Upgraded: Refunds on Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines, perhaps America’s most hated airline, gives refunds to its passengers after all! But only under special circumstances… like being rebooked onto a flight that ditches into the Hudson River. Actually, no, that wasn’t enough:

Rob and Jeff Kolodjay were scheduled to fly on Spirit Airlines to a golf vacation with four other friends on Thursday out of LaGuardia in New York City. Their flight got cancelled, and they were rebooked onto US Airways flight 1549. When they tried to cancel the return tickets on Spirit they could not use because they never made it to Myrtle Beach, the company representative insisted on charging them a [$90] cancellation fee.

Wait, Spirit rebooks passengers onto other airlines? Who knew? Amazing!

But as for the cancellation fee, the airline eventually reversed itself. Only after the passengers got the local news reporters involved. Stay classy, Spirit! (via Consumerist)

Upgraded: Promises and threats of Ryanair in the USA
Ultra-cheapo Ryanair has been threatening to fly trans-Atlantic again. This time, from Ireland to … Niagara Falls! Ryanair promises/threatens a route over the Atlantic on a six-month cycle, it seems. And it never materializes. Let me know when they start actually flying this one…

Upgraded: Wi-fi on United, unless you’re a Chicagoan, apparently
I’m amused by this take-down of the introduction of inflight wi-fi on selected United Airlines flights by Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism website. United is putting the $12.95 service on its JFK-SFO and JFK-LAX “p.s.” service. Notably not included: Chicago flights. The article’s negative angle toward the service may betray some sour grapes…

Downgraded: Luxury
It’s barely open for six months, but the Arctic Club Hotel in Seattle has “decided to no longer be a luxury hotel, and said that downscaling will help it attract more customers.” Their new target is the AAA 3-diamond level, and they’re hoping to partner with a major chain. Welcome to the new austerity.

Categorized in: hotels, Ryanair, Spirit Airlines, UAL Corp., United Airlines, wi-fi

5 Comments

5 Responses to “Upgrades and Downgrades — Refunds, Ryanair, wi-fi sour grapes, and hotel self-downgrades”

1. 
   Britalian Says:
   January 21st, 2009 at 9:17 am

   Ryanair usually only mention transatlantic flights as a pipe dream to show some forward thinking but now it may be a reality.

   More likely though is for them to increase their influence on Aer Lingus and possibly take them over lock, stock and barrel along with their transatlantic routes.

   But if they do start flying to the USA, do not fear them, they cannot be blamed for media picking a small comment and reporting it as their stated intention.

2. 
   Jim Says:
   January 21st, 2009 at 9:48 am

   Now, is that Niagara Falls, New York? Or on the Canadian side of the border? (As a Canadian living in Europe with family in the Toronto area, cheap fares are appealing. Going through the US to get to Canada–especially with a wife who is European–not as much.)

3. 
   Mark Ashley Says:
   January 21st, 2009 at 10:17 am

   Jim, it’s the New York side. Sorry to burst the bubble.

   Britalian, it wouldn’t surprise me if this was part of a strategy designed to make a takeover of Aer Lingus easier. Not sure what that strategy is, exactly, though…

4. 
   21H21J Says:
   January 21st, 2009 at 10:48 am

   I can see Ryanair advertising these as flights to New York. Whilst true, I’d still expect a few passengers will be puzzled to arrive 400 miles from NYC!

5. 
   Mark Ashley Says:
   January 21st, 2009 at 10:58 am

   Ha, indeed, 21H21J!

   Here’s a clip from the Buffalo News related to the destinations Ryanair has mentioned previously, though Niagara Falls wasn’t one of them…

   Late last year, the airline confirmed it is considering the addition of transatlantic flights to its budget arsenal by the end of 2009. Flights to Boston, New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and multiple Florida destinations were listed as among the routes under discussion.

   The no-frills airline said it would tap secondary airports in Baltimore; Providence, R. I.; and Islip on Long Island to deliver passengers, while keeping costs down. The NFTA [Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority] has marketed the Niagara Falls airport as a prime secondary landing target with easy access to all of Western New York and Southern Ontario.

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