Highlights
Spirit Airlines is based in Miramar, Fla., and operates 185 flights daily to 36 cities including Aruba, Atlanta, Atlantic City, Boston, Cancun, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Myers, Guatemala City, Las Vegas, Lima, Los Angeles, Managua, Montego Bay, Myrtle Beach, Nassau, New York, Orlando, Port-au-Prince, San Jose, San Salvador, Santo Domingo, Tampa, Washington D.C. and. during the winter only, West Palm Beach. Ned Hornfeld founded the airline in 1980 as Detroit-based vacation tour operator called Charter One that provided travel packages to Atlantic City, Las Vegas and the Bahamas. In 1992, the company bought jets and changed its named to Spirit Airlines. The following year, Spirit began flying to...
Spirit Airlines is based in Miramar, Fla., and operates 185 flights daily to 36 cities including Aruba, Atlanta, Atlantic City, Boston, Cancun, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Myers, Guatemala City, Las Vegas, Lima, Los Angeles, Managua, Montego Bay, Myrtle Beach, Nassau, New York, Orlando, Port-au-Prince, San Jose, San Salvador, Santo Domingo, Tampa, Washington D.C. and. during the winter only, West Palm Beach. Ned Hornfeld founded the airline in 1980 as Detroit-based vacation tour operator called Charter One that provided travel packages to Atlantic City, Las Vegas and the Bahamas. In 1992, the company bought jets and changed its named to Spirit Airlines. The following year, Spirit began flying to Florida cities, an affiliation that would culminate in December 1999 when it moved its headquarters from Detroit to Miramar. Unlike other airlines, the firm has strived to remain privately owned. In 2004, it raised $125 million in equity by selling a majority stake to investors led by Oaktree Capital Management, a Los Angeles venture capital fund that later added another $100 million to the coffers. That helped the company begin its linchpin project of replacing its entire fleet of MD-80s with the more cost-efficient Airbus planes. Oaktree continues to be a major investor, but control switched over in July 2006 to another private equity firm from Phoenix, Indigo Partners LLC, run by the former chairman of America West Airlines, William Franke. Spirit parlayed rock-bottom fares and huge increases in short-haul service to Latin America and the Caribbean to become the busiest airline at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, accounting for 20 percent of its passengers in 2007. But severe, controversial cost cutting measures called the Ultra Low Cost Carrier approach (including charging passengers to check baggage) led to a significant hike in customer complaints about understaffing, long lines and cancelled flights in 2007. At the same time, destinations appealing to South Florida's diverse population and promotions like the $9 fare boosted patronage to top 3.3 million passengers over the first half of 2007. As a result, Spirit declared a profit for the first half of that year of $22 million compared to three straight years of losses. The company's headquarters is at 2800 Executive Way, Miramar, and its main telephone number is 954-447-7965.
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Bird hits plane, forces pilot to return
The Associated PressAuthorities say a bird struck a plane that took off from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, forcing the pilot to turn back. Spirit Airlines flight 436 was en route to Chicago O'Hare Airport Monday morning when the pilot reported a...Tags: Broward County Sheriff's Office, O'Hare International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
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Airlines serve ads to a captive audience
Los Angeles Times Staff WriterAs if ads in public bathrooms and elevators aren't enough, some airlines are looking at placing them all over the cabin, from tray tables and window shades to overhead bins and bulkheads. Forget the discreet ad on the ticket jacket. The plane's cabin,...Tags: Championship Racing Teams, Air Transportation, Transportation, Motor Racing, American Airlines, Inc.
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Airlines
Miramar-based Spirit Airlines said Wednesday that the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism is the first client for its new onboard ad initiative. Bahamas tourism will be advertised on overhead bins, tray tables and bulkheads aboard all Spirit flights starting this... -
JetBlue to add daily flight to San Juan
South Florida Sun-SentinelJetBlue Airways announced Wednesday plans to begin new daily nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, Puerto Rico, giving passengers another choice in the market. The New York-based low-cost air carrier will introduce the daily nonstop route...Tags: American Airlines, Inc., JetBlue, Marketing, Fort Lauderdale
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FREE BEVERAGES: Why most drinks are free
Why do airlines still float free drinks? One by one, U.S. airlines have snatched back freebies that fliers took for granted - baggage checks, meals. (Whoever thought there would come a day when we'd miss airline food?) But one service remains relatively...Tags: Air Transportation, Transportation Accidents, DePaul University, Transportation, Forrester Research Incorporated
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The markets in 60 seconds
Airport board OKs new lease terms The board that runs Orlando International Airport on Wednesday formally approved terms of a new five-year lease with its major airline tenants. The agreement, which replaces a 30-year pact that expires at the end of this...Tags: Siemens, Air Transportation, Orlando International Airport, University of Central Florida, Kohl's Corporation
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Spirit Airlines plans to sell ad space inside planes
South Florida Sun-SentinelSpirit Airlines next week will unveil plans to sell space on overhead bins, tray tables and window panels to advertisers. The Miramar-based airline on Thursday invited prospective ad clients to board an aircraft at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International...Tags: Transportation Accidents, Consumers, Advertising, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Marketing
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Airline nickel-and-diming: Where does it end?
Mayo on the Side: Broward news columnist Michael Mayo | Sun-Sentinel BlogsPretty soon, the add-on fees for flying will be more than the airline ticket itself. In recent months, cash-strapped and fuel-cost-soaked airlines have raised and added fees for just about everything. There have been fees for checked bags and fees......Tags: Air Transportation, Clubs and Associations, Prosecution, United Air Lines, Economy
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Construction continues on 'Harry Potter' attraction, but Universal isn't talking about it
Jason Garcia and Sara K. Clarke, Sentinel Staff WritersDevelopment of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has moved into a new phase, forcing Universal Orlando to close a children's roller coaster, a restaurant, a gift shop, a bar, and a footpath that once ran past them all in Islands of Adventure. Last week...Tags: Air Transportation, Orlando International Airport, Movies, Music, Fiction
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Cancun on the cheap
The New York TimesOne Friday evening last December, in a typically modern Cancun condo complex, a party was under way. A motley crew of revelers — well-tanned men with curly gray hair, twentysomething tourists, women with children and grandchildren on their hips &#...Tags: Restaurant and Catering Industry, Clothing and Textiles Industry, Madonna, Spider-Man, New York Times
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Use a bit of savvy to get your airline complaint off the ground
South Florida Sun-SentinelThe skies this summer will be crowded, not just with airplanes, but with fliers grousing about lost bags, canceled flights, delays, rude treatment and more. Airline complaints to the U.S. Department of Transportation exceeded 11,000 last year, a 70...Tags: Air Transportation, Transportation, Ralph Nader, Public Relations, American Airlines, Inc.
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