balthisar

Gena

Yes, it's bad consumer relations to default options like this, but it's also irresponsible to not watch for things that we know companies will try to pull.

If something upsets you, then by all means contact the company about it. Sometimes you'll even get a discount or some other compensation for voicing your opinion. Just also try to keep in mind that whoever you're talking to about it is most likely not someone who has any influence on decisions to do things like this and will be more likely to try to help you if you're polite.

Seldon

Shadowman615

NJAntman

I was livid when Spirit started the $5 checked bag fee. And it ends up being closer to $7-$10 because the fastest way to get your bags through the airport is to use a skycap service, which adds money to it.

However, after thinking it through, the $5 fee is actually a cute way to get people to pack lightly. Why should I, who always travels light, subsidize some old woman who is bringing four 50 pound bags on a three-day holiday to Florida?

I thought that it would make exiting the aircraft a nightmare because it would encourage people to bring big bags as carry-on and you'd have to wait for people to struggle these heavy bags out of the overhead compartments. But Spirit, surprisingly, actually *enforces* their rules about carry-on.

I hate to sound like a company shill, but after the horror stories on Northwest (Northworst) and American, an airline that just meets expectations is a welcome change of events.

zentec

Again, it comes down to a split between corporate bullsh*t & personal responsibility. When I got to the conformation page that listed the cost of everything on my itinerary, in big bold boxes (like the screenshot shows) to the right of the breakdown of the costs, were the 2 check boxes.

If you make it a habit to just click through these things with paying attention, you're gonna get bitten. In this case, it certainly wasn't hidden in any way. It was pretty bold and easy to see.

bostonguy

Spirit is a niche airline that caters to the leisure traveler. Despite this rather nasty little practice (which I have caught because I fly them at least twice per year), Spirit has a new fleet, decent seating arrangements and if you can leave on the spur of the moment, damned cheap fares.

Added kudos to Spirit in that they have a lot of flights out of Detroit, they're *not* Northwest and every flight I've taken with them has been on-time, and half the time it's been early.

Nevertheless, this opt-out nonsense is ridiculous and Spirit is just one of many companies that try to get as much money out of the customer as possible, even if it's by dubious means. Now that I'm a rant, next time I fly (probably December), I'll be sure to voice my displeasure.

zentec

mammalpants

CatMoran

Little Miss Moneybags

bonzombiekitty

But yeah I just got into the habit of automatically unchecking any check boxes I see when filling out any form on the internet.

bonzombiekitty

yg17

chrisgoh

ptkdude

Amy Alkon

Amy Alkon

It's accepting attitudes like that which keep practices like this alive.

Better yet, when you see something like this, don't finish the purchase. Email or phone in that you dislike such practices and will take your business elsewhere. A few dozen of those, and they will change.

Continue to accept it and accept the blame will only make things worse.

Murph1908

ThyGuy