order to have cheap fares, Spirit would cut corners in areas like keeping their paying customers updated in the most basic flight information that every other airline is capable of.
Thanks for nothing, Spirit.