Passengers brace yourselves: Spirit strike has potential imitators

The ongoing Spirit Airline pilot’s strike is causing major passenger upheavals as it cancels all flights through Wednesday, but it is hardly the only potential problem in the near future. So what should you know about this strike and future ones?
 

Tiny Spirit is best known in the industry for its low fares and for its controversial plan announced in April to begin charging up to US$45 for carry-on bags.
 

The strike is being closely watched in the industry because pilots at much larger carriers are also locked in tough negotiations.
 

AirTran pilots, for one, have been approved to strike if their contract negotiations don’t pan out.They still have one more mediation meeting to go through and a 30-day cooling off period.
 

The last strike at a major carrier was in 2005, when Northwest Airlines mechanics walked off the job rather than accept deep pay cuts. The strike failed after Northwest replaced pilots.
 

What can you do during a strike?
 

Any action you take should include your awareness of this fact: airlines are not obligated to do anything for you. However, they will usually try (ala Spirit) to try in some ways to make at least partial amends. That includes:
 

—During a strike, airlines will often rebook on partner airlines, space permitting. Count on waiting a long time on the telephone, however, and some air providers such as Spirit have limited arrangements with other carriers.
 

—Look at the striking airlines web site to see policies and updates. You’ll likely find your options are limited.
 

—Agents say if you have time you can re-book through another carrier. Agent Pat Saizan not unexpectedly recommends agent service because they can help find discount fares.
 

—You can also buy trip insurance but you will only be protected generally if your airline hasn’t threatened a strike and is not currently under a strike. Don’t count on a policy protecting you.
 

As for Spirit itself:
 

“Spirit is processing future flight credits for customers for the full amount of their unflown fight purchase, and is also giving them a US$100 future flight credit,” says the company’s web site.
Customers who prefer a full refund should call (800) 772-7117 for assistance.
 

“But people who needed to replace their Spirit tickets found the cost of same-day fares on other airlines was two- to three times more than their tickets,” said wire services.
 

About 440 Spirit pilots walked off the job last Saturday amid an ongoing contract dispute with the airline that has lasted for more than three years. Spirit pilots have said their pay lags behind competitors such as AirTran Airways and JetBlue.
 

The privately held airline, based in Miramar, Florida, carries 16,680 passengers per day — about one percent of the US total — mostly between the eastern US and the Caribbean and Latin America.
 

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is Spirit’s main hub, where it is the only airline to 14 international cities and five US destinations, airport spokesman Greg Meyer said. Around the country Spirit runs roughly 150 flights per day.
 

Dozens of angry passengers waited at Spirit ticket counters this week, many vowing never to use the airline again, according to the AP.
 

"We do sympathize with (the passengers)," said Spirit pilot Travis Wheat. He said they tried to warn passengers of a pending strike weeks earlier with billboards and press releases.
 

Spirit pilots rejected an offer would have paid senior captains over US$200,000 a year, Spirit airlines Chief Executive Ben Baldanza said in the statement.
 

Baldanza said in an interview that he hoped to get some of Spirit’s 31 aircraft flying soon with management pilots or others who cross the picket line, but no such flights have yet taken place.
 

By David Wilkening