MIRAMAR, Fla., June 16, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spirit Airlines, Inc. (Nasdaq:SAVE) announced it was appealing certain aspects of the recent Department of Transportation (DOT) rules that promise to raise significantly the cost of travel to consumers and hamper our nation's economic recovery. As is well known, Spirit is committed to providing the lowest cost travel option to its customers. Spirit will continue to resist efforts by regulators that go beyond reasonable consumer protections to impose higher costs on airlines without corresponding benefits to the traveling public, costs which inevitably are passed along to consumers through higher prices.
Keeping air travel prices low is one of the most important catalysts for driving our economic recovery, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses that create much-needed new jobs. Conversely, raising travel costs to consumers through ill-considered regulatory initiatives will have a leveraged negative effect on economic growth.
Among other things, Spirit's challenge to the new DOT rules covers:
- the so-called "full fare rule" which overturns regulation in place for more than 25 years and hides from consumers the enormous government tax burden on air travel
- the proposal to require airlines to hold fares for 24 hours after booking without payment, an idea that will generate massive abuse and force airlines to raise ticket prices as they compensate for the "spoilage" of unpaid but blocked seats
- the proposed price freeze for non-ticket services from the time of the initial purchase of a ticket by a customer, even though the customer has not yet purchased or paid for such services, a proposal that also will force airlines to increase fees to cover their business risk
The appeal was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
About Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines () is the largest Ultra Low Cost Carrier (ULCC) in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. As the unbundling leader in the industry, Spirit allows consumers the option of paying only for the features they value without subsidizing the choices of others. Its all-Airbus fleet, the youngest in the Americas, flies more than 150 daily flights to over 40 destinations. The company is based in South Florida.
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CONTACT: Media Contacts: Misty Pinson Director, Corporate Communications misty.pinson@spirit.com 954-628-4827/cell 954-918-9432 Manuel Jaquez (Latin America & Caribbean) manuel.jaquez@spirit.com 954-628-4898
