Louise Schimmer was just another vacationer looking for some well-deserved relaxation… Until Spirit Airlines allegedly robbed her of more than $14K worth of luxury items! Impossible? It’s no joke. Read on to discover how Louise’s luxurious getaway turned into a strange and disheartening saga.
1. A Spirited Larceny: How One Traveler’s Luxury Vacation Was Fleeced
When most travelers set off on a luxury vacation, they know that while they’ll be having plenty of fun, they will also empty out their wallets in the process. Little did one such traveler know, however, that their recently taken splurge would net them an unexpected and less than welcome return.
Once checked in and settled, they opened their suitcase to find that someone had clearly rummaged through their possessions. Ongoing investigations later revealed that the perpetrator had:
- taken some of their jewelry, cash, and other expensive items
- rummaged through the bag itself
- taken great care to make sure no clothing was left out of its place
The authorities were stumped. But the traveler’s misfortune seemed to have taken a turn for the worse when no supplements were offered, no assistance provided, and not even an apology was uttered. With the luxury trip ripped apart due to this unexpected inconvenience, one can only hope the perpetrator is apprehended and brought to justice.
2. Accuse and Deny: A Back-and-Forth between theTraveler and Airline
A tumultuous argument between the weary Traveler and the unyielding Airline ensued. They spoke with crossed fingers and clenched fists, neither one willing to back down.
- Accusations:
- The Traveler accused the Airline of incompetence, citing their carelessness and disorganization.
- The Airline adamantly denied the claims, maintaining that they had done nothing wrong.
- Denials:
- The Airline accused the Traveler of exaggerating the truth and leaving out key details.
- The Traveler denied the accusations and stood firmly behind their original version of events.
For hours the Traveler and Airline circled like sharks, each one trying to catch the other in a lie, maintaining a vicious back-and-forth.
3. A Double-Cross of “Spirit”: What Was Taken and How Much?
In the midst of a pandemic, companies had to take drastic measures to survive. For Spirit Airlines, that meant a double-cross on many of its customers, taking their money and leaving them groundless. What was taken and how much? Let’s take a look..
First, Spirit shipped out a spate of cancellation emails to travelers who had booked international and domestic flights. On April 6th, the airline announced that all flights through May 31st were cancelled–a total of more than 13,000 flights. Customers were given two choices: receive a full refund or take a voucher that may be applied to future purchases. This wasn’t well received by customers.
In addition, the company refused to offer credits that could cover flight taxes and fees—an estimated $180 million was taken directly from customers. They took an extra step of unprecedented piracy—customers were told that they could not use the cancelled flight fees for another airline even if it was cheaper than Spirit’s own. In the end, the bigger loss was in the inconvenience caused to thousands of travelers around the world.
4. Where Does the Balance Swing: Justice or Injustice for the Customer?
- It is a tricky question to answer when trying to determine whether a customer is receiving justice or injustice. On one hand, customers should be able to trust that companies provide them with fair and accurate services or products, but at the same time companies also have to make sure they are not giving away too much of their profit to customers.
- Who defines justice and injustice? The answer depends heavily on what the customer expects and what the company is willing to provide. Customers must consider their own expectations of the company such as if they were promised a certain level customer service or a certain quality of product. Companies, meanwhile, should be mindful that customer experience is key to their success and that justice means providing fair prices for quality service.
The balance between justice and injustice for the customer is tricky to define, but every company should strive to provide customers with fair and equitable services. Customers should evaluate the quality of service they receive and companies should remember that customer loyalty and satisfaction is essential for success.
For weary travelers wary of their finances, the nightmare story of a Spirit Airlines passenger gives rise to a reminder that it is always crucial to review expense reports and stay vigilant with the handling and organization of one’s finances. As this case demonstrates, it isn’t just other people who can cost you in unexpected ways- it’s airlines, too.
