Airline Offers Free Sept. 11 Flights
Spirit CEO Hopes Other Airlines Will Follow Suit
August 7, 2002

DETROIT-- Spirit Airlines is concerned that no one will fly on Sept. 11 for the anniversary of the terrorist attacks, so they announced Tuesday that they are offering free flights, Local 4 reported.
  SPIRIT FLIGHTS
 Will You Fly On Sept. 11?
Spirit Airline Reservations: (800) 772-7117
or www.SpiritAir.com
 
Calling it "a day of freedom to travel," Spirit CEO Jacob Schorr said, "The sky should be full of Americans on that day. This will show that we're not a nation that can easily be brought down." Spirit has 90 scheduled flights with more than 13,000 seats on Sept. 11 -- a typical number for a weekday, Schorr said. Bookings for that day were already down for the Fort Lauderdale-based airline, but customers who already paid for tickets will get credit for a future flight. Local 4 tested the system and started trying to get through on Spirit reservation lines at midnight when the deal took effect. Two hours and 14 minutes later, a reservation was made to Los Angeles. Spirit Airlines says that travelers can take as many flights as they want on Sept. 11, but tickets must be reserved by Sept. 8. If the second leg of a roundtrip flight is on another day, there will be no one-way penalty -- the cost will be half of the roundtrip fare. Local 4 spoke with an unidentified passenger at De! troit Metropolitan Airport who said that she would do it. She said that she thinks it is good idea for people who can't afford to travel. Schorr estimated the giveaway will cost Spirit around $500,000. Spirit hopes that other airlines will follow suit.

Spirit Airlines serves Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Atlantic City, N.J., Oakland, Calif., Myrtle Beach, S.C., New York, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

 


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