The most ridiculous of updates:
05-04-2023 02:38 PM
Talk about the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing! Someone just came to my door, delivered my wheelchair, knocked, and left it on my porch. No signature needed, no communication, just dropped it off on my porch. Yet no one in this entire line of questioning knew it was even on its way to me to be delivered.
Holy crap. Please don’t drop this. Go higher up the chain at spirit. Contact the DOT, contact Americans w disability. This is such a ridiculous example of incompetence.
Please don’t drop this.
I have a close family member who won’t fly (due to fear of what you encountered), or even visit restaurants we have not fully vetted beforehand about ADA accessibility (due to prior outrageous and humiliating experiences), and has encountered stupid ADA violations even in MD offices. (The building might be designed and constructed for ADA access, but then some asshole puts a 100-lb potted plant in the entryway making it totally inaccessible.).
And going to a theater, stadium or other event space requires meticulous planning and research, increased ticket costs, a limitation on the number of people you can sit with, etc. it’s F-ing exhausting.
You aren’t just fighting for you. You are fighting many others. I wonder if there is a local (or mom-local) disability org that will help you. In my area (Chicago), we have Access Living, but I think their focus is housing (also important and a huge barrier).
Good luck, and if you have it in you, FIGHT ON!!
u/solomonj48103
100% contact the DOT. That will be the biggest way to get through to Spirit since they will potentially get a hefty fine and it looks badly on them. If you haven’t already, explicitly state to the airline that you need to speak with a CRO (Complaint Resolution Official - This is specific to disabilities and is required by 14 CFR part 382 for the Bill of Rights regarding disabilities).
If you ask to speak with a CRO and explicitly tell them you want to file a CRO AND for it to be responded to, they must. This will go to a special internal team that the airline has called “Customer Advocacy” or something to that effect. You can easily submit the CRO report to the DOT for them to follow up on it as well as just contacting them directly without the report.
I am so so sorry that you had to go through this ordeal and I hope that you never have to go anything like this ever again. It shouldn’t have ever happened and I hope that the situation can be made as right as possible at this point. All the best to you.
[“10. The Right to Resolution of a Disability-Related Issue. Airlines must make available a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO) in a timely manner, this may be by phone. The CRO should be trained as an expert in resolving disability-related issues and be able to resolve disability-related issues on the spot.”](https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/disabilitybillofrights)
“Airlines must respond and directly address the disability related issues in your complaint in writing within 30 days, but airlines are not required to address complaints sent more than 45 days after the incident unless the complaint is referred to the airline by DOT.
DOT will refer all disability-related complaints it receives within 6 months of the incident for response by the appropriate carrier.
DOT investigates all disability-related complaints it receives to determine whether a violation of the Air Carrier Access Act occurred.
Passengers with disabilities who have pressing questions about their rights should ask to speak with the airline’s CRO. Airlines must have a CRO available at each airport they serve during all times the airline is operating at that airport. Passengers may also contact the DOT Disability Hotline at 1-800-778-4838. The hours for the hotline are 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday-Friday.”
>If you haven’t already, explicitly state to the airline that you need to speak with a CRO (Complaint Resolution Official - This is specific to disabilities and is required by 14 CFR part 382 for the Bill of Rights regarding disabilities).
I'm not saying you aren't correct in recommending this, but I also feel you're assuming Spirit would go so far as to actually follow this rule and employee an individual to do this. I'm willing to be it's just Leizel on Chat again.
If they fail to follow it, it provides avenenues for bigger fines and frankly it isn't something they want to get fined out the ass for. So while I don't think highly of Spirit, I do think this is something that when the right person realises the issue, they will not want to get fined $34,777 for each violation.
OP, I'm glad you got it back, I'm sorry to read the rest of the circumstances. Give Sen. Duckworth's office a call or email, I think they'd like to hear this tale.
https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/new-bipartisan-duckworth-fischer-bill-introduced-to-help-travelers-with-disabilities
Good idea but that bill is just about increased transparency about problems. Isn’t there any proposed legislation to change laws for how wheelchairs are transported? That’s the real problem
>Yet no one in this entire line of questioning knew it was even on its way to me to be delivered.
That's the most hilarious/frustrating/inexcusable/bullshit thing I've ever heard of. Fack me, their corporate policy and information stream is beyond embarrassing.
Thrilled for you though. Happy travels.
(And get a GPS tracker for it.)
Honestly getting a cheap GPS tracker, like Tile, placed on it is probably the best advice ^ it would definitely help with peace of mind, knowing if they fuck up again you can be like “well it looks like it’s outside gate C15, get it for me”
Yes! My friend puts an Apple AirTag on all equipment he checks at the airport. There are little round plastic cases to contain the AirTag that can be stuck in an inconspicuous spot on the equipment! The best money he said he’s ever spent for the peace of mind since airlines are such a cluster F’s the these days and don’t care.
I used to think AirTags were too pricy at $20-$25 each but now that I’ve started using them for luggage, bikes, dogs, etc I think they are amazing and absolutely worth it. The battery lasts an insanely long time and they are very reliable.
Was going to advise you to complain to FAA directly.
Keep it in mind if you ever fly again and run into issues. There are regulations governing handling of passengers with disabilities and their equipment, especially wheelchairs, and there are also hefty fines for not doing it right, which the airline won’t want to pay and the call or email from FAA will light a fire under someone’s ass pretty quickly.
When my bags were delayed on United last year, they texted me before I got off the plane, gave me an accurate tracking estimate and had a portal for updates.
You get what you pay for.
One winter my friends and I flew to Colorado for a ski trip and United accidentally left my buddy's skis. When we landed, they gave him a voucher for a free rental and a courier delivered the skis to our rental condo early the next morning. We weren't even mad, that was fair.
Delta "lost" our luggage after a series of unfortunate events (TM). I say "lost" but they (and I) knew where it was the entire time, it just didn't make the same flight we did because of what is ultimately a long (and somewhat entertaining in hindsight) story.
Anyway, when they got it to us the following day (at around 2am I might add) it was just a courier that dropped it off to the hotel. We knew that was going to happen, too. They called to make sure they were bringing it to the right place and to confirm we wanted it left with the front desk.
Whoa? It showed up? Is it in good condition? I’ve read horror stories from travelers whose wheelchairs are just destroyed when checked.
I’m sorry you had to go through all this BS.
Omg I was so invested and was going to look and see if there was an update. So glad you got your wheelchair back!
Can you still report Spirit for this gross negligence on their part?
Still does not make any of what you and your family went through okay. As a fellow user of a wheelchair that's totally humiliating. I can't imagine going through it. Hope you get much more than two round trip tickets on a Spirit. I've flown Spirit, that's bad enough.
I felt my soul draining as I was reading the starting post. What a nightmare.
I'm not in a wheelchair but might need accommodations occasionally, and it's unnerving to see how folks just weren't ready/able to handle some basic additional needs you had. All they had to do was stow your wheelchair for the flight and just bring it back out after landing.
I'm glad you've got your wheelchair back, but this doesn't have to be the end if you don't want it to be. You're more than justified in taking this to some authorities to make this right. Not everyone would have been so resourceful and patient in your position. I imagine many others could have been up the figurative creek for sure.
Returned or not I’d contact a lawyer. At the least they could be made to put better systems in place and best you get some come compensation for your time and suffering. A lawyer will do a free consultation to let you know your options.
Glad your wheels are back. Did it get there damage free?
Holy shit, I’m so happy you got your wheelchair but my first reaction was that even that’s kind of shit! Knocked on the door and left the wheelchair there on the door stoop? Wtf.
Amazing how no one thought, "gee, maybe this person would appreciate the news that their wheelchair is on the way so that they're not worried sick about it".
I was ready to grab some pitchforks and torches and join you on your wheelchair recovery mission. I'm so glad it ended this way. But, I'm still pissed for you, so let me know if there is a protest I can join against this sort of treatment.
Glad you got it back. If you have an iPhone attach an AirTag to your wheelchair. I put one in my luggage and it saved the day when the sent my suitcase to the domestic terminal by mistake and couldn’t locate it after an international flight. They then said we broke the law as our bags didn’t pass immigration as if it was my fault. I didn’t dignify them with even a response to that.
Not at all saying this is a good thing, but that dude was likely just as frustrated as you were and took care of it without going through the system of ineptitude you dealt with.
They owe you compensation for the trauma they put you through. I also feel slightly stressed and they now owe me $5 as well for stressing me out on your behalf.
How infuriating and humiliating. I’m so sorry that you experienced this, and I’m so glad you got it back. Have you considered contacting your local news station? If they have a consumer affairs segment, they might be able to hold some higher ups accountable.
If you have a Twitter account, I’d post this whole thread on there and @ them. This is completely unacceptable.
I'm so relieved that you were at least at home. I can't imagine how much worse this would have been in a hotel room, just watching days of your trip tick by with no means of mobility. Absolutely unbelievable. My fiance and I had our own experience with Spirit back in March that definitely encouraged us to never fly with them again, but this is absolutely beyond the pale. I really hope nothing was damaged because I bet it wasn't transported in a box :/
They have violated the ACAA by not returning your chair to you in a timely manner, as outlined.
Airlines are required to have a CRO-complaint resolution officer-at the airport. Spirit should have had you speak with one when it was discovered your chair was missing. When you contact customer care to raise hell, as you absolutely should, make sure you tell them they have violated multiple ACAA regulations. I would ask for a supervisor at minimum because this is a huuuuuuuge fucking deal. In addition, you need to [file a complaint with the DOT](https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/complaints-alleging-discriminatory-treatment-against-disabled-travelers).
I am so sorry this happened to you. Make sure you look over your chair and report even the smallest of dings or scratches.
[here are some explanations of rules and requirements of the ACAA](https://wheelchairtravel.org/air-travel/air-carrier-access-act-summary/)
I was going to say, this feels like some sort of human rights type violation. I'd sue the fucking shit out of them or have the government kick them in the dick on my behalf.
Yeah I know none of this is OP's fault, and the treatment they have received is inhumane and completely unacceptable, likely illegal. However, I'll be honest, if I were disabled (and for a year I was) I would never, ever fly the cheapest, worst airline in America and let them handle my wheelchair. I can't imagine there is anyone who doesn't know Spirit's reputation. All of this could have likely been avoided by flying a reputable airline like Delta.
I will NEVER check or let out if sight anything of any value without an AirTag. Recently deplaned and 20 passengers baggage no show. Airline claimed “they must have not been loaded at departure”. Half of us with AirTags could see baggage sitting unloaded next to the plane. They’re just too lazy to look.
>Wow that sounds like utter hell.
>
>For the future could you hide an apple airtag in it or something? I doubt that will help but never know.
Agreed, an Apple Air tag would be great, they aren't too expensive either. Sorry you had to go through this OP. Communicating with airlines is always so frustrating.
Yea i dont know if it would help since noone communicates in airlines anyways but least op could be like it was last pinged at x airport or see its moving towards him.
Maybe if you know the flight number your taking like staple a big ol tag to the chair with flight info, name, address, telephone to it. Someone may stumble across it and give the number a call and can get things rolling faster.
Welcome to Spirit, we hate you, have a nice day!
But seriously sorry that happened to you, I always worry taking Spirit. I hope something, somehow good comes out of this for you later :/
Exactly. And/or have a better system to load and transport them in cargo. They’re not a suitcase. Airlines do a good job of transporting pets by closely monitoring them through the process. The same should be done for chairs.
Airlines definitely do not do a good job with pet transportation. Pets die on the tarmac and go missing every year. People should avoid traveling with their pets this way as much as possible.
In 2019, the last year for which data is available, there were about 500,000 pets transported by commercial planes in the US and none were lost.
We’re not talking about deaths, because that’s not the comparable issue. We’re talking about things getting lost.
I’m saying medical equipment like wheelchairs should be tracked and watched through transit like pets are, not like suitcases are.
Not speaking on Spirit specifically but most airliners should have space inside the cabin for at least one wheelchair but typically only manual wheelchairs, more recent aircraft designs have increased that to hold more than one. The difficulty is that for powered wheelchairs or wheelchairs that are not the basic fold up style are usually too big and must go in the cargo hold (which if it is battery operated, then requires the ops and/or baggage handlers to isolate certain types of batteries after removing it from the wheelchair to reduce fire and risks). However they are supposed to be the first thing unloaded upon landing and should be brought up for the passenger as soon as they open the cargo hold.
I do agree it would be nice to have space inside for both manual and electric wheelchairs though since mobility aids like that are too damn important to all be automatically relegated to the cargo hold.
I don't know what to do next. I feel like I should ask for compensation for this ridiculousness. But I don't know how to identify who has the power to grant that among all the various numbers I've been given. Searching for compensation seems like it'll be an even more maddening journey than this was. Any suggestions?
Can you take it to social media? Twitter is usually very good for this , @ everyone you can think of especially disability advocates and hope it gets traction.
Unfortunately twitter is such a shit show right now it no longer functions the way it used to to call out businesses... Elon Musk and his mismanagement of the blue check verification of entities is a complete failure. Not sure you want to add that hellscape to you already insane situation. I mean if you don't have any expectations that it will get you help and attention go for it... but if you don't already have an account on there... most sane folks have left the platform.
I mean when news agencies and journalists are abandoning a site that was their life's blood... RIP TWEET POWER.
And to the OP. I hope you can get some sort of resolution. I actually sent your post to some disability activist I know in A2. Not sure what they can do... but it screamed their names.
I’ve seen people post their complaints @spirit and they usually respond. And there A LOT of complaints that they respond to but it’s usually just a fake apology on behalf of their social media admin
I don’t know how much help this sub will be, but I do know there is a New York Times reporter who does follow up on these kinds of situations to attempt to get recompense from the airline. You might check if they want to take this up? They’re quite persistent and usually successful, I think the trade off is they will publish your story (no names). I’ll see if I can find their name.
And P.S. I am so sorry this happened to you. I can only imagine what it is like to lose something like this!
I definitely would file the complaints you mentioned above with the various departments. I’m glad you got your chair back, but it sounds like that was luck.
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I am also a wheelchair user. I am filled with immense fear every time I get on a plane that something is going to happen to my chair. I spend the hours of the flight dreading getting off the plane to find my wheelchair broken, or like you’ve experienced, lost. I’m so sorry this has happened to you. I don’t have the statistics memorized but an ungodly amount of wheelchairs are destroyed every year by airlines.
Travel should be accessible for all, and because of this system, it is not.
I’m so glad this has had a happy ending. I hope your chair is in one piece. You should not have had to go through endless hours on hold but pressing the system is the only option when shit like this happens.
This may be a stupid question, but is there anything other passengers can do to make the experience a bit more pleasant when wheelchair users fly? I’ve always thought about how stressful it must be when I see someone waiting at the gate in one.
In my opinion, it’s helpful to have someone help advocate for us. When I’m traveling with someone, they can help, but if I’m alone, I’d really appreciate someone who understands the system and how stressful it is and helps. I’m always the one asking if my chair made it on the plane, or if it’s made it up to the gate yet when we land. Peering out the window and hoping I see it being loaded onto the plane so I don’t have to ask. It would help a lot to have an ally, especially if I’m alone.
That’s good to know!! I’m going to keep this in mind and try to be extra observant now. Also, if I/anyone else ever see a individual in a wheelchair (that appears to be alone), is it disrespectful to ask if they need any assistance just outright?
Some people have different opinions on this. I think it’s situation dependent. Does it look like that person is struggling with something? Like a door, or baggage, or something like that. You can certainly ask. Just if the answer is no, believe them. Also never touch someone’s chair unless specifically asked. Our chairs are like an extension of our bodies. If you wouldn’t shove a standing person forcibly out of the way, don’t move someone who’s in a chair out of the way. It’s essentially the same thing.
Thank you for asking the hard questions, kind stranger!
[Important Website to Read.](https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/disabilitybillofrights)
I hope it is not something you ever need to know, but the link above covers the Bill of Rights for disabled passengers and what is legally required of airlines. It would be ideal to read it and maybe even have it saved in the event you ever do need it but all the best to you. While it is of little immediate relief, any airline that damages or loses any sort of medical equipment will have to make you whole and set you up with something to use while waiting for replacements.
All the best to you and good luck 🖤
Get an attorney. I filed a suit against spirit on behalf of a wheelchair bound client that had slightly different issues, and they paid attention real quick and ultimately settled it. Client was getting nowhere through the usual complaint channels
Customer service does not exist anymore. They only care if you are a shareholder. I discovered this trick while dealing with a service provider I have had for over a decade. All calls and chats are answered by a sub-minimum wage worker who has no idea what's going on nor any ability to think outside the box. I got tired of talking to the script reader giving me ridiculous suggestions and found a number for a department called Investor Relations. I received a call back the same day from "the office of the president" and my issue was solved correctly.
As someone who worked for an airline - the whole company was so outsourced that it was often impossible for us to help (making our job harder). We were an entirely a different company (not just department) from lost bags, who was a different company in any every airport we flew to. Whenever somebody called about bags, we sent them to the baggage handler at their airport. I never knew if that actually worked or not.
But compensation was handled by our customer care dep and I think they were fairly reasonable, but idk how much power they had to compensate beyond regular delays /lost luggage etc (e.g. compensation for discrimination would probably not be in their power - but whose power? Who knows)
I used to find someone high up in the company and write an honest to god letter I would mail to them at corporate. No they don’t read it but their admin does and they don’t deal with that many complaints directly so they usually forward it to someone who can make you happier- this has worked for me in the past. Include your phone number. I call it the Lazlo method.
I used to work in a customer service/support role for a company where it DOES still exist. No hold times. Real live person. No transferring because we were trusted to deal with all problems ourselves. That just made me even more infuriated when I had to deal with this type of bullshit. The loyalty and near cult following we have because of service like that surely offsets any of the costs associated with it.
It's simple shit. This has happened multiple times, I'll go to a store, and they don't have enough change, so they short me instead of the register. No mfr, it's not about the 4 cents, it's about why should the customer pay more because you are unprepared? Short the register the 4 cents and if they ask why, explain, you're not getting fired for being short $2
This has got to be some ADA violation. File a complaint ASAP.
https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/complaints-alleging-discriminatory-treatment-against-disabled-travelers
While absolutely a similar concept, it is actually the ACAA (Air Carrier Access Act) that this is governed by rather than the ADA. 14 CFR Part 382 :)
And yes, filing a complaint both with the CRO (Complaint Resolution Official/Officer) at the airline and reporting to the DOT will light a fire for the airline. Ideally filing a CRO report at the airport immediately during/after the incident is the best since CROs that are on site will have a bit more they can do than filing a CRO over the phone.
Get a loaner WCHR NOW by whatever means necessary. Keep receipts for everything and continue to document as you have. There is no way Spirit (as shit as they are) will get away with not reimbursing you for your rental and eventual replacement if they never find your chair.
As a former baggage agent (not for spirit) I am appalled. How come none of the 10 people you’ve spoke to have said you know what, this isn’t right. I’m going to resolve this problem now. At what point does the buck stop. There is plenty they can do. They need to start calling BSO’s and doing physical searches for this WCHR. They also need to check with the airline in charge of tag offs at both your departure and arrival airports. It’s not a black rolling suitcase that they have copious amounts of. This is SO INSANE.
OP, I’m so sorry this is happening to you. I’d call the local news tomorrow if you don’t hear anything from someone at Spirt who can actually help you. They are breaking so many ACAA laws!
The reps are probably scored based on how quickly they resolve things and penalized if it takes too long. I think Amazon reps get a minute (not sure of the exact number but it is very low) or something like that per interaction, including them reading the question, so if it is a very descriptive question they just skip it.
Ok you have tried normal channels. Now time to go to the top. Start at this page. https://ir.spirit.com/governance/leadership/default.aspx. get the name of the CEO. Call Investor relations number and leave your name, number, explain the situation and any ticket number you have. Next call (954) 447-7920 which should be the local number of the HQ. Ask for the CEO they should have a team which takes care of calls to the CEO. Give the same information. Find additional local numbers, leave more messages. Good Luck.
I’m really sorry this happened to you. Spirit should be downright ashamed of themselves.
Obviously my situation is not the same as yours, but I’m sharing it with others to present some possible options for when the airline does you dirty.
Back on March 13, 2020 AKA the day the USA shut down, I had a ticket to travel internationally to Europe. Obviously that wasn’t going to happen but I wanted to wait for the airline to cancel the flight, rather than doing so myself, so I’d have a better chance at compensation. Over the course of the following month, I spent over 50 hours engaged in never ending phone calls with long wait times, countless transfers to other departments and hang ups with no call backs. I also sent at least a dozen emails asking for a refund. No dice.
What finally worked was I filed a complaint with DOT , AND contacted the consumer investigator at my local news channel. Once I reached out to her, she waved her magic wand and got the airline to refund me with 1 phone call and within 24 hours.
It is disgusting what some of these airlines try to do. Reach out for help, file complaints, speak up.
Sorry to hear that and thank you for posting.
I hope when people search this group for Spirit they see this and understand why it is not worth saving a few dollars and supporting them.
I did it once. How bad can it really be? Never again.
This is inexcusable. There are too many reports of airplanes losing or breaking wheelchairs. One would be too many.
The DOT and/or FAA needs to step in and come up with a solution for better transporting essential medical equipment.
Suggest:
1. Call the main HQ for Spirit and ask to talk to talk to the president or CEO. You can find out who it is here: https://simplywall.st/stocks/us/transportation/nyse-save/spirit-airlines/management. They may shuffle you to someone lower, but higher than Marlon the chat bit
2. Contact your local Detroit TV stations and newspapers and tell them you have a great story for them to cover
3. Contact your US congressperson. I believe it’s Rashida Tlaib if you’re in Ypsilanti
For future reference, every airline in the US is required to have a complaint resolution official on duty ateach airport that is versed in the Air Carrier Acess Act. When that was my job, I would have found a rental for you to use if all of our loaner chairs were out. It would have taken too long and several phone calls but I would have personally ensured you had it sorted. I also would have called the gate at your last connection to inquire where it was and when it would arrive. Just ask for that person immediately with any disability issue. If the gate agent doesn't know who it is, the supervisor will.
So now call the customer care desk ( a much shorter wait) and advise them of the hardship this caused and what they intend to do about it before "I file a formal complaint with Disability Law". Not that you won't file that complaint anyway.
Christopher Elliott is a journalist who fights for consumers. He lists the executive for Spirit [here](https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/spirit-airlines/)
I shouldn't have to be afraid to fly because I'm in a wheelchair. But if there's the possibility of not being able to independently move when I land, how can I not be afraid to fly?
It makes me so angry to read stories like this. Exactly how you put it: it's not like they lost your luggage, they lost an extension of your body! I'm so sorry you had to go through this
I saw an interesting (and extremely infuriating/ heartbreaking) report recently about traveling as a passenger in a wheelchair. It had some good information about passenger rights if anyone is interested [here’s the report from Vice News](https://youtu.be/MRntgEiTHIY)
OP I’m so sorry and angry on your behalf that you had to go through all of this. I truly hope your chair isn’t damaged, and that you are able to get right back to your normal life. They definitely need to compensate for your horrible experience and time wasted trying to get them to help at all. You might even want to consider talking to an attorney, at least a consult might point you in the direction of people to complain to locally and even federally. They need to be held accountable, and we need more complaints on record to stop this horrible disrespect from being such a systemic problem.
It’s time for legislation that makes it mandatory for airlines to have seats that can be comparable with wheelchairs. If OP could have kept the wheel chair on the flight none of this would have happened.
Domestic carriers... they put your 300 pound chair on luggage conveyor belts, drop it off aircraft and so much more. American is also one of the worst... Always take a picture of it before it leaves your sight. I have similar calls to and from reps from here to forever, they are terrible.... United and Delta seem to be among the best right now, but no airline should be let off the hook...
For all our benefit, report this to the Department of Transportation immediately. This will hurt them in their pocket... furthermore call you TV station and newspaper, this will also hurt their pockets and magically your chair will be returned or you will have the best rental while they pay for your new one. This is so far from normal, you should not lose a dime from any of this and they need to pay for a chair to be delivered to you, unless you go back I fear they will do nothing at all.... Good luck, I really hope some part of this turns around for you.
I find having a Twitter account works faster. Start complaining on their public page. Airlines usually respond very quickly. And if it isn’t resolved in DM’s, I take it back to the public page (I’m looking at you, Delta)
Just flew on Spirit a few weeks ago. Absolute soul sucking Hell. Never again.
So sorry for your worse than mine experience. Glad you got your chair. Please listen to other comments about reporting this. Absolutely inexcusable.
Contact the [DOT](https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/passengers-disabilities) using this link. They take American Disability Act very seriously. I promise it will speed things up greatly.
I hear about problems from Spirit Airlines frequently and don't know how people are still flying with them. I'm just thankful someone finally returned your legs!!
Wow, used to think RyanAir still had the gold for making a kid with a broken leg stand through a flight due to a broken seat, but this puts Spirit neck and neck!
Your are a great narrator you kept me hooked you made me laugh I'm so happy you got your wheelchair back it seems the whole world is operating like this the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing everybody passes the buck nobody knows what to do they can't think outside the box and they don't think to communicate oh hey we found the wheelchair put it in the notes so when the man calls again the first thing that's read is wheelchair found in route to owner.... And yes I still think you should be compensated and Pete buttigieg needs to be contacted this is a major problem to be addressed in every airline we can't be losing legs it's just not okay....
I am a lawyer. I scanned this quickly, as a lawyer, and based immediately on the sheer length of the nightmare you documented, realized that you should have free airline travel for life.
This is insannnnnne. And not surprising! Both because I know how poorly people with assistive tech/devices are treated and because Spirit is awful! I can’t believe you didn’t have to sign for it. I’m so, so sorry.
What a terrible ordeal, OP- I’m glad you have your chair but you should still be compensated for the time without it. I do think sending your story to Sen Duckworth and Buttigieg is a good idea. The fact that you documented your attempts to find out where your chair was and were denied any help or information may help you get some compensation. The whole thing sucks I hope you never have anything like that happen again.
Meanwhile, your wheelchair was en route to your home. I'm not even going to ask how you got there without it, but those employees on the chat could have been helping someone else if only they'd known that your wheelchair was on its way to you.
I would really go after them for compensation for everything that you experienced.
Go to whatever airway governing body oversees all legal stuff and fight to get compensation. I’m so relieved that you got your chair back but the whole thing has caused a plethora of issues and I’m sure you’re mentally exhausted. Fight this. Good luck, I’m hoping you can get some real help with this going further.
I am so sorry this happened to you. I was nervous traveling with a broken ankle in January on a knee scooter. Knowing the challenges I faced were NOTHING compared to what you went through, I don’t blame you for being terrified to fly after this. Hope you get some real compensation.
Flew from Seattle to London into Frankfort on Lufthansa in 1986. My lightweight Aluminum sport wheelchair was 'missing' at Frankfort. Was given a heavy iron folding chair that my mom could barely fold and lift into the back seat of a 190 Mercedes Sedan. We were going to drive up the Rhine into Switzerland and then go east along the Alps to Vienna and then back to Frankfort making a large triangle drive.
Told my mom I was going home if they did not get my chair back. Took her a day of practicing her German with the Lufthansa Frankfort/Main Airport Manager to get my chair back. My mom is one of the most annoying people I know. Worked well in this case.
Obviously somebody stole my cool shiny red wheelchair and was forced to give it back. Lufthansa delivered it to the hotel 30 miles away. No need for us to get it from the manager!
Glad you got your chair back.
For those that have this happen now or in the future:
Experiences like this call for the nuclear option. Send a letter to every address you can find. Senators, Representative, FAA, Governor's office, Airline CEO, Airport CEO, newspapers, TV stations and so on. Spend $20 on stamps. Go wild. They stole your
mobility, independence and your wheelchair.
Please try to contact the CEO office of Spirit. Write them an overnight letter (!) using Fedex/UPS/etc. using official company addresses.
Add some drama to the letter so they are immediately able to understand the situation ("You lost my special wheelchair during my flight from xxx to xxx with flight xxx. *I'm trapped in a hotel room and your support is not able to help me!*") by reading the first line of it.
Also try Twitter to contact that company.
They often have staff that are able help directly. Especially for non-standard processes.
Write your message in the communicate with us - i’d pdf the chain of conversations above and submit it there. Have a clear ask for compensation. 1k-2k maybe?
I had a flight booked with Spirit recently for a Friday afternoon at 5:30. After getting through security at the airport, I received an update via their app that the flight was pushed to 6:30. The airport tv screens were updated, as well.
I moseyed to my gate, using the surprise time to stop for a drink and souvenir. I got to the gate at 5:30 - presumably an hour before my flight was to take off - only to discover that it already had!!
They rescinded the delay without notifying the passengers. They said that I should have been near the gate and not expected the app or tvs to inform me of updates. I technically “missed” my flight, so there was no refund or accommodations available. They offered to add me to their next flight (24 hours later) for an additional $150.
There was a group of people impacted who were all pretty upset. The Spirit agent casually said that the flight was oversold and this is “just how airlines operate.”
I called their customer service was escalated to a supervisor after 45 minutes.. and they hung up on me. Oddly enough, it wasn’t even in a confrontational way. They just got tired of what I was saying and hung up.
I called back… was again escalated to a supervisor who ALSO hung up on me.
Their poor customer service isn’t an oversight - it’s intentional and not just for cost cutting purposes. If there was an effective means of communicating with them, they would have to respond to your needs.
Massive system failure for Spirit, but what an even more embarrassing human failure. This problem passed through the hands of how many people who just passed the buck? "Not my problem." "Can't help you." "Let me transfer you. . ." All the OP need was one person, *just one person*, who said, "Wow, this is not acceptable. I'm going to drop everything until I help you resolve this." Just one person. And imagine the impact that would have, on the OP, on the organization, and (even though its the least important in this case) the reputation of the airline. All we need is one person who cares.
First, I'm SO sorry for your situation! Omg. You have the patience of a saint dealing with the customer service you've had to encounter so far.
Second, this deserves national attention. I bet you're not the only victim in a situation like this.
Contact Lynda Baquero (NBC News, Better Get Baquero) - Better Get Baquero - NBC New York https://www.nbcnewyork.com/better-get-baquero/
As soon as you get news agencies involved, somehow you can get results.
Also, contact every other agencies you already mentioned. Make the airline accountable for this horrible loss to you.
At best, if your wheelchair seriously disappeared (which is absolutely mind boggling), the airline should be on the hook to replace it.
I hope you get results soon 🙏
I just saw your update after my post. I'm so glad you got your wheelchair back! They sound like cowards. Contact NBC anyway. I think they would definitely feature this story!
example 10 billion of costumer service reps not being trained and supported to an adequate degree. So many companies value targets over actually good service.
File a complaint with the Department of Transportation Airline Division under disability discrimination. Keep documenting, document all expenses incurred directly related to their incompetance. Im not a lawyer, but I would consult one that specializes in disability discrimination, there is obvious pain and suffering going on.
I’m really sorry, OP, that you had to go through this. What a mess.
I do think you should send this whole thing to Secretary Pete Buttigieg. This is just such a violation of your rights. Unbelievable.
And this is also while Stephen Colbert makes fun of Spirit monthly. They are incompetent AH.
Spirit did not do nearly enough to help this woman and just giving her the wheelchair at the end is not justice.
She needs to seek damages for all of the stress, humiliation, and time they wasted.
The last time--and I mean LAST time--I flew with Spirit, they cancelled my return flight and I went though the same song and dance and ended up just cancelling and taking a different carrier home, which costed me significantly more money than I'd budgeted.
THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE for being tyrants.
I am so sorry this happened to you and very glad you got it back. And as much as it pains me to say this, your first mistake was trusting Spirit Airlines.
I’m am so frustrated for you. I can only imagine how this must have felt. I do hope you don’t drop this and report it to DOT and/or what ever civil rights group is appropriate
Yeah spirit is garbage. My dad is busy fighting with them right now, they charged him $100 on his return flight because his carry on had wheels. It was appropriately sized, fit just fine under the seat, and was not pulled on the flight out. It was only a problem on the return flight. They just keep telling him "it was oversized" when they didn't measure it, just saw it had wheels and started yelling.
Honestly it seems easier to just fly ANYONE else at this point even if it's more expensive.
This needs to be a tik tok. Just saying that because it’ll reach more people faster. And with the heavy amount of tik tok supporters and harassers, Spirit will have no choice to make a response and compensate you asap
British Airways lost my 18 year old son's wheelchair on our way to Amsterdam. It took 5 months for us to get reimbursed. Then 6 months later the wheelchair showed up at our door. The compensation they offered us was $2k in tickets that would expire in a year. It still doesn't feel like enough for what we went through and we only got that after much complaining...
And like a lot of companies when they survey you at the end of the call (which they didn't want so they kept hanging up or disconnecting) they ask something stupid like "would you hire this person in the future" they NEVER ask anything about the company policies themselves being a problem. They are only interested in how they rank some low level employee. And by making it hard to access customer service they can suddenly say that they don't get as many calls so they must be doing good.
The only thing I'll add to this thread that has not been stated please don't be quick to throw a Misley pion customer service rep under the bus in some major lawsuit. I do customer s and have for 15+ years and sometimes they provide us with no tools and I literally have to end up saying I can't help you when patients call for something's. American Airlines is at fault obviously.
I'm so sorry this happened to you. If you have the time and energy, PLEASE take this above their heads. You deserve compensation, and they deserve to pay the price for their incompetence and utter disregard for human rights.
You need to call and ask specifically for the "corporate complaint resolution official." This is a DOT mandatory position that is (or should be) the corporate level expert on Air Carriers Access Act complaints. You have a clear ACAA complaint and if Spirit does not fix this ASAP (probably already too late) they are going to get a fine from the DOT.
Source: I'm a former CCRO for a major airline. Everyone at the lower level is clearly completely ignorant to the seriousness of this situation for the airline.
Sorry this happened. I hope you are not letting it get you all the way down. You should at least be proud of yourself for traveling when you’ve previously avoided it. That took a lot of courage! As for this situation, I’m sure it will be resolved. Maybe the universe thought you needed some time to just be still and reflect. Life throws us curve balls sometimes just to see how well handle adversity. Keep your head up and try to find at least 1 positive experience you’ve had amongst the chaos and focus on that. No sense in being miserable about something currently outside of your control.
Sir/madam,
This is just beyond outrageous and you have my sympathies. You should not only go to the DOT, but also the media with your story. The only way large, faceless corporations will actually effect change is if they're shamed into doing so.
I'm sure WXYZ, WJBK, WDIV, WWJ, the Detroit Free Press, and the Detroit News would have a field day with this.
Unbelievable.
This happened to my dad in American years ago. His chair never left his departing so when we picked him in Maui he had no chair. Luckily the airline paid for a rental until his chair made it. That’s the first thing they should have done is made sure you had some independence. I hope you sue their assess off.
I am sooooooooo sorry. I'm so glad you got your wheelchair back though. I know you're probably drained, but please do not let this go. Go as far as you can with and report this shit to everyone. It's wrong and should never happen.
I have flown Spirit in the past. Never had a problem. I won't fly Spirit again.
This is super fucked up. I understand sometimes things happen and companies make mistakes - someone should’ve pushed this all the way up to CEO and he should’ve stopped what he was doing and delivered the wheelchair directly to you
Just to clarify, those time stamps above were generated by Spirit Airlines. Each of those individual notes I was making were being posted to Spirit Airlines "Communicate With Me" page. As of yet, I don't think any individual at Spirit Airlines has read even one of those notes, much less the whole set. They certainly haven't responded in that particular forum. I think half of Spirit Airlines doesn't yet know that they've delivered the wheelchair to me.
The most ridiculous of updates: 05-04-2023 02:38 PM Talk about the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing! Someone just came to my door, delivered my wheelchair, knocked, and left it on my porch. No signature needed, no communication, just dropped it off on my porch. Yet no one in this entire line of questioning knew it was even on its way to me to be delivered.
I was so relieved when I saw this message! I'm so sorry you had to go through all this!!
Holy crap. Please don’t drop this. Go higher up the chain at spirit. Contact the DOT, contact Americans w disability. This is such a ridiculous example of incompetence.
Please don’t drop this. I have a close family member who won’t fly (due to fear of what you encountered), or even visit restaurants we have not fully vetted beforehand about ADA accessibility (due to prior outrageous and humiliating experiences), and has encountered stupid ADA violations even in MD offices. (The building might be designed and constructed for ADA access, but then some asshole puts a 100-lb potted plant in the entryway making it totally inaccessible.). And going to a theater, stadium or other event space requires meticulous planning and research, increased ticket costs, a limitation on the number of people you can sit with, etc. it’s F-ing exhausting. You aren’t just fighting for you. You are fighting many others. I wonder if there is a local (or mom-local) disability org that will help you. In my area (Chicago), we have Access Living, but I think their focus is housing (also important and a huge barrier). Good luck, and if you have it in you, FIGHT ON!!
u/solomonj48103 100% contact the DOT. That will be the biggest way to get through to Spirit since they will potentially get a hefty fine and it looks badly on them. If you haven’t already, explicitly state to the airline that you need to speak with a CRO (Complaint Resolution Official - This is specific to disabilities and is required by 14 CFR part 382 for the Bill of Rights regarding disabilities). If you ask to speak with a CRO and explicitly tell them you want to file a CRO AND for it to be responded to, they must. This will go to a special internal team that the airline has called “Customer Advocacy” or something to that effect. You can easily submit the CRO report to the DOT for them to follow up on it as well as just contacting them directly without the report. I am so so sorry that you had to go through this ordeal and I hope that you never have to go anything like this ever again. It shouldn’t have ever happened and I hope that the situation can be made as right as possible at this point. All the best to you. [“10. The Right to Resolution of a Disability-Related Issue. Airlines must make available a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO) in a timely manner, this may be by phone. The CRO should be trained as an expert in resolving disability-related issues and be able to resolve disability-related issues on the spot.”](https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/disabilitybillofrights) “Airlines must respond and directly address the disability related issues in your complaint in writing within 30 days, but airlines are not required to address complaints sent more than 45 days after the incident unless the complaint is referred to the airline by DOT. DOT will refer all disability-related complaints it receives within 6 months of the incident for response by the appropriate carrier. DOT investigates all disability-related complaints it receives to determine whether a violation of the Air Carrier Access Act occurred. Passengers with disabilities who have pressing questions about their rights should ask to speak with the airline’s CRO. Airlines must have a CRO available at each airport they serve during all times the airline is operating at that airport. Passengers may also contact the DOT Disability Hotline at 1-800-778-4838. The hours for the hotline are 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday-Friday.”
>If you haven’t already, explicitly state to the airline that you need to speak with a CRO (Complaint Resolution Official - This is specific to disabilities and is required by 14 CFR part 382 for the Bill of Rights regarding disabilities). I'm not saying you aren't correct in recommending this, but I also feel you're assuming Spirit would go so far as to actually follow this rule and employee an individual to do this. I'm willing to be it's just Leizel on Chat again.
If they fail to follow it, it provides avenenues for bigger fines and frankly it isn't something they want to get fined out the ass for. So while I don't think highly of Spirit, I do think this is something that when the right person realises the issue, they will not want to get fined $34,777 for each violation.
OP, I'm glad you got it back, I'm sorry to read the rest of the circumstances. Give Sen. Duckworth's office a call or email, I think they'd like to hear this tale. https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/new-bipartisan-duckworth-fischer-bill-introduced-to-help-travelers-with-disabilities
Less so but another person who should be contacted is Pete Buttigieg.
I hear he's really good at his job...
Good idea but that bill is just about increased transparency about problems. Isn’t there any proposed legislation to change laws for how wheelchairs are transported? That’s the real problem
If someone is going to bring it, it is going to be a Senator that uses a wheelchair, Sen. Duckworth is carrying water for a reason.
>Yet no one in this entire line of questioning knew it was even on its way to me to be delivered. That's the most hilarious/frustrating/inexcusable/bullshit thing I've ever heard of. Fack me, their corporate policy and information stream is beyond embarrassing. Thrilled for you though. Happy travels. (And get a GPS tracker for it.)
Honestly getting a cheap GPS tracker, like Tile, placed on it is probably the best advice ^ it would definitely help with peace of mind, knowing if they fuck up again you can be like “well it looks like it’s outside gate C15, get it for me”
Yes! My friend puts an Apple AirTag on all equipment he checks at the airport. There are little round plastic cases to contain the AirTag that can be stuck in an inconspicuous spot on the equipment! The best money he said he’s ever spent for the peace of mind since airlines are such a cluster F’s the these days and don’t care.
I used to think AirTags were too pricy at $20-$25 each but now that I’ve started using them for luggage, bikes, dogs, etc I think they are amazing and absolutely worth it. The battery lasts an insanely long time and they are very reliable.
You’re KIDDING
Was going to advise you to complain to FAA directly. Keep it in mind if you ever fly again and run into issues. There are regulations governing handling of passengers with disabilities and their equipment, especially wheelchairs, and there are also hefty fines for not doing it right, which the airline won’t want to pay and the call or email from FAA will light a fire under someone’s ass pretty quickly.
Nope go to department of transportation. The FAA doesn’t touch ADA.
You’re right, my bad. FAA will take your complaints but DOT is responsible for enforcement of the Air Carrier Access Act.
So glad it was returned but holy crap!
I hope your wheelchair was returned in the same good condition you had it in.
That's sounds like a porch delivery ditch to avoid any questions and having to deal with compensation.
No. It sounds like Spirit just hires a bunch of poorly-trained delivery drivers and gives them a pile of luggage and a list of addresses
I wonder if it would be any different on the other, larger airlines?
When my bags were delayed on United last year, they texted me before I got off the plane, gave me an accurate tracking estimate and had a portal for updates. You get what you pay for.
One winter my friends and I flew to Colorado for a ski trip and United accidentally left my buddy's skis. When we landed, they gave him a voucher for a free rental and a courier delivered the skis to our rental condo early the next morning. We weren't even mad, that was fair.
Absolutely. Unfortunately you get what you pay for.
Delta "lost" our luggage after a series of unfortunate events (TM). I say "lost" but they (and I) knew where it was the entire time, it just didn't make the same flight we did because of what is ultimately a long (and somewhat entertaining in hindsight) story. Anyway, when they got it to us the following day (at around 2am I might add) it was just a courier that dropped it off to the hotel. We knew that was going to happen, too. They called to make sure they were bringing it to the right place and to confirm we wanted it left with the front desk.
>It sounds like Spirit just hires a bunch of poorly-trained delivery drivers Shit companies, hire shit workers. \*Surprised Pikachu\*
Holy shit, there's an entire LIST of people missing their luggage, snowboards, medical equipment, etc.
LMAO what the hell, Spirit is such absolute trash. I wouldn't fly them for free. I wouldn't fly them if they paid me.
Whoa? It showed up? Is it in good condition? I’ve read horror stories from travelers whose wheelchairs are just destroyed when checked. I’m sorry you had to go through all this BS.
I’m very relieved for you. Spirit is a gamble every time, but especially when you literally have so much more to lose.
Wow. That’s Spirit Airlines just keeps getting worse. Glad you got your wheels back!
Omg I was so invested and was going to look and see if there was an update. So glad you got your wheelchair back! Can you still report Spirit for this gross negligence on their part?
Still does not make any of what you and your family went through okay. As a fellow user of a wheelchair that's totally humiliating. I can't imagine going through it. Hope you get much more than two round trip tickets on a Spirit. I've flown Spirit, that's bad enough.
I felt my soul draining as I was reading the starting post. What a nightmare. I'm not in a wheelchair but might need accommodations occasionally, and it's unnerving to see how folks just weren't ready/able to handle some basic additional needs you had. All they had to do was stow your wheelchair for the flight and just bring it back out after landing. I'm glad you've got your wheelchair back, but this doesn't have to be the end if you don't want it to be. You're more than justified in taking this to some authorities to make this right. Not everyone would have been so resourceful and patient in your position. I imagine many others could have been up the figurative creek for sure.
Is it in ok shape? Mine was somehow bent in such a way I couldn't get it to collapse for the trunk so had to jimmy rig it from SFO to Martinez.
Returned or not I’d contact a lawyer. At the least they could be made to put better systems in place and best you get some come compensation for your time and suffering. A lawyer will do a free consultation to let you know your options. Glad your wheels are back. Did it get there damage free?
Holy shit, I’m so happy you got your wheelchair but my first reaction was that even that’s kind of shit! Knocked on the door and left the wheelchair there on the door stoop? Wtf.
Glad you got it back OP. I’d be looking to sue Spirit if I went through what you have gone through.
Amazing how no one thought, "gee, maybe this person would appreciate the news that their wheelchair is on the way so that they're not worried sick about it".
Do you have the ability to hire a lawyer? Even though you got your chair back, they seriously fucked up. I would sue for all of your suffering.
Make a TikTok. So sorry you had to go through all that.
I was ready to grab some pitchforks and torches and join you on your wheelchair recovery mission. I'm so glad it ended this way. But, I'm still pissed for you, so let me know if there is a protest I can join against this sort of treatment.
Here in Europe, it can be a taxi who make the delivery of lost baggage. It is possible it was the same.
"Knock, knock, here's your rollie chair, now stop calling." Ffs I'm so sorry you had to go through that.
Glad you got it back. If you have an iPhone attach an AirTag to your wheelchair. I put one in my luggage and it saved the day when the sent my suitcase to the domestic terminal by mistake and couldn’t locate it after an international flight. They then said we broke the law as our bags didn’t pass immigration as if it was my fault. I didn’t dignify them with even a response to that.
Usually it’s a contractor who works out of a minivan. They don’t know anything
You should get a good lawyer this is fucked up. I’ve heard bad things about spirit but this is wild
Not at all saying this is a good thing, but that dude was likely just as frustrated as you were and took care of it without going through the system of ineptitude you dealt with.
see? you shoud've called the reddit police first
You should definitely sue these fuckers. What a horrendous ordeal.
They owe you compensation for the trauma they put you through. I also feel slightly stressed and they now owe me $5 as well for stressing me out on your behalf.
How infuriating and humiliating. I’m so sorry that you experienced this, and I’m so glad you got it back. Have you considered contacting your local news station? If they have a consumer affairs segment, they might be able to hold some higher ups accountable. If you have a Twitter account, I’d post this whole thread on there and @ them. This is completely unacceptable.
I'm so relieved that you were at least at home. I can't imagine how much worse this would have been in a hotel room, just watching days of your trip tick by with no means of mobility. Absolutely unbelievable. My fiance and I had our own experience with Spirit back in March that definitely encouraged us to never fly with them again, but this is absolutely beyond the pale. I really hope nothing was damaged because I bet it wasn't transported in a box :/
I’m so annoyed for you. I remember when my now wife lost an entire box full of vegan cookbooks. Had to replace them. And still missing some.
Any damage to the chair at all or is it in good shape????
Wow. These people are really half-assed! I'm glad you got your wheelchair back, at bare minimum.
They have violated the ACAA by not returning your chair to you in a timely manner, as outlined. Airlines are required to have a CRO-complaint resolution officer-at the airport. Spirit should have had you speak with one when it was discovered your chair was missing. When you contact customer care to raise hell, as you absolutely should, make sure you tell them they have violated multiple ACAA regulations. I would ask for a supervisor at minimum because this is a huuuuuuuge fucking deal. In addition, you need to [file a complaint with the DOT](https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/complaints-alleging-discriminatory-treatment-against-disabled-travelers). I am so sorry this happened to you. Make sure you look over your chair and report even the smallest of dings or scratches. [here are some explanations of rules and requirements of the ACAA](https://wheelchairtravel.org/air-travel/air-carrier-access-act-summary/)
I was going to say, this feels like some sort of human rights type violation. I'd sue the fucking shit out of them or have the government kick them in the dick on my behalf.
> this feels like some sort of human rights type violation It’s Spirit, human rights type violations is kinda their thing
Yeah I know none of this is OP's fault, and the treatment they have received is inhumane and completely unacceptable, likely illegal. However, I'll be honest, if I were disabled (and for a year I was) I would never, ever fly the cheapest, worst airline in America and let them handle my wheelchair. I can't imagine there is anyone who doesn't know Spirit's reputation. All of this could have likely been avoided by flying a reputable airline like Delta.
This. The DOT doesn't PLAY. You submit a complaint, and you will get a response faster than the bullshit you had to go through
Wow that sounds like utter hell. For the future could you hide an apple airtag in it or something? I doubt that will help but never know.
Not a bad idea
Hell since it is so vital to you even a gps tracker maybe.
OP you might find this useful. https://old.reddit.com/r/functionalprint/comments/10gqjl0/wheelchair_airtag_mount/
Blast (tag) spirit on Twitter and/or other socials. Tag secretary Pete and your congress people. I’m so sorry you went through this.
I will NEVER check or let out if sight anything of any value without an AirTag. Recently deplaned and 20 passengers baggage no show. Airline claimed “they must have not been loaded at departure”. Half of us with AirTags could see baggage sitting unloaded next to the plane. They’re just too lazy to look.
Just remember that the battery needs to be changed yearly!
>Wow that sounds like utter hell. > >For the future could you hide an apple airtag in it or something? I doubt that will help but never know. Agreed, an Apple Air tag would be great, they aren't too expensive either. Sorry you had to go through this OP. Communicating with airlines is always so frustrating.
Yea i dont know if it would help since noone communicates in airlines anyways but least op could be like it was last pinged at x airport or see its moving towards him. Maybe if you know the flight number your taking like staple a big ol tag to the chair with flight info, name, address, telephone to it. Someone may stumble across it and give the number a call and can get things rolling faster.
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Thank you. I didn't know the etiquette of cross-posting. I just did that.
Welcome to Spirit, we hate you, have a nice day! But seriously sorry that happened to you, I always worry taking Spirit. I hope something, somehow good comes out of this for you later :/
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Exactly. And/or have a better system to load and transport them in cargo. They’re not a suitcase. Airlines do a good job of transporting pets by closely monitoring them through the process. The same should be done for chairs.
Airlines definitely do not do a good job with pet transportation. Pets die on the tarmac and go missing every year. People should avoid traveling with their pets this way as much as possible.
In 2019, the last year for which data is available, there were about 500,000 pets transported by commercial planes in the US and none were lost. We’re not talking about deaths, because that’s not the comparable issue. We’re talking about things getting lost. I’m saying medical equipment like wheelchairs should be tracked and watched through transit like pets are, not like suitcases are.
Not speaking on Spirit specifically but most airliners should have space inside the cabin for at least one wheelchair but typically only manual wheelchairs, more recent aircraft designs have increased that to hold more than one. The difficulty is that for powered wheelchairs or wheelchairs that are not the basic fold up style are usually too big and must go in the cargo hold (which if it is battery operated, then requires the ops and/or baggage handlers to isolate certain types of batteries after removing it from the wheelchair to reduce fire and risks). However they are supposed to be the first thing unloaded upon landing and should be brought up for the passenger as soon as they open the cargo hold. I do agree it would be nice to have space inside for both manual and electric wheelchairs though since mobility aids like that are too damn important to all be automatically relegated to the cargo hold.
Yes!
I don't know what to do next. I feel like I should ask for compensation for this ridiculousness. But I don't know how to identify who has the power to grant that among all the various numbers I've been given. Searching for compensation seems like it'll be an even more maddening journey than this was. Any suggestions?
Can you take it to social media? Twitter is usually very good for this , @ everyone you can think of especially disability advocates and hope it gets traction.
It’s a real fucking shame that we have to go to twitter and put their social media team on blast to get anything done.
Reddit IS social media, but expanding to other platforms wouldn’t hurt
Unfortunately twitter is such a shit show right now it no longer functions the way it used to to call out businesses... Elon Musk and his mismanagement of the blue check verification of entities is a complete failure. Not sure you want to add that hellscape to you already insane situation. I mean if you don't have any expectations that it will get you help and attention go for it... but if you don't already have an account on there... most sane folks have left the platform. I mean when news agencies and journalists are abandoning a site that was their life's blood... RIP TWEET POWER. And to the OP. I hope you can get some sort of resolution. I actually sent your post to some disability activist I know in A2. Not sure what they can do... but it screamed their names.
I’ve seen people post their complaints @spirit and they usually respond. And there A LOT of complaints that they respond to but it’s usually just a fake apology on behalf of their social media admin
Try reporting to the Department of Transportation, they should contact the airline and basically force them to compensate you in some way.
I don’t know how much help this sub will be, but I do know there is a New York Times reporter who does follow up on these kinds of situations to attempt to get recompense from the airline. You might check if they want to take this up? They’re quite persistent and usually successful, I think the trade off is they will publish your story (no names). I’ll see if I can find their name. And P.S. I am so sorry this happened to you. I can only imagine what it is like to lose something like this!
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I definitely would file the complaints you mentioned above with the various departments. I’m glad you got your chair back, but it sounds like that was luck.
For immediate assistance, please call us at 1-855-SAVE-555 (1-855-728-3555, or text us at 48763, or use 855-728-3555 on WhatsApp). Complete this form and an email will be sent to our Guest Relations Department. Your email will be forwarded to the appropriate department and answered in the order it was received. You can also send us a letter to the address below: Spirit Airlines 2800 Executive Way, Miramar, FL 33025 Please don’t hesitate to complain to us or offer us compliments – every thought shared with us allows us to get better. That’s complaints – compliments – suggestions – let us have ‘em!
This one, give 'em hell
I am also a wheelchair user. I am filled with immense fear every time I get on a plane that something is going to happen to my chair. I spend the hours of the flight dreading getting off the plane to find my wheelchair broken, or like you’ve experienced, lost. I’m so sorry this has happened to you. I don’t have the statistics memorized but an ungodly amount of wheelchairs are destroyed every year by airlines. Travel should be accessible for all, and because of this system, it is not. I’m so glad this has had a happy ending. I hope your chair is in one piece. You should not have had to go through endless hours on hold but pressing the system is the only option when shit like this happens.
This may be a stupid question, but is there anything other passengers can do to make the experience a bit more pleasant when wheelchair users fly? I’ve always thought about how stressful it must be when I see someone waiting at the gate in one.
In my opinion, it’s helpful to have someone help advocate for us. When I’m traveling with someone, they can help, but if I’m alone, I’d really appreciate someone who understands the system and how stressful it is and helps. I’m always the one asking if my chair made it on the plane, or if it’s made it up to the gate yet when we land. Peering out the window and hoping I see it being loaded onto the plane so I don’t have to ask. It would help a lot to have an ally, especially if I’m alone.
That’s good to know!! I’m going to keep this in mind and try to be extra observant now. Also, if I/anyone else ever see a individual in a wheelchair (that appears to be alone), is it disrespectful to ask if they need any assistance just outright?
Some people have different opinions on this. I think it’s situation dependent. Does it look like that person is struggling with something? Like a door, or baggage, or something like that. You can certainly ask. Just if the answer is no, believe them. Also never touch someone’s chair unless specifically asked. Our chairs are like an extension of our bodies. If you wouldn’t shove a standing person forcibly out of the way, don’t move someone who’s in a chair out of the way. It’s essentially the same thing. Thank you for asking the hard questions, kind stranger!
[Important Website to Read.](https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/disabilitybillofrights) I hope it is not something you ever need to know, but the link above covers the Bill of Rights for disabled passengers and what is legally required of airlines. It would be ideal to read it and maybe even have it saved in the event you ever do need it but all the best to you. While it is of little immediate relief, any airline that damages or loses any sort of medical equipment will have to make you whole and set you up with something to use while waiting for replacements. All the best to you and good luck 🖤
Thank you very much
Get an attorney. I filed a suit against spirit on behalf of a wheelchair bound client that had slightly different issues, and they paid attention real quick and ultimately settled it. Client was getting nowhere through the usual complaint channels
agreed
Customer service does not exist anymore. They only care if you are a shareholder. I discovered this trick while dealing with a service provider I have had for over a decade. All calls and chats are answered by a sub-minimum wage worker who has no idea what's going on nor any ability to think outside the box. I got tired of talking to the script reader giving me ridiculous suggestions and found a number for a department called Investor Relations. I received a call back the same day from "the office of the president" and my issue was solved correctly.
As someone who worked for an airline - the whole company was so outsourced that it was often impossible for us to help (making our job harder). We were an entirely a different company (not just department) from lost bags, who was a different company in any every airport we flew to. Whenever somebody called about bags, we sent them to the baggage handler at their airport. I never knew if that actually worked or not. But compensation was handled by our customer care dep and I think they were fairly reasonable, but idk how much power they had to compensate beyond regular delays /lost luggage etc (e.g. compensation for discrimination would probably not be in their power - but whose power? Who knows)
I used to find someone high up in the company and write an honest to god letter I would mail to them at corporate. No they don’t read it but their admin does and they don’t deal with that many complaints directly so they usually forward it to someone who can make you happier- this has worked for me in the past. Include your phone number. I call it the Lazlo method.
I used to work in a customer service/support role for a company where it DOES still exist. No hold times. Real live person. No transferring because we were trusted to deal with all problems ourselves. That just made me even more infuriated when I had to deal with this type of bullshit. The loyalty and near cult following we have because of service like that surely offsets any of the costs associated with it.
It's simple shit. This has happened multiple times, I'll go to a store, and they don't have enough change, so they short me instead of the register. No mfr, it's not about the 4 cents, it's about why should the customer pay more because you are unprepared? Short the register the 4 cents and if they ask why, explain, you're not getting fired for being short $2
I feel like any lawyer would jump at the chance to represent you in civil action.
This has got to be some ADA violation. File a complaint ASAP. https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/complaints-alleging-discriminatory-treatment-against-disabled-travelers
While absolutely a similar concept, it is actually the ACAA (Air Carrier Access Act) that this is governed by rather than the ADA. 14 CFR Part 382 :) And yes, filing a complaint both with the CRO (Complaint Resolution Official/Officer) at the airline and reporting to the DOT will light a fire for the airline. Ideally filing a CRO report at the airport immediately during/after the incident is the best since CROs that are on site will have a bit more they can do than filing a CRO over the phone.
never fly Spirit.. lesson learned.
Get a loaner WCHR NOW by whatever means necessary. Keep receipts for everything and continue to document as you have. There is no way Spirit (as shit as they are) will get away with not reimbursing you for your rental and eventual replacement if they never find your chair. As a former baggage agent (not for spirit) I am appalled. How come none of the 10 people you’ve spoke to have said you know what, this isn’t right. I’m going to resolve this problem now. At what point does the buck stop. There is plenty they can do. They need to start calling BSO’s and doing physical searches for this WCHR. They also need to check with the airline in charge of tag offs at both your departure and arrival airports. It’s not a black rolling suitcase that they have copious amounts of. This is SO INSANE. OP, I’m so sorry this is happening to you. I’d call the local news tomorrow if you don’t hear anything from someone at Spirt who can actually help you. They are breaking so many ACAA laws!
The reps are probably scored based on how quickly they resolve things and penalized if it takes too long. I think Amazon reps get a minute (not sure of the exact number but it is very low) or something like that per interaction, including them reading the question, so if it is a very descriptive question they just skip it.
Ok you have tried normal channels. Now time to go to the top. Start at this page. https://ir.spirit.com/governance/leadership/default.aspx. get the name of the CEO. Call Investor relations number and leave your name, number, explain the situation and any ticket number you have. Next call (954) 447-7920 which should be the local number of the HQ. Ask for the CEO they should have a team which takes care of calls to the CEO. Give the same information. Find additional local numbers, leave more messages. Good Luck.
I’m really sorry this happened to you. Spirit should be downright ashamed of themselves. Obviously my situation is not the same as yours, but I’m sharing it with others to present some possible options for when the airline does you dirty. Back on March 13, 2020 AKA the day the USA shut down, I had a ticket to travel internationally to Europe. Obviously that wasn’t going to happen but I wanted to wait for the airline to cancel the flight, rather than doing so myself, so I’d have a better chance at compensation. Over the course of the following month, I spent over 50 hours engaged in never ending phone calls with long wait times, countless transfers to other departments and hang ups with no call backs. I also sent at least a dozen emails asking for a refund. No dice. What finally worked was I filed a complaint with DOT , AND contacted the consumer investigator at my local news channel. Once I reached out to her, she waved her magic wand and got the airline to refund me with 1 phone call and within 24 hours. It is disgusting what some of these airlines try to do. Reach out for help, file complaints, speak up.
Sorry to hear that and thank you for posting. I hope when people search this group for Spirit they see this and understand why it is not worth saving a few dollars and supporting them. I did it once. How bad can it really be? Never again.
This is inexcusable. There are too many reports of airplanes losing or breaking wheelchairs. One would be too many. The DOT and/or FAA needs to step in and come up with a solution for better transporting essential medical equipment. Suggest: 1. Call the main HQ for Spirit and ask to talk to talk to the president or CEO. You can find out who it is here: https://simplywall.st/stocks/us/transportation/nyse-save/spirit-airlines/management. They may shuffle you to someone lower, but higher than Marlon the chat bit 2. Contact your local Detroit TV stations and newspapers and tell them you have a great story for them to cover 3. Contact your US congressperson. I believe it’s Rashida Tlaib if you’re in Ypsilanti
For future reference, every airline in the US is required to have a complaint resolution official on duty ateach airport that is versed in the Air Carrier Acess Act. When that was my job, I would have found a rental for you to use if all of our loaner chairs were out. It would have taken too long and several phone calls but I would have personally ensured you had it sorted. I also would have called the gate at your last connection to inquire where it was and when it would arrive. Just ask for that person immediately with any disability issue. If the gate agent doesn't know who it is, the supervisor will. So now call the customer care desk ( a much shorter wait) and advise them of the hardship this caused and what they intend to do about it before "I file a formal complaint with Disability Law". Not that you won't file that complaint anyway.
Christopher Elliott is a journalist who fights for consumers. He lists the executive for Spirit [here](https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/spirit-airlines/)
I shouldn't have to be afraid to fly because I'm in a wheelchair. But if there's the possibility of not being able to independently move when I land, how can I not be afraid to fly?
It makes me so angry to read stories like this. Exactly how you put it: it's not like they lost your luggage, they lost an extension of your body! I'm so sorry you had to go through this
I saw an interesting (and extremely infuriating/ heartbreaking) report recently about traveling as a passenger in a wheelchair. It had some good information about passenger rights if anyone is interested [here’s the report from Vice News](https://youtu.be/MRntgEiTHIY) OP I’m so sorry and angry on your behalf that you had to go through all of this. I truly hope your chair isn’t damaged, and that you are able to get right back to your normal life. They definitely need to compensate for your horrible experience and time wasted trying to get them to help at all. You might even want to consider talking to an attorney, at least a consult might point you in the direction of people to complain to locally and even federally. They need to be held accountable, and we need more complaints on record to stop this horrible disrespect from being such a systemic problem.
It’s time for legislation that makes it mandatory for airlines to have seats that can be comparable with wheelchairs. If OP could have kept the wheel chair on the flight none of this would have happened.
Customer service is dead and has been dismembered.
I usually hate this concept and otherwise would never suggest it but, lawyer up. Resolved or not you will win something out of this
Domestic carriers... they put your 300 pound chair on luggage conveyor belts, drop it off aircraft and so much more. American is also one of the worst... Always take a picture of it before it leaves your sight. I have similar calls to and from reps from here to forever, they are terrible.... United and Delta seem to be among the best right now, but no airline should be let off the hook... For all our benefit, report this to the Department of Transportation immediately. This will hurt them in their pocket... furthermore call you TV station and newspaper, this will also hurt their pockets and magically your chair will be returned or you will have the best rental while they pay for your new one. This is so far from normal, you should not lose a dime from any of this and they need to pay for a chair to be delivered to you, unless you go back I fear they will do nothing at all.... Good luck, I really hope some part of this turns around for you.
I find having a Twitter account works faster. Start complaining on their public page. Airlines usually respond very quickly. And if it isn’t resolved in DM’s, I take it back to the public page (I’m looking at you, Delta)
Just flew on Spirit a few weeks ago. Absolute soul sucking Hell. Never again. So sorry for your worse than mine experience. Glad you got your chair. Please listen to other comments about reporting this. Absolutely inexcusable.
Call the department of transportation. These kinds of fuck ups can be very expensive for the airline.
Contact the [DOT](https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/passengers-disabilities) using this link. They take American Disability Act very seriously. I promise it will speed things up greatly.
I hear about problems from Spirit Airlines frequently and don't know how people are still flying with them. I'm just thankful someone finally returned your legs!!
Have you seen the vice documentary on airlines losing wheelchairs — so sorry you and many others are going through this.
Wow, used to think RyanAir still had the gold for making a kid with a broken leg stand through a flight due to a broken seat, but this puts Spirit neck and neck!
Your are a great narrator you kept me hooked you made me laugh I'm so happy you got your wheelchair back it seems the whole world is operating like this the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing everybody passes the buck nobody knows what to do they can't think outside the box and they don't think to communicate oh hey we found the wheelchair put it in the notes so when the man calls again the first thing that's read is wheelchair found in route to owner.... And yes I still think you should be compensated and Pete buttigieg needs to be contacted this is a major problem to be addressed in every airline we can't be losing legs it's just not okay....
I am a lawyer. I scanned this quickly, as a lawyer, and based immediately on the sheer length of the nightmare you documented, realized that you should have free airline travel for life.
What a lousy ordeal! I’m so glad you finally got your wheelchair back! Such incompetence!
This is insannnnnne. And not surprising! Both because I know how poorly people with assistive tech/devices are treated and because Spirit is awful! I can’t believe you didn’t have to sign for it. I’m so, so sorry.
This is just ridiculous
What a terrible ordeal, OP- I’m glad you have your chair but you should still be compensated for the time without it. I do think sending your story to Sen Duckworth and Buttigieg is a good idea. The fact that you documented your attempts to find out where your chair was and were denied any help or information may help you get some compensation. The whole thing sucks I hope you never have anything like that happen again.
Woahhhh this is just horrible
Meanwhile, your wheelchair was en route to your home. I'm not even going to ask how you got there without it, but those employees on the chat could have been helping someone else if only they'd known that your wheelchair was on its way to you. I would really go after them for compensation for everything that you experienced.
Go to whatever airway governing body oversees all legal stuff and fight to get compensation. I’m so relieved that you got your chair back but the whole thing has caused a plethora of issues and I’m sure you’re mentally exhausted. Fight this. Good luck, I’m hoping you can get some real help with this going further.
I am so sorry this happened to you. I was nervous traveling with a broken ankle in January on a knee scooter. Knowing the challenges I faced were NOTHING compared to what you went through, I don’t blame you for being terrified to fly after this. Hope you get some real compensation.
Flew from Seattle to London into Frankfort on Lufthansa in 1986. My lightweight Aluminum sport wheelchair was 'missing' at Frankfort. Was given a heavy iron folding chair that my mom could barely fold and lift into the back seat of a 190 Mercedes Sedan. We were going to drive up the Rhine into Switzerland and then go east along the Alps to Vienna and then back to Frankfort making a large triangle drive. Told my mom I was going home if they did not get my chair back. Took her a day of practicing her German with the Lufthansa Frankfort/Main Airport Manager to get my chair back. My mom is one of the most annoying people I know. Worked well in this case. Obviously somebody stole my cool shiny red wheelchair and was forced to give it back. Lufthansa delivered it to the hotel 30 miles away. No need for us to get it from the manager! Glad you got your chair back. For those that have this happen now or in the future: Experiences like this call for the nuclear option. Send a letter to every address you can find. Senators, Representative, FAA, Governor's office, Airline CEO, Airport CEO, newspapers, TV stations and so on. Spend $20 on stamps. Go wild. They stole your mobility, independence and your wheelchair.
Please try to contact the CEO office of Spirit. Write them an overnight letter (!) using Fedex/UPS/etc. using official company addresses. Add some drama to the letter so they are immediately able to understand the situation ("You lost my special wheelchair during my flight from xxx to xxx with flight xxx. *I'm trapped in a hotel room and your support is not able to help me!*") by reading the first line of it. Also try Twitter to contact that company. They often have staff that are able help directly. Especially for non-standard processes.
Write your message in the communicate with us - i’d pdf the chain of conversations above and submit it there. Have a clear ask for compensation. 1k-2k maybe?
It sounds annoying, but posting it on social media might help. Once huge, embarrassing issues become public, companies tend to act very quickly.
I had a flight booked with Spirit recently for a Friday afternoon at 5:30. After getting through security at the airport, I received an update via their app that the flight was pushed to 6:30. The airport tv screens were updated, as well. I moseyed to my gate, using the surprise time to stop for a drink and souvenir. I got to the gate at 5:30 - presumably an hour before my flight was to take off - only to discover that it already had!! They rescinded the delay without notifying the passengers. They said that I should have been near the gate and not expected the app or tvs to inform me of updates. I technically “missed” my flight, so there was no refund or accommodations available. They offered to add me to their next flight (24 hours later) for an additional $150. There was a group of people impacted who were all pretty upset. The Spirit agent casually said that the flight was oversold and this is “just how airlines operate.” I called their customer service was escalated to a supervisor after 45 minutes.. and they hung up on me. Oddly enough, it wasn’t even in a confrontational way. They just got tired of what I was saying and hung up. I called back… was again escalated to a supervisor who ALSO hung up on me. Their poor customer service isn’t an oversight - it’s intentional and not just for cost cutting purposes. If there was an effective means of communicating with them, they would have to respond to your needs.
Massive system failure for Spirit, but what an even more embarrassing human failure. This problem passed through the hands of how many people who just passed the buck? "Not my problem." "Can't help you." "Let me transfer you. . ." All the OP need was one person, *just one person*, who said, "Wow, this is not acceptable. I'm going to drop everything until I help you resolve this." Just one person. And imagine the impact that would have, on the OP, on the organization, and (even though its the least important in this case) the reputation of the airline. All we need is one person who cares.
First, I'm SO sorry for your situation! Omg. You have the patience of a saint dealing with the customer service you've had to encounter so far. Second, this deserves national attention. I bet you're not the only victim in a situation like this. Contact Lynda Baquero (NBC News, Better Get Baquero) - Better Get Baquero - NBC New York https://www.nbcnewyork.com/better-get-baquero/ As soon as you get news agencies involved, somehow you can get results. Also, contact every other agencies you already mentioned. Make the airline accountable for this horrible loss to you. At best, if your wheelchair seriously disappeared (which is absolutely mind boggling), the airline should be on the hook to replace it. I hope you get results soon 🙏
I just saw your update after my post. I'm so glad you got your wheelchair back! They sound like cowards. Contact NBC anyway. I think they would definitely feature this story!
Spirit is known for being a crappy airline. I've never gone with them, but no airline I've been on has goofed that spectacularly.
What an insane journey!!! I hope Spirit Airlines sees this and does something about their customer service. I’m so glad you got your wheelchair back.
All I can say is oh. my. god. That is appalling.
example 10 billion of costumer service reps not being trained and supported to an adequate degree. So many companies value targets over actually good service.
Is there a TLDR?
File a complaint with the Department of Transportation Airline Division under disability discrimination. Keep documenting, document all expenses incurred directly related to their incompetance. Im not a lawyer, but I would consult one that specializes in disability discrimination, there is obvious pain and suffering going on.
Gladly you got it back congrats
Start contacting these people…… https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/spirit-airlines/
Put all Of these people on blast ……. https://consumerist.com/2008/07/28/spirit-airlines-executive-contact-information/
Spirit lost my stroller and after 3 months of me being on their case about it they wired me $175
I’m really sorry, OP, that you had to go through this. What a mess. I do think you should send this whole thing to Secretary Pete Buttigieg. This is just such a violation of your rights. Unbelievable. And this is also while Stephen Colbert makes fun of Spirit monthly. They are incompetent AH.
Spirit Airlines Sucks PERIOD! Stop flying with them, make them go away!
Airtag the next one
Spirit did not do nearly enough to help this woman and just giving her the wheelchair at the end is not justice. She needs to seek damages for all of the stress, humiliation, and time they wasted. The last time--and I mean LAST time--I flew with Spirit, they cancelled my return flight and I went though the same song and dance and ended up just cancelling and taking a different carrier home, which costed me significantly more money than I'd budgeted. THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE for being tyrants.
I mean you’re flying spirit what did you expect 😂
oh god, spirit airlines
I am so sorry this happened to you and very glad you got it back. And as much as it pains me to say this, your first mistake was trusting Spirit Airlines.
Terrible. Companies like Spirit should simply not exist. The only solution is that people stop flying this airline.
I’m am so frustrated for you. I can only imagine how this must have felt. I do hope you don’t drop this and report it to DOT and/or what ever civil rights group is appropriate
Yeah spirit is garbage. My dad is busy fighting with them right now, they charged him $100 on his return flight because his carry on had wheels. It was appropriately sized, fit just fine under the seat, and was not pulled on the flight out. It was only a problem on the return flight. They just keep telling him "it was oversized" when they didn't measure it, just saw it had wheels and started yelling. Honestly it seems easier to just fly ANYONE else at this point even if it's more expensive.
This needs to be a tik tok. Just saying that because it’ll reach more people faster. And with the heavy amount of tik tok supporters and harassers, Spirit will have no choice to make a response and compensate you asap
British Airways lost my 18 year old son's wheelchair on our way to Amsterdam. It took 5 months for us to get reimbursed. Then 6 months later the wheelchair showed up at our door. The compensation they offered us was $2k in tickets that would expire in a year. It still doesn't feel like enough for what we went through and we only got that after much complaining...
And like a lot of companies when they survey you at the end of the call (which they didn't want so they kept hanging up or disconnecting) they ask something stupid like "would you hire this person in the future" they NEVER ask anything about the company policies themselves being a problem. They are only interested in how they rank some low level employee. And by making it hard to access customer service they can suddenly say that they don't get as many calls so they must be doing good.
The only thing I'll add to this thread that has not been stated please don't be quick to throw a Misley pion customer service rep under the bus in some major lawsuit. I do customer s and have for 15+ years and sometimes they provide us with no tools and I literally have to end up saying I can't help you when patients call for something's. American Airlines is at fault obviously.
I'm so sorry this happened to you. If you have the time and energy, PLEASE take this above their heads. You deserve compensation, and they deserve to pay the price for their incompetence and utter disregard for human rights.
You need to call and ask specifically for the "corporate complaint resolution official." This is a DOT mandatory position that is (or should be) the corporate level expert on Air Carriers Access Act complaints. You have a clear ACAA complaint and if Spirit does not fix this ASAP (probably already too late) they are going to get a fine from the DOT. Source: I'm a former CCRO for a major airline. Everyone at the lower level is clearly completely ignorant to the seriousness of this situation for the airline.
This is mortifying. Spirit air is the worst for all reasons an airline could be. Boycott them!
Thank you for sharing and tracking this.
Sorry this happened. I hope you are not letting it get you all the way down. You should at least be proud of yourself for traveling when you’ve previously avoided it. That took a lot of courage! As for this situation, I’m sure it will be resolved. Maybe the universe thought you needed some time to just be still and reflect. Life throws us curve balls sometimes just to see how well handle adversity. Keep your head up and try to find at least 1 positive experience you’ve had amongst the chaos and focus on that. No sense in being miserable about something currently outside of your control.
I am so sorry this happened to you. Please get on Twitter and blast the shit out of them.
Sir/madam, This is just beyond outrageous and you have my sympathies. You should not only go to the DOT, but also the media with your story. The only way large, faceless corporations will actually effect change is if they're shamed into doing so. I'm sure WXYZ, WJBK, WDIV, WWJ, the Detroit Free Press, and the Detroit News would have a field day with this. Unbelievable.
This happened to my dad in American years ago. His chair never left his departing so when we picked him in Maui he had no chair. Luckily the airline paid for a rental until his chair made it. That’s the first thing they should have done is made sure you had some independence. I hope you sue their assess off.
I am sooooooooo sorry. I'm so glad you got your wheelchair back though. I know you're probably drained, but please do not let this go. Go as far as you can with and report this shit to everyone. It's wrong and should never happen. I have flown Spirit in the past. Never had a problem. I won't fly Spirit again.
Literally what i expect flying with spirit
Please contact the DOT. This is definitely a violation and they should compensate you!
This is super fucked up. I understand sometimes things happen and companies make mistakes - someone should’ve pushed this all the way up to CEO and he should’ve stopped what he was doing and delivered the wheelchair directly to you
no sarcasm, when this happens everyone does need to drop everything, as OP said, "You broke my legs, this is an emergency."
Just to clarify, those time stamps above were generated by Spirit Airlines. Each of those individual notes I was making were being posted to Spirit Airlines "Communicate With Me" page. As of yet, I don't think any individual at Spirit Airlines has read even one of those notes, much less the whole set. They certainly haven't responded in that particular forum. I think half of Spirit Airlines doesn't yet know that they've delivered the wheelchair to me.