ORLANDO, FL – In the wake of declining air rage incidents, Spirit Airlines has once again found itself on the back foot as it struggles to maintain a consistent brand identity.
Like many airlines during the COVID era, ultra-low-cost air carrier Spirit Airlines saw a healthy share of travel freakouts and air rage incidents. However, while many of its competitors viewed these incidents as irritating side effects of one of the most unusual travel periods since aluminum tubes took flight, Spirit saw an opportunity.
In a fortuitous stroke of luck, the air rage incident and travel freakout were consistent with the brand image and target demographic of the Spirit Airlines customer.
Early on in the pandemic, Chief Marketing Officer Dave Stoolman pitched the board a bold strategy designed to capitalize on the rage and anger seething through the veins of so many Americans. Under his plan, the airline would offer a special “Air Rage” class of ticket. For those interested in freaking the f*** out on their trip they could get a special area on the plane to really let loose. And, for a small upcharge, the Spirit passenger could even start their freakout in the boarding area. The coup de tat, however, was the extra $11 dollars customers could pay for a “Florida Freakout.”
Indeed, the Florida Airport Freakout quickly became the most popular revenue-generating add-on Spirit had ever seen as thousands and thousands of passengers easily paid the small fee to lose their s*** like a retired New York cop at a Fort Lauderdale airport.
The idea was a wild success and the airline saw some of the best years on record.
Now, in the wake of declining interest in air rage incidents, no mask mandates, radical inflation and a looming recession the airline is reeling having grown accustomed to the healthy margins their travel freakout program brought in.
After slashing the cost of the Florida Airport Freakout package to $4.99 in early 2023 the company saw a brief uptick in the take rate, but that quickly fizzled out after the airline realized that many of its customers were still on the no-fly list from previous freakouts or in jail.
Now, airline executives have planned an early 2024 summit at a Red Roof Inn outside of Tampa Bay to discuss their options to generate new revenue as the firm seeks to reinvent its brand identity once again.
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