I flew on the infamous Spirit Airlines for the first time and saw how well no-frills can actually co-exist with safety – here's what it was like

Flying on Spirit Airlines during the COVID-19 pandemic.Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

• I took my first flight on Spirit Airlines on Monday, traveling from Chicago to New York on one of the carrier's most competitive routes to see how the infamous carrier maintains a no-frills business model during a pandemic.
• Spirit isn't blocking middle seats but is requiring face coverings to fly and enhancing cleaning practices to ensure peace of mind when it comes to health and safety.
• The flight was uneventful but the airline surprised me with a friendly and attentive cabin crew, as well as by keeping its in-flight service while others are abandoning it.

In all my years of flying, I've managed to avoid flying on Spirit Airlines, until now.

Spirit is arguably America's most loved to hate airline and after just one flight, it's clear why passengers might not enjoy the experience. Cramped seats, no in-flight entertainment, and a tired-looking plane all contributed to a lackluster flight.

But with the airline offering bargain-basement deals like $27 round-trip between New York and most major cities in Florida and $50 round-trip between New York and Los Angeles, it's also no secret why passengers keep coming back.

Despite it's less sterling reputation, however, Spirit isn't taking pandemic flying lightly with a safety policy comparable to its full-fare competitors. Middle seats aren't being blocked on its aircraft but Spirit has stepped up with important safety measures like requiring face coverings and installing safety features at airports.

I flew on Spirit to see just how well its low-cost business model of base fares can co-exist with the hyper-safe environment that the pandemic has inflicted. My journey took me from Chicago to New York on the carrier's Airbus A320 aircraft.

Here's what I found on my first-ever flight on Spirit Airlines, during a pandemic.