Frontier Airlines -- Tips & Cautions

[Ranger111]

Frontier Airlines is moving toward their "value model" and some things have changed....so thought I would post a few "cautions/tips" from my trip, which just ended April 14.

If you have flown them in the past few months, you probably have already encountered these things, but for the newbies...

1) Except for water in a plastic cup, anything else (coffee, water bottles, soft drinks, tea, snacks of any kind) has a price.

2) If you buy your ticket from anywhere but Frontier's own corporate Web site, be aware you could be facing extra baggage fees. Basic Fares purchased through travel agencies, including other travel websites, will incur a fee to take a carry-on bag on all domestic and international itineraries.

3) On our outbound flight, there was no "formal" check on the size of carry-on bags. Homeward-bound, all passengers were asked to approach the gate BEFORE boarding and stuff their carry-on items into a "baggage" sizer. If it fit, your boarding pass was stamped with a red code. If not, you paid....they have been doing this for awhile....and have faced some stiff complaining.

If you did not have the coveted red stamp during boarding, you were pulled out of line and told to wait until "stamped" passengers boarded and your bag could be checked for compliance with size requirements.

As an aside, when we arrived at the airport for the homeward trip, Frontier "just for the heck" of it reassigned our seats in the front of the plane and gave us seats in last row, next to the restrooms (we had picked our front of the plane seats the first week of January). Several other folks around us had had the same "interesting" reassignment. But, as airline seat assignments are "never" guaranteed," not much we could do about it.

And, a couple of articles that make interesting reading...

One woman faced some real issues at the gate with her luggage:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/columnist/burbank/2014/02/05/frontier-carry-on-bag-fee/5206353/

Frontier was ranked LAST in customer satisfaction last year by this poll:

http://www.frequentflier.com/blog/and-the-most-complained-about-airline-is/

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Thanks for the warnings. We have been contemplating giving Frontier a try & keep reminding ourselves, "You pay peanuts, you get elephants..."

 

[delilah]

I flew Frontier over spring break. I had a "classic" fare, which, incidentally, was less expensive than Southwest for the same route by about $200. This included a carry on, a drink, one checked bag. As long as you know what the procedure is with Frontier, it is no worse than any other airline. I have had seats reassigned on every airline that I have booked that had reserved seats, no exceptions. I flew one airline, Airtran, which was purchased by SWA, last spring break. When I purchased my tickets, we were the first to choose seats. Somehow, our seats were reassigned. Fortunately, I checked the reservation, and was able to get seats in the same general area. With airtran, it is a bigger deal, since you pay extra to choose seats. SWA is a joke.

One woman somehow got to the Denver airport with a "carry on" that was about as big as the bag I checked, and she raised holy chaos about it, that she had owned the bag for 15 years, that she was always able to use it as a carry on before, yada yada yada. Sometimes, the customer isn't right. I think Frontier is good, certainly better than SWA in my opinion.

 

[MillauFr]

Based on customer complaints it is worse than just about every other airline except for Spirit.

 

[Aristocath]

I didn't know about this because I fly Frontier so infrequently. I guess no more warm chocolate chip cookies? Those were so good!

 

[Ranger111]

I posted this only because there had been some discussion about Frontier earlier this year on this board.

I fly them frequently, but because of a winter "ice" injury, have not flown for a bit...so thought I would post my most recent "vacation" type observations.

Yes, if you purchase the Classic ticket, which is typically about $40 more than the econo ticket most people buy, you get "free" drinks and a snack.

Seat reassignment is a way of life on all airlines. It does not happen frequently, but it does happen. Never fun as I have never heard of anyone getting a "better seat."

The carry-on fees for tickets bought elsewhere is fair, I think. But a number of people who bought tickets through one of the big travel Web sites and did not read the fine print did not think so.

I will say that counterpeople, and the gate agent on the homeward flight were less than friendly. Flight crew was fine.

All in all, an O.K airline to fly. Just good to know before you go.

As reflected in the poll results, if you want better "odds" pick another airline (with no guarantee that you WILL have a better experience).

Finally, the company could/might make more "ultra low cost" changes in the next several months as they settle into their new pricing model. So if you are leaning toward flying Frontier, keep checking reviews, especially articles in the news media written by the national travel writers to see if they fit your expectations.

 

[johnaalexis]

Anyone flown Frontier since this was posted in 2014? I have already purchased my tickets for this fall, September 2016, while I am stuck with them, I like to be prepared!

 

[kydisneyfans]

Anyone flown Frontier since this was posted in 2014? I have already purchased my tickets for this fall, September 2016, while I am stuck with them, I like to be prepared!

A co-worker and her family of 5 was making their first trip to Disney from Detroit earlier this year. Something happened and the flight was cancelled. It took quite a bit of fighting but Frontier finally returned the money. The 10 day trip turned into 6 as they ended up driving due to the cancelled flight, and the only flights the next 48 hours were full. Another family from our church was stranded in Cincinnati due to a cancelled flight and never did make their destination.

 

[maxiesmom]

I was turned off of Frontier earlier this year when they ran a Your Mascot on Our Plane contest, only to toss the contest when they didn't like who was winning.

 

[LadyBeBop]

A co-worker and her family of 5 was making their first trip to Disney from Detroit earlier this year. Something happened and the flight was cancelled. It took quite a bit of fighting but Frontier finally returned the money. The 10 day trip turned into 6 as they ended up driving due to the cancelled flight, and the only flights the next 48 hours were full. Another family from our church was stranded in Cincinnati due to a cancelled flight and never did make their destination.

That's my big fear about Frontier, their cancellation rate. Frontier is the big discount airline out of Cincinnati. We're cruising out of Port Canaveral next fall, and I don't want to rely on Frontier cancelling the one flight out of CVG.

That said, we did have one positive experience with Frontier. My daughter had to get home quickly from a family cruise. Flew MCO to CVG on a Sunday afternoon with no problem. No luggage (we drove home with her luggage) and only a purse for a carry on. It was painless.

I still don't trust them.

 

[Pembo]

We flew Frontier to WDW this past Easter and had no problems. Our only hiccup was a very long wait at the counter to check bags in CLE but it was Easter morning and the airport is under construction.

Check in at MCO was quick & easy!

Our flights boarded and left on time. The flight crews were friendly and helpful and it was actually kind of nice not being bothered for drink service. We always take our own food and drinks on the plane.

I used a backpack as my personal item, so it was free and we paid for one piece of luggage.

I paid $79 per segment only 2 weeks before Easter. It was a great last minute trip and I'd fly Frontier again.

 

[johnaalexis]

Sounds good!! I like hearing the positive simply because we can' refund or exchange our tickets now, we are flying in September and we paid about $150 per person round trip with one checked bag each. Flying out of CVG on a sunday night and flying from MCO on a Thursday. I hope we have now issue this is my first time and first trip alone (Uhum... Without my parents) while I will have a friend with me he had never flown at all. I'm prone to social anxiety and I am trying to make this trip as fun and smooth as possible for the both of us!! Thanks everyone!!!

PS any tips or comments about anything regarding flying, CVG or MCO airport or Universal or Universals Cabana Bay Resort are greatly appreciated!!

 

[Dis703]

Anyone flown Frontier since this was posted in 2014? I have already purchased my tickets for this fall, September 2016, while I am stuck with them, I like to be prepared!

I have flown them five times in the past year and have been very happy with them. I have no idea what the red stamp thing means as I've never experienced this. Yes, you pay extra for snacks and to pick your seats as well as for carryon and checked bags. You can however bring a backpack/diaper bag, etc. on as your personal item if it fits beneath the seat. We have mostly been using them for short flights and that's all we travel with. Otherwise use checked and consolidate and you can keep those fees down.

Their staff have been very friendly and helpful and flights have been on time or early every time. Left late just once but made up time in the air.

They have been up to par with any other airline I've ever flown so far and I pay only a fraction of the price I've paid to fly with anyone else.

The only thing I will say that particularly when flying in bad weather if you do have a canceled flight you may not get out again that same day.

Oh, and as a very huge bonus when I had to cancel a flight and postpone last month because I was sick with the flu, Frontier waived the change fee after sending them a doctors note confirming I couldn't fly. They were very fast about getting it done so I could rebook too.

 

[johnaalexis]

Thanks so much!! I'm very excited for our trip and I am hoping that have an evening flight out may help things be less crazy!!