TODAY'S NEWS

BOYCOTT SPIRIT AIRLINES                 article by:  James Thomas Fridas

Thousands upon thousands of people are now outraged with Spirit Airlines. Not because of fare hikes or baggage fees or the lack of leg room -- problems familiar to any flier -- but because of the airline's lack of heart, emphasis on lack of HEART! As a veteran myself I am outraged that this man could be treated this way with no regard to the irresponsible attempt to sucker money out of consumers with an insurance gaurantee that shouuld never have been its an attempt by the airline as I see it to make money on cancelations with no business ethics at all! Jerry Meekins, a 76-year-old Vietnam veteran from the great state Florida happens to be in the fight of his life battling esophageal cancer. 

Jerry Meekins bought a $197 ticket to visit his daughter in New Jersey. About two weeks before his trip his doctors told him that his cancer was terminal, and that he should not fly at all! Meekins tried unsuccessfully to get a refund from Spirit Airlines, but the airline refused, as Meekins had bought a nonrefundable ticket. Protesters are taking to a Facebook page called "Boycott Spirit Airlines," which has over 30,000 "likes" to voice their disgust. Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza tried to explain that a refund would have been issued had Meekins bought the $14 travelers insurance. At this point Ben there is no amount of explaining that can overcome this stain on you or your airlines integrity! Maybe so. But how do you put a price on this growing PR backlash?

A very angry supporter of Jerry Meekins wrote in facebook, "Shame on you Spirit Airlines!" Another supporter wrote, "I would rather walk than fly on Spirit."

To all of you who say to bad I have one thing to say to you as a Veteran and a member of the American Legion here in California I will do all I can to assist in boycotting this airline, what the hell is this insurance garbage?

You know where you can stick this insurance Ben? I can shop in most major businesses and get a refund without insurance which shows that this airline has no ethics of value to the shopping community or to consumers at large, as far as I am concerned there is no excuse for this behavior or conduct by the airline!

I hope that this CEO will wake up and realize that this is only goingto hurt more in the days to follow as the American Veterans numbering some 20,000,000 retired veterans in the American legion, the Veterans Of Foreign Wars, the Disabled Veterans of America and a couple other veteran organizations. Hey ben have you been on unemployment lately?