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Spirit Airlines unveils new seats that it says will make for happier passengers
Edward Russell
Contributor
Edward Russell is a contributor for TPG. An AvGeek at heart, he covered the airline business at FlightGlobal for eight years and previously covered finance in New York and Hong Kong.
Sept. 09, 2019
•
5 min read
Spirit Airlines unveils new seats that it says will make for happier passengers
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Spirit Airlines, once a laggard on almost all customer satisfaction measures, is taking yet another step to improve the passenger experience: its seats.
The Florida-based ultra-low-cost carrier will debut the new seats in November and showed them off for the first time today at the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) expo in Los Angeles.
Spirit claims that the new product will offer passengers two additional inches of "usable legroom" — the distance from the center of the seatback to the furthest point on the back of the seat in front — as compared to the slimline seats on its aircraft today.
The new seats will also feature thicker padding, lumbar support, and bigger tray tables — a feature any road warrior familiar with the art of trying to balancing a laptop and a drink on a minuscule table will instantly appreciate. The seats will be black, keeping with Spirit's black-and-yellow color palette.
The seats are just the latest in a multi-year transformation for Spirit. Once at the bottom of the U.S. Department of Transportation's on-time performance and customer-satisfaction rankings, the airline has made a dramatic climb and was the fourth-most punctual, with 81% of flights arriving on time, in 2018.
"New seat technology produces the ability to increase usable space at legroom, and that's what's most from a comfort perspective for people," Spirit CEO Ted Christie told TPG at APEX. "When you improve seat technology with contoured seatbacks and a gentle pre-recline for our seat, you actually improve the legroom space."
Other improvements include a performance promise, onboard Wi-Fi expected by year-end, and a new in-development frequent flier program. Passengers can learn more about Spirit's transformation by visiting its dedicated website Invest in the Guest.
Spirit's new cabin configuration will also feature a wider middle seat — 18 inches compared to 17 inches for the window and aisle. The configuration was developed by Acro Aircraft Seating.
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Related: There's a New Type of Middle Seat Coming to a US Airline
In addition, the airline will be able to keep its existing density — 145 seats on its Airbus A319s, 182 on its Airbus A320s, and 228 on its Airbus A321s — without adding weight, which increases operating expenses.
Installation of the new seats, as well as a cabin refresh that incorporates more of Spirit's black and yellow colors, will begin with new deliveries in November, said Christie. The airline is still evaluating whether to retrofit existing aircraft.
Spirit's Big Front Seat — the discounter's version of a premium product — also will get an update as part of the cabin refresh. New seats with an improved headrest and more padding will be installed in the same 2-by-2 configuration as on its fleet today.
Related: Is the Spirit Airlines Big Front Seat Worth It?
The new Big Front Seats are designed by HAECO Cabin Solutions.
Here's a look at the seatbacks Spirit plans to install on its new planes.
Featured image by Patrick T. Fallon
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.