Travelers heading into Myrtle Beach International Airport got great news this week. Two of Myrtle Beach’s main carriers, Spirit and Frontier, announced they were eliminating cancellation and change fees.
Change and cancellation fees have been eliminated by Spirit Airlines.
According to Spirit’s website, “cancellation fees have been canceled for everyone” and “change fees have been eliminated.”.
As part of its efforts to be more transparent with customers, Frontier Airlines announced it will also eliminate change and cancellation fees tomorrow.
The budget airline previously charged between $69 and $119 for ticket changes, depending on the number of days remaining before the flight, according to Simple Flying. It had already been free to change a flight reservation within 24 hours of booking or 60 days before departure.
“Spirit has been evaluating changes to our product and strategy that will help us compete better, elevate the guest experience, and return to profitability,” the airline said in a statement. This new policy is among the best in the industry because it applies to every guest. We look forward to sharing more soon about many other enhancements.”
The Spirit My Trips page or the Spirit chat function can be used to make changes or cancel flights up to an hour before departure time. You can also contact Spirit directly through social media by sending a direct message. Flight changes can also be handled by guest agents at the airport.
Spirit Airlines offers a full refund if a customer cancels within 24 hours of booking or if the flight is seven or more days away. Otherwise, they will receive a flight credit for the value of the reservation.
Despite Spirit’s first quarter 2024 loss, Chief Financial Officer Scott Haralson said the airline is “on the cusp of making changes that we believe will put us back on track to sustained profitability” following the failed JetBlue merger last year.
What may seem like a low price can quickly add up when you add carry-on baggage or seat selection. The Department of Transportation has been cracking down on hidden and junk fees imposed by airlines. To make it more transparent that seats are guaranteed and you don’t need to purchase one, the DOT bans bait-and-switch tactics – in which discounted fares are advertised but do not include mandatory fees.
Spirit and Frontier Airlines announced a $2.2 billion merger in early 2022 — a deal that would have combined two similar carriers that charge lower fares than the big airlines but add on fees that generate a large chunk of their revenue.