Frontier Airlines

[lovetorundisney]

I am thinking of booking on Frontier round trip this time, how has anyone's experience been on the return via Magical Express? I have always done resort airline check in on past trips, so checking in at the MCO airport will be new to me! Have you had enough time from ticket check in through security? For some reason I am all worried about not making it to the gate in time! But the price is basically making me choose, and the limited options from CLE/MCO nonstop roundtrip are scarce. Thanks for any help!

 

[crazymomof4]

subbing bc looks like we will fly Frontier HOME (to PHL) frm MCO. Have SW points and the flight down is perfect (early am) for our desire to maximize our time in WDW but..... SW only has 2:30pm non-stop flight (as their latest for that day) on our departing day. Since it's a short flight home we like to stay in WDW for as long as we can on our departing day. Found a MCO-PHL Frontier flight around 9pm-ish. Signed up for their rewards cc and will have my bonus miles and so can book soon. First time flying Frontier for us too.

 

[crazymomof4]

One more question.... if I don't pay to pick a seat. how likely is it that my daughter and I would not be able to sit together?

I have a question related to this one. I noticed that Frontier offers "get on the plane first" with the purchase of a carry-on bag. BUT>>> say you don't purchase assigned seats, but do purchase carry-on and get on the plane "first"-- HOW DO YOU KNOW you are not plopping yourself in someone else's assigned seat, someone who will board after you??? I don't wanna be playing musical seats!

 

[Happy_Haunt999]

One more question.... if I don't pay to pick a seat. how likely is it that my daughter and I would not be able to sit together?

You only pay for comfort plus or whatever they call it. If you are sitting in reg econ seats you can pick those together at time of purchase I'm pretty sure.

 

[Dis703]

You only pay for comfort plus or whatever they call it. If you are sitting in reg econ seats you can pick those together at time of purchase I'm pretty sure.

On Frontier you pay for all seat selections. Some cost more than others, but you pay if you want to pick where you sit.

 

[Dis703]

I have a question related to this one. I noticed that Frontier offers "get on the plane first" with the purchase of a carry-on bag. BUT>>> say you don't purchase assigned seats, but do purchase carry-on and get on the plane "first"-- HOW DO YOU KNOW you are not plopping yourself in someone else's assigned seat, someone who will board after you??? I don't wanna be playing musical seats!

I have always picked my seat so I'm not 100% sure, but I thought they assigned your seats before boarding. Not sure if that is done at check in or if you have to go to the gate. I've certainly never seen any confused passengers being moved around once boarded.

 

[Dis703]

I am thinking of booking on Frontier round trip this time, how has anyone's experience been on the return via Magical Express? I have always done resort airline check in on past trips, so checking in at the MCO airport will be new to me! Have you had enough time from ticket check in through security? For some reason I am all worried about not making it to the gate in time! But the price is basically making me choose, and the limited options from CLE/MCO nonstop roundtrip are scarce. Thanks for any help!

ME picks you up plenty early to check in at the desk. We've only done it twice but the first time there was nobody at all in line at the desk, the second time there was a little bit of a line but it moved fast. Even with a VERY long security line we still made it with plenty of time to grab a snack and sit for a bit before boarding.

I will warn you the only downside has been that for where they drop you off at the airport you have to go the the complete furthest end on the opposite side to get to the Frontier desk. It's a bit of a hike.

 

[crazymomof4]

I have always picked my seat so I'm not 100% sure, but I thought they assigned your seats before boarding. Not sure if that is done at check in or if you have to go to the gate. I've certainly never seen any confused passengers being moved around once boarded.

OK thanks. I'm wondering then what the advantage is in Frontier's advertised "Wanna' get on the plane first? You get Zone 1 boarding when you purchase a carry-on bag." You get time to store your carry-on with less people on the plane, maybe?

 

[Dis703]

One more question.... if I don't pay to pick a seat. how likely is it that my daughter and I would not be able to sit together?

That's the million dollar question. I've read a lot of reviews and have come across some who said they have never picked a seat and have always been seated with their child and others who said they didn't pick it because they assumed they would be seated with their 3 year old and they were not. In those cases where they weren't seated with the child some were resolved with assistance and others reported that the flight attendants were no help at all and they were not offered the ability to switch seats. So basically, there are no guarantees it seems.

 

[Dis703]

OK thanks. I'm wondering then what the advantage is in Frontier's advertised "Wanna' get on the plane first? You get Zone 1 boarding when you purchase a carry-on bag." You get time to store your carry-on with less people on the plane, maybe?

Basically, you aren't standing around in line waiting to board. They allow anyone who needs assistance, is traveling with children under 3 or who need extra time boarding to board before everyone though. We boarded first last trip because I was traveling with my son (he's 4) who has severe food allergies so I take the time to clean down his seats and the trays and everything before we take off. I will say being the second person on the plane was very convenient. Especially, since we left from an airport where we were boarding outside in the open during cold weather.

 

[crazymomof4]

Basically, you aren't standing around in line waiting to board. They allow anyone who needs assistance, is traveling with children under 3 or who need extra time boarding to board before everyone though. We boarded first last trip because I was traveling with my son (he's 4) who has severe food allergies so I take the time to clean down his seats and the trays and everything before we take off. I will say being the second person on the plane was very convenient. Especially, since we left from an airport where we were boarding outside in the open during cold weather.

OK thanks. I guess I'm having trouble losing the Southwest "mindset" where boarding first is a big deal (bc of no assigned seats) Not so much for Frontier.

 

[klmrph]

I have a question related to this one. I noticed that Frontier offers "get on the plane first" with the purchase of a carry-on bag. BUT>>> say you don't purchase assigned seats, but do purchase carry-on and get on the plane "first"-- HOW DO YOU KNOW you are not plopping yourself in someone else's assigned seat, someone who will board after you??? I don't wanna be playing musical seats!

It's not open seating like SW, once you check-in, you will get a seat assignment. You just get to board first so they can get those with carry-on bags to get their bags put away, just a way to make boarding go faster.

 

[lovetorundisney]

ME picks you up plenty early to check in at the desk. We've only done it twice but the first time there was nobody at all in line at the desk, the second time there was a little bit of a line but it moved fast. Even with a VERY long security line we still made it with plenty of time to grab a snack and sit for a bit before boarding.

I will warn you the only downside has been that for where they drop you off at the airport you have to go the the complete furthest end on the opposite side to get to the Frontier desk. It's a bit of a hike.

Thank you for all the help. That stinks about the walk to the ticket counter. I don't have much choice though, we pretty much need non stop and this is our only option, especially for the price. It'll be me and an 8 year old, so I hope we can do it! Having used resort check in for years, this will be a first, although we did it back in the Mears days before ME, just seems so long ago!

 

[Pembo]

I am thinking of booking on Frontier round trip this time, how has anyone's experience been on the return via Magical Express? I have always done resort airline check in on past trips, so checking in at the MCO airport will be new to me! Have you had enough time from ticket check in through security? For some reason I am all worried about not making it to the gate in time! But the price is basically making me choose, and the limited options from CLE/MCO nonstop roundtrip are scarce. Thanks for any help!

We just did this on Wed of Easter week. We had plenty of time. Yes you do have to trek through the airport with your bags but it wasn't that bad. They had two check in areas open, one for those who checked in online or at the kiosk and one for those who didn't. We had checked in online and I had the front desk print our boarding passes. Check in was super quick and it was a short walk to security. We had about an hour before boarding.
Compared to checking at CLE - we walked up to the gate as they were starting to board zone 4. Their check-in was a mess!

 

[Happy_Haunt999]

On Frontier you pay for all seat selections. Some cost more than others, but you pay if you want to pick where you sit.

Since when?

 

[lovetorundisney]

We just did this on Wed of Easter week. We had plenty of time. Yes you do have to trek through the airport with your bags but it wasn't that bad. They had two check in areas open, one for those who checked in online or at the kiosk and one for those who didn't. We had checked in online and I had the front desk print our boarding passes. Check in was super quick and it was a short walk to security. We had about an hour before boarding.
Compared to checking at CLE - we walked up to the gate as they were starting to board zone 4. Their check-in was a mess!

Ah, yes. That CLE airport is a mess right now! Thanks for the help! Where in CLE area are you? I am on the east side.

 

[Dis703]

Since when?

Online it says 2014 they started charging for seat assignments and carry-on. I've only been flying them this past year and have had to pay to pick seats on each of five flights.

 

[Happy_Haunt999]

Online it says 2014 they started charging for seat assignments and carry-on. I've only been flying them this past year and have had to pay to pick seats on each of five flights.

I wonder when in 2014 b/c I last flew them at the end of that year. I was charged because I wanted the comfort plus seats, but we wouldn't have been charged for reg seats. So IDK it's just odd to me right now lol!

 

[Dis703]

I wonder when in 2014 b/c I last flew them at the end of that year. I was charged because I wanted the comfort plus seats, but we wouldn't have been charged for reg seats. So IDK it's just odd to me right now lol!

Not sure. Now they have "Stretch Seating" which are the most expensive options and they are the only seats that recline, have an extra 5-7 inches of leg space, get in flight service first, etc. I pay $12 each way just for regular seats. Other options are $24 and $45 and that's each way! Maybe I'd think differently if I wasn't short, lol, but no way would I pay $90 extra round trip. If I was willing I probably wouldn't be flying a discount airline in the first place.

 

[Pembo]

But the price is basically making me choose, and the limited options from CLE/MCO nonstop roundtrip are scarce. Thanks for any help!

Ah, yes. That CLE airport is a mess right now! Thanks for the help! Where in CLE area are you? I am on the east side.

I am on the west side, Lorain County. The choices from CLE/MCO are awful! We loved SW out of Akron hopefully SW will bring back some non-stops to CLE.