Spirit officials unapologetic about policies

May 21--NIAGARA FALLS -- Spirit Airlines, the Florida-based company that has been operating service out of the Niagara Falls International Airport, has come under attack by the national media for its "stingy" business practices that make it the most profitable airline in the U.S.

On Tuesday, Spirit began the previously announced shutdown of all its flights from the Falls to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Myrtle Beach, S,C., due to construction on the primary runway at the Niagara Falls International Airport.

"We do look forward to resuming that service (to the Falls) as soon as the runway project is complete," said Jake Filene, vice president-airport services for Spirit.

Meanwhile, during the shutdown, an article in the Wall Street Journal, with the second-highest circulation in the nation, noted that while full-service airlines pursue big-spending business travelers, "Spirit is profiting from fliers who seek to reach their destinations as cheaply as possible."

The Journal added that unlike other U.S. budget airlines, Spirit's cut-rate fares include little more than a seat, with nearly everything else sold a la caret.

Spirit Chief Executive Ben Baldanza said: "If a corporation is buying your ticket, you're not going to fly with us. We're okay with that."

Baldanza is known to vacuum and take out the trash at the company's headquarters in Miramar, Fla. He makes no excuses or offers an apology for his company's present policies.

While other U.S. carriers have dispensed with frills of flying -- Southwest Airlines is a prime example -- Journal reporter Jack Nicas states that Baldanza "takes the nickel-and-dime approach to new extremes."

Some costs that set Spirit aside from the competition: $5 for a boarding pass; $3 for drinking water; and $30 to $45 for each carry-on in an overhead bin. The airline announced earlier that it will raise the fee on a bag to as high as $100 by the end of 2012.

Baldanza was not immediately available to comment on the Wall Street Journal article.

Under the schedule announced last month, the Spirit flights to Myrtle Beach will resume June 20 and service to Fort Lauderdale June 30.

Copyright 2012 - Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.