Frontier Airlines: Difference between revisions
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Frontier Airlines tends to be more predatory in bag auditing at airport gates because they target passengers at the moment before boarding. Not only are passengers caught off-guard at this moment, the fees they pay at this time are a great deal higher, sometimes $99 compared to a lower fee when paid earlier.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 17, 2025 |title=Frontier Airlines Begins Charging for Carry on Bags |url=https://www.cheapair.com/blog/frontier-airlines-begins-charging-for-carry-on-bags/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250425230421/https://www.cheapair.com/blog/frontier-airlines-begins-charging-for-carry-on-bags/ |archive-date=April 25, 2025 |website=CheapAir}}</ref> | Frontier Airlines tends to be more predatory in bag auditing at airport gates because they target passengers at the moment before boarding. Not only are passengers caught off-guard at this moment, the fees they pay at this time are a great deal higher, sometimes $99 compared to a lower fee when paid earlier.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 17, 2025 |title=Frontier Airlines Begins Charging for Carry on Bags |url=https://www.cheapair.com/blog/frontier-airlines-begins-charging-for-carry-on-bags/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250425230421/https://www.cheapair.com/blog/frontier-airlines-begins-charging-for-carry-on-bags/ |archive-date=April 25, 2025 |website=CheapAir}}</ref> | ||
Abbey Colville, a Frontier passenger, was forced to pay a $99 fee at the gate for the same carry-on bag—twice.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Klint |first=Matthew |date=July 7 2023 |title=Frontier Airlines Double Charges For Carry-On Bag Then Refuses To Correct Error |url=https://liveandletsfly.com/frontier-airlines-double-charges/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319140832/https://liveandletsfly.com/frontier-airlines-double-charges/ |archive-date=March 19 2025 |access-date=June 18 2025 |website=Live and Let's Fly}}</ref> | Abbey Colville, a Frontier passenger, was forced to pay a $99 fee at the gate for the same carry-on bag—twice.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Klint |first=Matthew |date=July 7, 2023 |title=Frontier Airlines Double Charges For Carry-On Bag Then Refuses To Correct Error |url=https://liveandletsfly.com/frontier-airlines-double-charges/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319140832/https://liveandletsfly.com/frontier-airlines-double-charges/ |archive-date=March 19, 2025 |access-date=June 18, 2025 |website=Live and Let's Fly}}</ref> | ||
A class-action lawsuit alleges that Frontier gate agents utilized the gate-side bag-sizers smaller than the posted size to mislead passengers into paying fees for bags that were actually within size limits.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pradelli |first=Chad |date=November 21, 2023 |title=Lawsuit accuses Frontier Airlines of bogus baggage fees {{!}} Investigation |url=https://6abc.com/frontier-airlines-bag-policy-class-action-lawsuit-flight-fees/14085587/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326031459/https://6abc.com/frontier-airlines-bag-policy-class-action-lawsuit-flight-fees/14085587/ |archive-date=March 26, 2025 |access-date= | A class-action lawsuit alleges that Frontier gate agents utilized the gate-side bag-sizers smaller than the posted size to mislead passengers into paying fees for bags that were actually within size limits.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pradelli |first=Chad |date=November 21, 2023 |title=Lawsuit accuses Frontier Airlines of bogus baggage fees {{!}} Investigation |url=https://6abc.com/frontier-airlines-bag-policy-class-action-lawsuit-flight-fees/14085587/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326031459/https://6abc.com/frontier-airlines-bag-policy-class-action-lawsuit-flight-fees/14085587/ |archive-date=March 26, 2025 |access-date=June 10, 2025 |work=6abc Action News}}</ref> To further push Frontier's budget-focused business model, the bag fee incentives, coupled with their bait-and-switch practice of cheap tickets, and multiple fees, appears to be an overarching strategy to exploit their customers as much as possible so that the airline can make as much money as possible. | ||
===Controversial and exploitive pricing strategy=== | ===Controversial and exploitive pricing strategy=== | ||
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Frontier's "GoWild! All You Can Fly" pass requires that members agree to terms that force them to resolve legal disputes outside of court and force them to abstain from joining class actions.<blockquote>"You and Frontier agree to arbitrate all disputes and claims between us... tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation or any other legal theory... | Frontier's "GoWild! All You Can Fly" pass requires that members agree to terms that force them to resolve legal disputes outside of court and force them to abstain from joining class actions.<blockquote>"You and Frontier agree to arbitrate all disputes and claims between us... tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation or any other legal theory... | ||
"In addition, by agreeing to resolve disputes through arbitration, You and Frontier agree to each unconditionally waive the right to a trial by jury or to participate in a class action, representative proceeding, or private attorney general action."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms and Conditions |url=https://idmonitoring.frontier.com/terms |url-status=live |access-date=June 18 2025}}</ref></blockquote>In 2024, federal Colorado judge, Judge Kathryn A. Starnella dismissed a class action lawsuit filed against Frontier Airlines by fly pass member, Jeriyma Hartsfield for a breach of contract. Despite Hartsfield's attempt to represent a class of passengers who also faced a similar situation, the lawsuit was ultimately shot down by Judger Starnella because she deduced that Hartsfield, "had ample opportunity to review the terms, including the arbitration clause, before agreeing to them."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Milano |first=Ashley |date=July 9 2024 |title=Frontier Airlines 'All You Can Fly' Lawsuit Grounded, Heads to Arbitration |url=https://injuryclaims.com/news/other/frontier-airlines-gowild-lawsuit-dismissed |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326041651/https://injuryclaims.com/news/other/frontier-airlines-gowild-lawsuit-dismissed |archive-date=March 26 2025 |access-date=June 18 2025 |website=Injury Claims}}</ref> Hartsfield was then left to attempt to resolve the matter via arbitration instead of in court. | "In addition, by agreeing to resolve disputes through arbitration, You and Frontier agree to each unconditionally waive the right to a trial by jury or to participate in a class action, representative proceeding, or private attorney general action."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terms and Conditions |url=https://idmonitoring.frontier.com/terms |url-status=live |access-date=June 18, 2025}}</ref></blockquote>In 2024, federal Colorado judge, Judge Kathryn A. Starnella dismissed a class action lawsuit filed against Frontier Airlines by fly pass member, Jeriyma Hartsfield for a breach of contract. Despite Hartsfield's attempt to represent a class of passengers who also faced a similar situation, the lawsuit was ultimately shot down by Judger Starnella because she deduced that Hartsfield, "had ample opportunity to review the terms, including the arbitration clause, before agreeing to them."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Milano |first=Ashley |date=July 9, 2024 |title=Frontier Airlines 'All You Can Fly' Lawsuit Grounded, Heads to Arbitration |url=https://injuryclaims.com/news/other/frontier-airlines-gowild-lawsuit-dismissed |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326041651/https://injuryclaims.com/news/other/frontier-airlines-gowild-lawsuit-dismissed |archive-date=March 26, 2025 |access-date=June 18, 2025 |website=Injury Claims}}</ref> Hartsfield was then left to attempt to resolve the matter via arbitration instead of in court. | ||
===Lack of transparency with opting out of personal data sharing with third parties=== | ===Lack of transparency with opting out of personal data sharing with third parties=== | ||
Frontier Airlines shares its customers personal data with "service providers" and "affiliates."<blockquote>"Frontier Airlines discloses your personal information to third parties for business purposes. When we disclose personal information, we enter an agreement that describes the purpose and requires the recipient to both keep that personal information confidential and not use it for any purpose except in performing the agreement. We provide your personal information for a business purpose to the following categories of third parties: (i) service providers; (ii) our affiliates and codeshare partner; and (iii) third parties to which you authorize Frontier Airlines to disclose your personal information in connection with products or services you elect to purchase from them."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Privacy Policy For California Residents |url=https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/california-privacy-policy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250606081427/https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/california-privacy-policy/ |archive-date=June 6 2025 |access-date=June 18 2025 |website=Frontier Airlines California Privacy Policy}}</ref></blockquote>In addition to personal data sharing, some of this sharing may count as selling of personal data under California law. Like with most companies, the mechanisms for opting out of these practices are buried in complex legal paragraphs, and they not made clearly available for customers. Of course, these terms only apply to passengers who are residents of California because of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Passengers outside of the state of California do not currently receive the same comprehensive rights of legal California residents in this case. | Frontier Airlines shares its customers personal data with "service providers" and "affiliates."<blockquote>"Frontier Airlines discloses your personal information to third parties for business purposes. When we disclose personal information, we enter an agreement that describes the purpose and requires the recipient to both keep that personal information confidential and not use it for any purpose except in performing the agreement. We provide your personal information for a business purpose to the following categories of third parties: (i) service providers; (ii) our affiliates and codeshare partner; and (iii) third parties to which you authorize Frontier Airlines to disclose your personal information in connection with products or services you elect to purchase from them."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Privacy Policy For California Residents |url=https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/california-privacy-policy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250606081427/https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/california-privacy-policy/ |archive-date=June 6, 2025 |access-date=June 18, 2025 |website=Frontier Airlines California Privacy Policy}}</ref></blockquote>In addition to personal data sharing, some of this sharing may count as selling of personal data under California law. Like with most companies, the mechanisms for opting out of these practices are buried in complex legal paragraphs, and they not made clearly available for customers. Of course, these terms only apply to passengers who are residents of California because of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Passengers outside of the state of California do not currently receive the same comprehensive rights of legal California residents in this case. | ||
===Obfuscating web-based check-in and charging passengers for it=== | ===Obfuscating web-based check-in and charging passengers for it=== | ||
Frontier Airlines has a suspicious history of technical glitches and errors with their website and their mobile application when customers attempt to check in for their flight online.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leff |first=Gary |date=May 3 2025 |title="Never Flying This Airline Again”—Watch As Frontier Threatens Ban, Calls Police When Passenger Complains About $25 Fee Just To Check In |url=https://viewfromthewing.com/never-flying-this-airline-again-watch-as-frontier-threatens-ban-calls-police-when-passenger-complains-about-25-fee-just-to-check-in/comment-page-1/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 18 2025 |work=View from the Wing}}</ref> In addition to the technical inconveniences, passengers have reported long wait times for customer service and unresponsive support from customer service while seeking assistance with these online check-in issues. Passengers who checked in late, some no doubt due to the technical issues, were charged unexpected fees for doing so.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fenton |first=Reuven |date=May 7 2025 |title=Frontier Airlines agents jeer at passenger after hitting him with surprise fee: ‘You thought you were gonna get on your flight?’ |url=https://nypost.com/2025/05/07/us-news/frontier-airlines-staff-taunt-passenger-trying-to-check-in-hit-him-with-25-fee-video/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250517034451/https://nypost.com/2025/05/07/us-news/frontier-airlines-staff-taunt-passenger-trying-to-check-in-hit-him-with-25-fee-video/ |archive-date=May 17 2025 |access-date=June 18 2025 |work=New York Post}}</ref> | Frontier Airlines has a suspicious history of technical glitches and errors with their website and their mobile application when customers attempt to check in for their flight online.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leff |first=Gary |date=May 3, 2025 |title="Never Flying This Airline Again”—Watch As Frontier Threatens Ban, Calls Police When Passenger Complains About $25 Fee Just To Check In |url=https://viewfromthewing.com/never-flying-this-airline-again-watch-as-frontier-threatens-ban-calls-police-when-passenger-complains-about-25-fee-just-to-check-in/comment-page-1/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 18, 2025 |work=View from the Wing}}</ref> In addition to the technical inconveniences, passengers have reported long wait times for customer service and unresponsive support from customer service while seeking assistance with these online check-in issues. Passengers who checked in late, some no doubt due to the technical issues, were charged unexpected fees for doing so.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fenton |first=Reuven |date=May 7, 2025 |title=Frontier Airlines agents jeer at passenger after hitting him with surprise fee: ‘You thought you were gonna get on your flight?’ |url=https://nypost.com/2025/05/07/us-news/frontier-airlines-staff-taunt-passenger-trying-to-check-in-hit-him-with-25-fee-video/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250517034451/https://nypost.com/2025/05/07/us-news/frontier-airlines-staff-taunt-passenger-trying-to-check-in-hit-him-with-25-fee-video/ |archive-date=May 17, 2025 |access-date=June 18, 2025 |work=New York Post}}</ref> | ||
In 2023, Frontier's check-in form used to be readily available on the front page of their website. Currently, passengers are expected to perform an additional step if they want to check in online for free: downloading the Frontier mobile app: [[Frontier Airlines Obfuscates Web Check-in Form]] | In 2023, Frontier's check-in form used to be readily available on the front page of their website. Currently, passengers are expected to perform an additional step if they want to check in online for free: downloading the Frontier mobile app: [[Frontier Airlines Obfuscates Web Check-in Form]] |