Frontier Airlines disability concerns

mieuxmew · May 28, 2015

My son has autism. I have flown with him many times on different airlines and always had a great experience (including Spirit, JetBlue, Southwest and United). He does well knowing what to expect and preboarding really helps get him settled with a calm environment. The airline crew has always been helpful.

We have never flown on Frontier but booked a flight this am. I have until tomorrow am to cancel. No where on their disability website is cognitive disabilities addressed, so I called customer service. First, agent asked me what a cognative disability is, as she never heard of it! I stated my son has autism and asked about preboarding policy and seat assignment. She had no idea, as she was not familiar with this kind if request for this kind of disability! I asked for a supervisor. Supervisor said we would have to arrive to the gate 2-3 hours ahead of flight time so my son could preboard and he would be assigned a seat once we arrived at the airport. Huh?!?

I have never gotten this kind of response. Kids with autism need to be prepared ahead of time so they know what to expect. Most kids with autism probably won't do well sitting at the gate for 2-3 hours waiting to board a plane. He could not tell me about plane seating but it would be taken care of when we arrived at the gate but we must be there 2-3 hours before flight or my son may have to sit alone. I asked if we could purchase seats but the agent told me yes but there would be an added surcharge booking it on the phone with him and we would be better served arriving 3 hours ahead of time!

I sent an email to Frontier disabilities customer service but the return email said to allow 3 DAYS to contact me!

I have never heard of this on any other airline (even on Spirit!). Every airline has no problem allowing preboarding and has assisted us with seat assignments.

I am really concerned. My son does well flying and I would like to keep it that way. I don't feel comfortable arriving at the gate and taking a crap shoot Frontier employees will be helpful. Seems like Frontier doesn't understand or care about disabilities other than blind, deaf or wheelchair bound, as they don't seem to recognize cognative disabilities on the website nor do the customer service agents.

Anyone have any experience with Frontier airlines?

Thank you!!! Hoping maybe I got 2 inexperienced customer service agents.

TheRustyScupper · May 29, 2015

I can discuss (from actual family experiences) physical disabilities, but not cognitive.

Gracie09 · May 29, 2015

I don't know too much about frontier. I've looked into them a bit since they recently started flying out of my area. They make you pay extra for seat assignments (you choose) prior to arriving at the airport. So if you need certain seats I would pay for them now.

TheRustyScupper · May 29, 2015

Gracie09 said:
. . . They make you pay extra for seat assignments (you choose) prior to arriving at the airport. So if you need certain seats I would pay for them now.

1) They also charge for checking luggage AND carry-on luggage.
2) It is far cheaper to check the luggage than to use carry-on.
3) However, if you get on their email list, they have some really good bargains.
. . . daughter bought a ticket from Ohio to Orlando for $78/roundtrip (AFTER all taxes)
. . . of course, she had to pay for seat assignment and checked luggage
. . . still one heck-of-a-deal, though
. . . and, because of a sprained ankle, they bumped her into the upgraded Coach Seats!

mieuxmew · May 29, 2015

Thank you! I cancelled the reservation. I am getting bad vibes about flying this airline. I have spoken to 2 customer service reps and tried to get in touch with disability staff without success. It is probably not worth taking a chance to save a few dollars at the risk of having trouble getting my son on a plane in the future from a bad experience.

We have flown Spirit before so I am used to the ultra low fares no frills airline model. Spirit was excellent.

Laura66 · May 29, 2015

I'm wondering why you you didn't purchase assigned seats ahead of time.
When you book your flight you get the option to pick your seats before you pay.
I would hope that preboarding would not be a problem.

mieuxmew · May 29, 2015

Laura66 - I hope you are not implying I am trying to be cheap and avoid paying for seat fees ($4 x 3 seats?). If so, I guess you are missing my point.

I am mostly concerned about pre boarding and how Frontier airline handles passengers with disabilities that are not readily apparent, like autism. Since I was unable to get reassurance from the airline nor find someone who has had a positive experience with this airline, I chose to cancel my reservation. By law, you are given 24 hours to cancel an airline reservation without penalty/fees. Seat fees and luggage fees are usually NONREFUNDABLE, so I usually prefer to wait to pay for my seat/bags. Seat fees and luggage fees can be purchased at a later date, not just at the time of booking. Even if you change flights and pay the change fees, you can lose the fees you paid for seats/baggage.

Why does a request for preboarding require a disabled person to be at the gate 2-3 hours ahead? I have never experienced this with any other airline. If a disabled person (blind, learning disabled adult etc) needs help choosing a prepaid seat and/or buying a ticket, why are they being charged MORE for customer service assistance if they are disabled and need help? The airline changes an extra fee to book over then phone and the fee does not seem to be waived if a person has a disability and is unable to make a reservation online. Perhaps the customer service reps I spoke to yesterday gave me incorrect information, which I hope is the case.

For persons with autism, irregularities when traveling can be quite problematic. How the situation is handled can make ALL the difference. Once, I had a situation with Spirit airlines. We had prepurchased our seat assignments. Spirit changed the type of plane which had a different seat configuration. The computer automatically reassigned our seats - in the EXIT ROW! Minors by FAA rules cannot sit in an exit row (especially a child with autism). Spirit bent over backwards to reassign our seats and more important, turned what could have been a disaster for a child with autism into a positive experience.

mousehockey37 · May 29, 2015

Had you gone with the upgrade (where you pay a little extra for the more leg room, etc.. I forget what they call it) you board the plane first. We did that our last trip and it was nice for once to not have to deal with hoping there was enough room for stuff in the overhead bins, etc.

OP, for your situation, it would've allowed you to get on the plane first, you can choose your seats (when booking), and you're right upfront where there is a flight attendant pretty much the entire time. My DGF has a severe peanut allergy. They told us that they are peanut free (in that they don't serve them), but they can't stop people from bringing snacks on board that have peanuts in them. Lucky for us, we had a professional EMT in row 1, we were in row 2. When we addressed the issue with the attendant, the guy turned around and said "if you have any problems, I'm an EMT, just tap on the seat and I'll do what I can to help".

Frontier is absolutely wonderful and I'm sorry you cancelled. I wish they'd come back to my home airport as I'd use them every time from here on out.

Gracie09 · May 29, 2015

mousehockey37 said:
Had you gone with the upgrade (where you pay a little extra for the more leg room, etc.. I forget what they call it) you board the plane first. We did that our last trip and it was nice for once to not have to deal with hoping there was enough room for stuff in the overhead bins, etc.

OP, for your situation, it would've allowed you to get on the plane first, you can choose your seats (when booking), and you're right upfront where there is a flight attendant pretty much the entire time. My DGF has a severe peanut allergy. They told us that they are peanut free (in that they don't serve them), but they can't stop people from bringing snacks on board that have peanuts in them. Lucky for us, we had a professional EMT in row 1, we were in row 2. When we addressed the issue with the attendant, the guy turned around and said "if you have any problems, I'm an EMT, just tap on the seat and I'll do what I can to help".

Frontier is absolutely wonderful and I'm sorry you cancelled. I wish they'd come back to my home airport as I'd use them every time from here on out.

This is true of all airlines. They can not serve peanuts and can make an announcement but cannot force someone not to eat or have peanuts on the flight

mousehockey37 · May 29, 2015

Gracie09 said:
This is true of all airlines. They can not serve peanuts and can make an announcement but cannot force someone not to eat or have peanuts on the flight

Oh, I'm well aware... on our return flight (which wasn't Frontier), I was the middle seat and thank heavens I was... I had Mr. Peanut to my left and DGF to my right (by the window)... Let's just say it was a tense flight... especially when Mr. Peanut decided to try and handle DGF's complimentary drink and I got to the cup before he did...

Kellykins1218 · May 29, 2015

We fly Spirit and Frontier all the time, 8-10 flights a year, and they have both been great. My two youngest are both autistic. I do pay to choose our seats so that we can all sit together plus I prefer to be near the bathroom. We've always gotten really good service from the gate agents and the flight attendants. We've never had any issues pre-boarding and have never had to get there any earlier than any other passenger. Even paying for seats and baggage we always come out way ahead of what it would cost on other airlines and the service has been just as good as the other airlines we've flown with.

SMD · May 29, 2015

It's pretty well known by people who fly them that Frontier is a small airline and has limited customer service hours. They've even admitted recently that they are behind answering emails. You're very lucky that you got them on the phone when you did.

OurBigTrip · May 29, 2015

mieuxmew said:
Why does a request for preboarding require a disabled person to be at the gate 2-3 hours ahead? I have never experienced this with any other airline. If a disabled person (blind, learning disabled adult etc) needs help choosing a prepaid seat and/or buying a ticket, why are they being charged MORE for customer service assistance if they are disabled and need help? The airline changes an extra fee to book over then phone and the fee does not seem to be waived if a person has a disability and is unable to make a reservation online. Perhaps the customer service reps I spoke to yesterday gave me incorrect information, which I hope is the case.

I can't see any reason why a disabled person should get a fee waiver for phone booking just because they're disabled? They aren't paying more than the non-disabled, they're paying the same as the non-disabled.

kaytieeldr · May 29, 2015

mieuxmew said:
Why does a request for preboarding require a disabled person to be at the gate 2-3 hours ahead? I have never experienced this with any other airline. If a disabled person (blind, learning disabled adult etc) needs help choosing a prepaid seat and/or buying a ticket, why are they being charged MORE for customer service assistance if they are disabled and need help? The airline changes an extra fee to book over then phone and the fee does not seem to be waived if a person has a disability and is unable to make a reservation online. Perhaps the customer service reps I spoke to yesterday gave me incorrect information, which I hope is the case.

Require or recommend?
Even given the reasons you list, you're choosing to not pay for seat selection at this time.
What prevents someone from claiming a disability to avoid paying seat/baggage fees?
The ACAA prohibits discrimination in air travel. It doesn't provide special treatment.
Did you try this number
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Frontier policies and procedures are in accordance with 14 CFR Part 382,Nondiscrimination of the Basis of Disability in Air Travel. A copy of 14 CFR Part 382 may be obtained from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) by any of the following means:

for calls made from within the United States, by telephone via the Toll-Free Hotline for Air Travelers with Disabilities (including our hearing impaired customers) at 800-778-4838 (voice)

at the bottom of Frontier's special assistance page for disability assistance or information?

OurBigTrip · May 29, 2015

Too late now, but if you Google "Frontier Airlines cognitive disabilities", this link comes up:

https://content.flyfrontier.com/customer-service/customer-protections/

We want to ensure that we treat all passengers with kindness and respect. For those passengers with special needs, we offer a variety of services, including:

Pre-boarding assistance on request.
Assistance with boarding and deplaning and the use of ground wheelchairs, aisle chairs, onboard wheelchairs, and lifts.
Assistance with stowing and retrieving carry-on items.
Transportation within the airport using wheelchairs or electric carts.
Transportation of personal assistive devices. Individuals may choose to have devices returned on arrival at the entrance to the aircraft on the jet bridge, or in the baggage claim area.
Assistance with visual, auditory, cognitive, or mobility disabilities.
Accommodation for certain medical requirements, including the use of FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrators and other FAA-approved battery-operated respiratory devices. Frontier is not equipped to transport or provide medical oxygen. Additional information may be found on ourSpecial Needs Travel pages.
Accommodation for accompanying service animals in the cabin for a passenger with a disability.
Access during all hours of operation to a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO) in all airports to answer any specific questions regarding air travel.
For further information regarding disability travel, you may also go to www.dot.gov.

klynch56 · Feb 21, 2017

mieuxmew said:
My son has autism. I have flown with him many times on different airlines and always had a great experience (including Spirit, JetBlue, Southwest and United). He does well knowing what to expect and preboarding really helps get him settled with a calm environment. The airline crew has always been helpful.

We have never flown on Frontier but booked a flight this am. I have until tomorrow am to cancel. No where on their disability website is cognitive disabilities addressed, so I called customer service. First, agent asked me what a cognative disability is, as she never heard of it! I stated my son has autism and asked about preboarding policy and seat assignment. She had no idea, as she was not familiar with this kind if request for this kind of disability! I asked for a supervisor. Supervisor said we would have to arrive to the gate 2-3 hours ahead of flight time so my son could preboard and he would be assigned a seat once we arrived at the airport. Huh?!?

I have never gotten this kind of response. Kids with autism need to be prepared ahead of time so they know what to expect. Most kids with autism probably won't do well sitting at the gate for 2-3 hours waiting to board a plane. He could not tell me about plane seating but it would be taken care of when we arrived at the gate but we must be there 2-3 hours before flight or my son may have to sit alone. I asked if we could purchase seats but the agent told me yes but there would be an added surcharge booking it on the phone with him and we would be better served arriving 3 hours ahead of time!

I sent an email to Frontier disabilities customer service but the return email said to allow 3 DAYS to contact me!

I have never heard of this on any other airline (even on Spirit!). Every airline has no problem allowing preboarding and has assisted us with seat assignments.

I am really concerned. My son does well flying and I would like to keep it that way. I don't feel comfortable arriving at the gate and taking a crap shoot Frontier employees will be helpful. Seems like Frontier doesn't understand or care about disabilities other than blind, deaf or wheelchair bound, as they don't seem to recognize cognative disabilities on the website nor do the customer service agents.

Anyone have any experience with Frontier airlines?

Thank you!!! Hoping maybe I got 2 inexperienced customer service agents.

Dis703 · Feb 24, 2017

We fly Frontier mostly these days and have had all great experiences. If you want to know where your seats will be in advance you have to pay for them. We usually do this out of fear we won't be seated together but with the otherwise cheap fares the extra $12 per seat each way isn't a big deal and gives me piece of mind.

As for preboarding we do so every trip with my kids. They make an announcement for preboarding indicating anyone with young children, strollers or who may need extra time to board can preboard. We do so to give me ample time to clean our seating area as all three kids have an extensive list of life threatening food allergies. But never once have I had to explain why we are preboarding. No one had ever asked. I'm confident if you needed to you would have no problem.

Frontier Airlines disability concerns

mieuxmew

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TheRustyScupper

Everyone Is Responsible For Everyone.

Gracie09

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TheRustyScupper

Everyone Is Responsible For Everyone.

mieuxmew

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Laura66

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mieuxmew

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mousehockey37

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Gracie09

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mousehockey37

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Kellykins1218

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SMD

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OurBigTrip

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kaytieeldr

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OurBigTrip

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klynch56

Earning My Ears

Dis703

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