• by Tanya Gazdik , July 31, 2024

Spirit Airlines is backing away from its longtime reputation as a no-frills carrier. 

New fare options will include premium seats, carry-on baggage, WiFi and “even snacks,” according to ABC News.  “The ultra-low-cost Florida-based carrier announced ‘a significant transformation’ to its pricing structure on Tuesday with new ticketing bundles and more perks for passengers.”

The airline is hiring an advertising agency to help in its rebranding moves. 

“In a milestone win for the agency, we were just named full-service agency of record for Spirit Airlines,” Tombras posted on its website. “The iconic brand is making some transformational changes to its business, and we're going to make sure the world hears about it.”

Ted Christie, Spirit's president and chief executive officer, said in a statement the changes are a result of customer feedback from guests who want "choices for an elevated experience that are affordable and provide unparalleled value.”

The airline had only offered one class of seats -- with the exception of the first row of the plane, which has larger seats that customers could pay extra to sit in.

Under the new pricing strategy, customers can pay extra for a “Go Big” class of tickets that includes a variety of extras, including snacks and drinks (either alcoholic or non-alcoholic), one carry-on bag, one checked bag and streaming access. 

“In the past even passengers paying extra for the big seats had to pay extra for those items,” according to CNN. “The ‘Go Big’ class of tickets will have priority check-in, which had not previously been offered, as well as priority boarding.”

Other categories of seating will be the “Go Comfy” class, to  include a free carry-on, a free checked bag, and a blocked middle seat. “Go Savvy” includes free seat selection and either a checked bag or carry-on.

“The move is reminiscent of a similar shift at Southwest Airlines, which is also breaking with decades of tradition to end its free-for-all seating arrangements as it fights off an activist hedge fund investor," according to Quartz. “Since Spirit and JetBlue Airways called off their merger in March, Spirit has been seen as a doomed entity. Despite Tuesday’s bump, shares are down more than 80% for the year. It’s having to furlough pilots and delay plane deliveries."