I Flew Spirit Airlines With An Academy Award (Oscar) Winner

On a recent flight, I had a surprising fellow passenger sitting next to me, an Academy Award winner, and her family. 

If you are considering booking travel or signing up for a new credit card please click here. Both support LiveAndLetsFly.com.

If you haven’t followed us on Facebook or Instagram, add us today.

Was It, Could It Be?

Sitting across from a woman I was almost certain was a celebrity, I couldn’t be sure and continually looked over the top of my laptop as we waited in a very crowded boarding area for an upcoming flight on Spirit Airlines. I couldn’t be sure, but then there was a dead giveaway and I was absolutely certain.

I don’t want to give away any details about her personally, but just to say that she was traveling with her family and clearly had dressed for a normal flight like anyone else. She wasn’t shadowed by security, she didn’t have big, dark sunglasses on that hid her face. She didn’t endlessly chat on the phone to her agent, she was just any other traveler with well-behaved kids minding their business and being every bit the same as any other family waiting for their departure.

Of course, it’s a little bit of a case of “Celebrities, they are just like us” and my agency has been happy to serve some very recognizable public personalities. They are just like us in many ways, but in this case, there are so few who have achieved the level of success that she has. Still fewer are flying Spirit Airlines.

Not Making Her Feel Awkward

Though actors generally choose their career knowing full well that they will be recognized in public and embrace it (before they later shun it), not every day is a red carpet experience. It was clear that while she was not trying to disguise herself or seek any special treatment, she also didn’t really want to be approached.

I’ll never forget coming across Jeffrey Tambor in an American Airlines lounge and working up the courage to ask him for a photo. After nearly three-quarters of an hour, I finally did and was polite saying, “I’m really sorry to disturb you, but can I ask you for a photo?” He was rather perturbed and said, “You already did, didn’t you” and I said of course, and began to back away apologizing before he decided to take a photo with me anyway, clearly annoyed. That was a lesson for me. The guy is just trying to get to work or get home and already feels uncomfortable and exposed in public, I should have left him be.

With that memory in my mind, that’s precisely what I did in this case. I opted not to ask her for a photo nor engage with her beyond sitting next to her, polite nods at appropriate times. When she was struggling to retrieve her luggage from the overhead bin, I offered to help, she graciously accepted, and I then helped her get a little space from the rows behind her ready to crowd past her and race off the plane.

That was it. While I had a ton of questions for her, I said nothing.

Not Every Passenger Fits The Profile

I shared with some family and friends that this person was on my Spirit flight and the first question they had was, why are they flying Spirit? I have long been an apologist for the brand principally because my home market, Pittsburgh, has many nonstop destinations, but rarely served consistently. Spirit is often convenient and easy. Many of my peers in the luxury travel agency space are appalled by my willingness to fly them but I have to remind them:

1. Not everyone lives in New York with multiple daily nonstops to every destination in the world
2. Sometimes it’s more convenient
3. There’s nothing luxurious about a connection in Charlotte
4. How many amenities do I really need for a one-hour flight?

And of course, buying the cheapest ticket on American, Delta, or United trades amenities with Spirit but they are mostly the same, just with a connection.

One of the routes I fly with the carrier frequently is between Pittsburgh and Fort Myers, and I routinely sit next to a property investor who has more than 50 rental homes in Southwest Florida. He can afford to fly another airline, and so can I. But the flight is nonstop, cheap, and easy, and the Big Front Seat is usually around $50 – cheaper than buying domestic first on the other guys for the same seat width and faster wifi.

The other carriers fly plenty more entertainers around the country and the world than Spirit, no doubt, but it does break the mold a little bit when you think about it. The question that starts to arise becomes, “why is she flying Spirit” and “is everything ok?” She might have been flying it for the same reason I was despite holding status on another carrier running the same route – the timing was perfect. The flight left at half past 3 PM and I had enough time to have meetings in the morning, but still be home by dinner. How much of a snob do you have to be to say, nah, I’d rather not be home for my family because I want to fly in the back on another carrier?

It’s possible that the impression of Spirit Airlines isn’t quite right, or perhaps there are just exceptions to every rule.

Conclusion

Some celebrities, like us, are just trying to get home or make a meeting. Despite Spirit’s reputation, it’s a convenient carrier, and not every passenger onboard is looking for a brawl or can’t afford to fly on another airline. There are entrepreneurs, investors, artists, and yes, even Oscar winners.

What do you think? Would you be shocked to find a significant celebrity flying Spirit?