Susan Gordon, Business Reporter

A ONE-CENT fare for a plane ride seems awfully ridiculous, and unlikely to result in a pleasant flying experience, and so as a news-hound, I opted to test it - at my own expense.

With expectations that I would be disappointed and that my United States (U.S.) one cent (Jamaican 67 cents), would equate to its value - one cent of service - I was 'spirited' into a North American gateway on Spirit Airlines.

Not surprisingly, taxes boosted the full price of the journey to more than US$150 - that I expected.

What I did not expect was the great service, flight attendants who were courteous and pleasant, and an overall pleasing trip.

Spirit Airlines introduced itself to Jamaica in May 2005, offering at the time, rates to the tune of US$99 each way between Kingston and Fort Lauderdale, a price then that was about 20 per cent cheaper than those offered by existing carriers.

Airfare prices revolutionised

The airline continues to revolu-tionise the pricing of airfares.

Last weekend, Spirit Airlines proved to me that I could have the same experience on a one cent trip as I would get at current market prices.

Catching the Spirit flight on the Internet entailed searching for available dates for these U.S. one cent flights which the trend showed normally lasted up to about four days.

At this moment, you realise your U.S. one cent is restricting you to fly on certain days.

After going through a series of charges inclusive of taxes and fees, my total came up to US$155 for a round trip for three days on the weekend to Fort Lauderdale, payable by way of a credit card. But hey, this was still very competitive in comparison to the fares quoted on Air Jamaica's Lovebird eSavers because the booking was for two.

On on individual level, my U.S. one cent flight round trip had in fact worked out at US$77.4 more.

The Internet booking done in early January 2007, was fairly easy and completed in 30 minutes. I was required to print the page of my online booking and take it to the local Spirit airlines office on the date of travelling or before to confirm my booking.

On the day we were to travel, I expected the worse - that the plane would be small, cramped and old and that the flight attendants would be rude.

I anticipated that the airline would suddenly come to its senses, pull its one-cent offer, and cancel the flight.

And even if the plane did take off, it would be a bumpy ride.

None of that happened.

Boarding from Kingston on Friday, March 16, was smooth and when I entered the plane, I was relieved that there was enough leg and overhead storage space for luggage. Departure for Fort Lauderdale was on time.

A look around the aircraft told me Spirit had found a niche in targeting passengers in off season. The flight was not full, but the empty seats were few.

There was one period of trepidation. As the pilot turned on the plane to taxi onto the runway, there was a grinding sound. Only a drenched car engine struggling to turn over came close to the sound.

After that intensely curious moment on flight NK676, everything else went well.

The stewardess and stewards were polite and accommodating and the landing was fairly smooth, if I may say so for a lay person who knows little about the technicalities in flying. Not receiving a meal except for a cool drink and options to buy snacks at US$2 each never detracted from the one hour and 15 minutes flight to Fort Lauderdale.

Our luggage was retrieved on the same day in one piece. The return trip on Sunday, was equally satisfactory.

In fact we saw where the airline made efforts to care for its passengers when after joining a very long line to check in at the Airport, a Spirit Airlines' officer enquired who was going to Jamaica and then whisked us out of the line and straight to the booking counter so we would catch our flight on time.

The return trip was fast, with Spirit setting down in Kingston 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

The trip was enjoyable and incident free unlike many other flights where I had to endure, air stewardesses talking down to people, slamming overhead compartments in my face, delaying my booking because I am confused with someone else on the flight with the same name, sending my luggage somewhere else, telling me the flight is overbooked and so on.

So, if you had trepidations about that one-cent experience, erase them, before Spirit pulls the offer.

susan.gordon@gleanerjm.com