This is a news which most of the people who fly different US
airlines, including Spirit Airlines, would not have expected. The airline which
most of the experts in US aviation circles would have written-off a few years
back, has recorded the best on-time performance for the month of October of
2018. This astonishing 89% record is something for which Spirit Airline can pat
itself on the back. Not only has the airline recorded the best punctuality but
has also recorded the least cancellations. Many have already started pointing
to the beginning of this turnaround for this airline which has been in news in
the past mostly for negative reasons.
Spirit is known to be harsh to passengers in not providing
free baggage allowance (many airlines now doing it as well) and not providing
any entertainment or refreshments. Another incident which has made it quite
infamous is that of the strike of pilots, first for salaries and then for
flying the additional routes. With that incident put to past now with hike in
salaries of pilots, the focus has shifted to operation efficiencies which can
turn the fortunes of the airline around.
So, what is it that has led Spirit to make this change?
Whether this is going to be a one-time affair or is going to remain there on a
regular basis is something which future will tell, but lets us find out what
led to this improved performance standard.
At first, the airline is fortunate to have most of its
departure flights from south of the country. This part of the country does not
have weather extremities on such a regular basis as the north-eastern part of
the country. This does not lead too many cancellations or other disruptions.
Second important reason is that the airline’s efforts to
streamline the cabin baggage loading on plane by passengers has been quite
successful. This is something on which other airlines are also working. But, it
is only the Spirit airlines which has been successful in using it to this level.
