While passengers in the economy cabin watched the standard preflight safety video Monday, United Airlines flight attendant Kim Walters quietly informed first-class ticket holders aboard Flight 1173 of the location of the plane’s actual emergency exits, sources confirmed. “Ladies and gentlemen, if you’ll please give me your attention for a brief and important announcement about the first-class-only safety features of our Boeing 757 aircraft,” Walters reportedly said in a voice just above a whisper, explaining that in an emergency, the airline’s most valued customers should ignore the escape path lighting along the aisle and instead follow the green lighting on the first-class seatbacks to a secret hatch just behind the forward lavatory.
The “Spirit Effect” means that when Spirit Airlines entered a route, other airlines often had to lower their prices too. A U.S. court found that Spirit’s entry usually increased passenger demand and lowered average fares, helping price-sensitive travelers afford flights.
