Cranky Talk – Dave Flew Spirit!
People love reading trip reports, but do they love listening to them? We are about to find out.
Dave took Spirit all the way from LAX to Louisville for his bachelor party, and I couldn’t wait to hear how it all went. I was really hoping for some fireworks. Did we get them? I’m going to be a punk and say… tune in to find out. Come on, there’s nothing better than talking to Dave about flying. I think you’ll enjoy it.
Email Dave here and ask him his favorite bourbon.
Download Cranky Talk here or listen below.
15 comments on “A New Cranky Talk is Live – Dave Flew Spirit!”
Congrats Dave on the upcoming nuptials.
Dave flew Spirit and didn’t need a chiropractor afterwards? I know he was in the exit row, but wow, that’s impressive. I’m shorter than Dave, and when I did a 3-hour flight from Spirit in the exit row I felt like I had spent a week in a clown car when I deplaned, and had a hard time untangling the knots in my body and muscles.
Maybe bourbon is the trick to relaxing the back and avoiding the back pain from those unergonomic seats… I guess it’s worth a shot (no pun intended) the next time I’m forced to fly Spirit.
Who is Dave and why do we care that he flew this?
My aunt and uncle, who live in Louisville, recently flew this flight as it was the only nonstop flight. They had to get to LA to take Air Tahiti Nui (business class) to Bora Bora, and they did the Big Front Seat. They thought it was totally fine.
To be fair, Spirit’s BFS is **very** different from its regular economy seats and even from its exit row seats.
Spirit’s BFS is more on par with a domestic US first class product, at least in terms of the seat dimensions and pitch.
Jason, I wish I could tell you.
Still not willing to fly Spirit.
No need to ever fly Spirit. They are expanding like crazy and you will not be missed
I second the hatred for recliners as another tall guy.
A few years ago on a Delta 737-900ER from SFO-MSP (30” seat pitch in economy, which is on the edge of my comfort level if the person in front of me doesn’t recline), the guy in front of me decided to violently recline into my lap shortly after takeoff so that his seat now touched my legs. An hour later, he turned around and asked me to “not push my knees into his back”.
I’m not even 6 feet tall, but I agree with Dave’s preference that economy seats not recline, though I might make exceptions for economy seats on flights longer than (say) 5 hours.
I’m convinced this was an early April Fool’s post!
Next up, “I liked my Southwest “4-stopper” because it was a “direct flight,” just as they said it would be!”
I promise you that this was a very good first experience with Spirit! No one from Spirit paid me to say this!
I booked those multi-stopper WN flights back when they were available. Always a bit cheaper and more av-geek fun. Alas, these days you’re lucky to find a two-stop itinerary unless one stop involves a connection.
A non-stop trip I had booked for last October was scheduled, we we booked it, as an evening Southwest MDW-SNA non-stop. The schedule changed and the non-stop was moved to a morning flight. Southwest’s computer auto-rebooked us on a 6 hour and 45 minute 3:00pm to 8:40pm 2 stop direct flight odyssey via Los Vegas, and then Phoenix (all the same flight number), that the computer thought we’d prefer over a shorter evening connecting flight option. Needless to say we didn’t fly that wacky way too long on one airplane itinerary, and made different plans that involved flying non-stop to a different Southern California Airport.
Once, in what I’m sure was a system glitch, an option was provided that touched 5 different airports and involved passing through PHX twice: once while staying on the plane and once as a connection. If Southwest Rapid Rewards points were based on miles flown, it would have been quite the mileage run.
I continue to read the comments about Spirit . Like,they are so bad , no customer service , pay for everything , etc… Just as Dave said , Spirit is making a splash into the USA aviation community much like Southwest did in the 70s .
If it takes an honest traveler like Dave to say the truth, then so be it . Sure the seats are tight and uncomfortable. The Big Front Seats are like a first class seat on other airlines and the exit rows are lie other carriers as well.
I continue to watch those who ( apparently ) do not fly much to say just how bad Spirit or other carriers are when , in fact, all airlines have the down sides . BTW , I was not paid by Spirit to write this opinion . Instead , I fly all carriers weekly and Spirit is becoming the airline of the future for those who are wiling to pay less , take a non stop at convenient times , avoid flying through another airlines ‘ hub , and paying for snacks with seats being a bit uncomfortable , unless they purchase a Big Front Seat or the exit row !!
Cheers!
I work for another carrier with a pass agreement with NK and fly them frequently. Comfort is an issue (not due to height) but by losing the feeling in my ass at about the end of the climb to cruise; NK seats are kind of like sitting on a drywall bucket. Aircraft are clean, well maintained, and flight crews are some of the friendliest and best around.
Considered as a means of getting from A to B with reasonable expectations of some potential live in-flight entertainment provided by other fellow travelers (it is truly the Walmart of the skies), it is best to remain situationally aware and carry two sets of flex restraints.
As the podcast stated: set your expectations reasonably, have an alternate planned, and roll with it.