I believe Spirit’s transformation is now complete. Yesterday they launched what I believe is the first $0.01 sale they’ve run (it ends tonight). I know they ran a $0.05 sale, but this could be the first time they’ve tried to prove that a penny isn’t irrelevant. (Actually, it still is because you have to pay taxes, but I digress.)

So what do I mean by transformation? Well, they used to be a low cost carrier that didn’t stand out from the pack. In the last year, they’ve basically stripped everything out of the fare that they can to become an “ultra” low cost carrier. Pay for checking bags, pay for drinks, pay for just about anything beyond your seat. That’s how they can offer these $0.01 sale fares that Ryanair perfected long ago. While we’re at it, can you tell which one of these pictures is from the Spirit homepage and which is from the Ryanair homepage?

Ok, so maybe the dollar sign vs. pound sign thing is a dead giveaway, but other than that, they’re pretty similar. I hope they don’t get too comfortable down there in the basement because competition is coming. Skybus is still working on certification and should be joining them shortly.