Frontier Airlines
reviews and complaints

It is easy to see why this airline is having trouble! Their customer satifiation is something they care very little about! Recently my wife's flight was cancelled from another airline and Frontier refused to change her to a later flight on Frontier when she couldn't make their flight. Granted, it was the other airlines fault, but Frontier "policy" is that if it's not their fault then someone must pay! Travelling can be challenging at times, but Frontier sure doesn't try to make it easy to overcome the unexpected events that you may encounter. So remember, the next time they ask you to be understanding for situation beyound their control, ask for $150 as that is your policy when it's not "your fault".

I'm never flying with frontier airlines.. Ever.. Nor would I even dream of recommending it to anyone!

I booked my ticket with frontier last year to go to altlanta from portland and back. This cost me $866. I had to cancel this ticket due to personal reasons and when I got told I wouldn't be refunded the money but I could use it at a later time to book with frontier, I thought it was fine.. I got given a year's time for this which was convenient too.

However, now, almost a year later, now when I want to use my money, there are a number of rules in place making it hard for me to use the money

A) I have to use the entire money for one trip and one trip only (regardless of the amount - I cannot use the 900 to book to go to two places.. Which is more logical given most return trips within the states usually cost around the 4-500$ mark)
B) I have to use the entire money to book one ticket only for myself (i.E. I cannot use the money to buy a ticket for both me and my wife cos it'll mean that some of the money will be used to book for 'someone else')
C) I cannot use this money to make a booking for a vacation deal offered on the frontier website (something that might enable me to spend this money stuck with them sensibly.. Maybe a couple nights of accommodation?)- cos it involves the use of a 'partner' for accommodation and since the partner is not part of the frontier company, I cannot use this money to pay for them
D) I have to pay an extra $100 as re-booking fees!

This basically means that I have to buy a ticket to some random place for ~$900.. A place that I might not want to go to but now have to if I want to make use of all the money I have with frontier.. Worse of all, I have to pay another 100$ to do this! And spend the same amount for my wife if we want to go together, not to mention the extra costs for accommodation and all! I even asked if I could use it for 1 ticket like they say, but have multiple destinations (go from portland to chicago to washington dc and back to portland).. But turns out frontier don't fly to any place without going through denver.. Which will mean that if I want to go how I planned, I would have to go from portland to denver, denver to chicago, chicago back all the way to denver and then denver back to washingon dc! Doesn't' make any sense to waste at least half a day doing this!

When I called their customer care regarding all this, all I could get from them is 'we cannot do anything about it, that's our policy'.. I asked them what my options were. I mean what would they do with the 900$.. All I get is that is your choice.. How on earth when i'm not left with any in the first place! If they want customers to use only frontier, they really need to have improved their service!

How on earth would anyone feel like using or recommending frontier airlines ever again!

A very angry and gutted frontier customer.

PASSENGER CONTEMPT

This airline is in "devolution" and I will be cancelling my frequent flier status once I complete the roundtrip that my wife and I mistakenly booked this evening.

Normally I price/schedule shop by the itinierary and choose American whenever possible; but in this instance on a roundtrip to Phoenix I preferred the scheduling with Frontier.

Only after I bought the ticket did I discover that they will not allow ECONOMY fares to choose seats until 24hrs before departure. Think about that...talk about a new frontier, this policy should be categorized under class warfare without courtesy or "class."

One flight, because it's too late for a refund. But this is the Last Frontier I'll be boarding: an airline with NO CLASS whatsoever.

frontier airlines pads their empty flights by telling cust. that they have to have a way out of costa rica at the last minute b 4 boarding .
they do not tell u when u purchase a one way
they do not tell u when u use their 800 num to make a reservation
they do not tell you when you pay at the counter at the airport
the do not tell you when u board your initial flight b 4 u connect in den.
they then spring it on u at the last min. and blame the costa rican gov.
this does not happen on american OR cont. airlines
i plan to file a class actin lawsuit and an ind. lawsuit
all add. victims should contact me at [protected]@yahoo
so many travelers plan to bus out of costa rica to the north or the south
some plan to cruise out on a boat
some r not sure how they plan to depart costa rica
this SCAM/HUSTLE was pulled on me and they will not get away with it
meanwhile, they push their credit card. app. at u in denver
when this was pulled on me told them that since they failed 3TIMES to inform me that they could just refund me my money or send me back to dallas
they said they would not do either
this was a forced, coerced transaction of hideous business nature
there r people at frontier airlines who will hear my name in their sleep
this has caused financial and mental/emotional duress
i have been forced to embark in a foreign country with little money now and was isolated from my city of origin
it is a form of imprisionment and hinderance
just the beginning

Frontier provided poor service, incorrect information and unprofessional conduct. I traveled from SFO to Denver to connect with my flight to Indianapolis. The SFO flight was delayed because of snow in Colorado, which happens. I completely understand however the SFO representative said that I would not miss my connecting flight because all flights were delayed out of Denver. I reached Denver 4 hours last and had missed the Indianapolis connection. I went to the gate printed on my ticket and the representative there would not help me even although I witnessed her assisting others in the same circumstances. She sent me to the customer service counter for Frontier. I was #32 in line. I waited 45 minutes in line patiently. I found another flight on Southwest that was departing via Southwest to Indianapolis at 4:50pm. The representatative told me there were not flights available at 4:50pm. I asked out the Southwest flight and she rebooked me on the 7:00pm flight and just handed me a ticket. This flight got me into Indianapolis at 12:30am. I explained this was not an option because I my party was going to pick me up was going to be in bed by then.

She explained that Frontier did not honor Southwest tickets and that they did not honor Frontier's tickets. It is disappointing to me that there were empty seats on an airplane going to my final destination and Frontier would not work even after they told me that my connecting flight would not be missed. All they could offer was the explanation that their representative in SFO "should not have told me that". They took no responsibility or accountability for the actions of a representative from their company. The lady told me that I could stay the night in the airport in Denver and fly out tomorrow if that better suited my schedule. She said she could not provide hotel accommodations.

I asked if she could assist me in finding out the cost and availability of buying a seat on the Southwest flight and she said if I wanted a ticket on Southwest, "I could go buy it myself".

I traveled on frontier airlines beginning on 10/30/2008. On my outbound trip, there was no charge for my one checked bag (which there should never be; after all, given the restrictions on what you can take through security, you have to check baggage now). But on the return trip a few days later, they tried to ding me for $15 to check the very same bag! They claimed that I had to pay this surprise fee because they had imposed it for "travel after 10/31", even though I began my travel before that date. When I complained, and told them that I would never fly them again, the agent reacted by making me a "selectee" — that is, by causing me to practically be strip searched as I went through security.

Airlines shouldn't rip people off for baggage, and they certainly shouldn't be allowed to use the security procedures to punish consumers for standing up for their rights! Don't ever fly this airline.

I purchased 4 tickets from Denver to Mexico using my Miles. Frontier issued me a confirmation code, confirmed my seat selections and with drew 140, 000 miles from my account. The next day I received a call from A Frontier Supervisor telling me that I now can't use my miles they were on black out dates- But the transaction already went through. They apologized again and told me I had to pay over 3500.00 if i wanted those tickets. As a consumer do I not have legal right? Does anyone know of legal counsel that could help?

Stranded in Denver

As of July 2008, If you book a flight on line with Frontier Airlines there is a box marked "yes for extra travel insurance through AIG, which you will be charged for. You have to un check it or you are charged for this after you book you flights. I think it is a big SCAM. I called both AIG they could tell me anything about what the insurance covered and frontier told me what is written in on the site. After many calls and e-mails all I got was the extra insurance covers up to $500.00 per person NOT per bag for lost luggage, that doesn't even cover the cost on one bag itself. If a flight is cancaled the insurance covers up to $100.00 a day for food and hotel. When I asked if the plane is broke and not fling who covers lodging, no one from either place could or would give me an answer. All I can say is the standard policys are very vage, But to be charged for an extra insurance that does nothing for a traveler and is automatically mark "yes" for a customer is a big SCAM for money for both Frontier and AIG. Try calling and asking what the plan does for a traveler? it is a joke!

Booked a ticket on their website. My card didn't go through. They asked me to call their call center, I called it and gave them my other credit card. They then asked me to wait, and later told me sometimes card confirmation takes longer and that when it came through it they will email me. 3 days no email. I figured the card didn't go through. So today I made a fresh booking and got a lower rate on their website.

I was checking my card information and I found out that the card was charged the second time (when i spoke to the call center). I then called the call center and they were quite adamant they this was not their fault that I did not receive an email confirming the payment. They told me that I should have called the call center to get an update if the payment went through. AFter much haggling they said we can only refund the latest one and not the previous one. I figured they saw the difference and decided to stick with the higher priced ticket. The funny thing is that i got the confirmation for the payment denied and the new reservation, but they claim that they had sent the email confirming my first ticket too, which for some reason I never received. THE lady supervisor seemed even more adamant that It is not their fault and it was my fault that I had bought a second ticket while the first was confirmed and reserved. I wonder if I hadn't paid for the first ticket would they allow me to board the plane, just because my ticket was confirmed and reserved. They almost made it sound that even the refund being offered on the second ticket was my good luck.

All this for $35 difference...wonder if the airlines think it was worth loosing the gratitude of their customers over a genuine case such as this. Just leaves a bad taste that although this was a genuine case (otherwise why offer to refund even one ticket), they chose to act in the manner they did. Actually a bit scared of flying with them now..if their call center was like this ...how would their ground staff be.

I would think twice before booking tickets with this airlines...at least through their website.

Thanks
Apurva M

Don't bother with Frontier Airline's Early Return Program. They allow you to earn a lot of points but they don't give you anyway to use them. A round trip ticket with flexible dates is impossible to get and I don't know why they have Mexico as an option. What a joke, I regret ever flying with them. One-way tickets are possible but not likely.

Well i had bought a ticket in California were i live i went to mexico on vacation when i was ready to return home my flight was going to leave at 344pm, i got to the airport a little before 130pm. I stood in line and the security was taking a while to check luggage, when it came my turn the security told me to see the man at the desk. I went to talk to him he told me the window closes at 3pm i looked at the clock and it was 303 pm. He told me i had to fly the next day well i needed to get home so i had to buy a ticket on another airline to get home it cost me 400 dollars and i had to wait at the airport 8 hours. I tried to deal with FRONTIER AIRLINES but they want to pass the blame on security i went to the bbb and they still refuse to give me a full refund. I think if you want to fly and have customer service you should try another airline except Frontier Airlines or you could be out money and maybe stranded!

Frontiers Airlines charged my credit card without my authorization and denied seats on August 19,2007 flight from Cancun to Los Angeles to my family of five by overbooking,overselling and not helping me when I needed help in Cancun during Hurricane Dean.

My credit card was charged by Frontier Airlines without my knowledge, I was bumped and denied seats. After many months of aggravation , stress and agony I have not been compensated for all the troubles caused by Frontier Airline

I sincerely regret that I have to write this letter. I think it is my duty as a consumer to advise you of the events that occurred with your airline employees at McCarran International airport on June 25, 2006. This was, in all of my years of travel, the worst experience with an airline and its' personnel that I have ever had. In fact, it was undoubtedly my worst experience with any company in general let alone an airline. For the sake of the health of your organization I think it is vital that you be made aware of the gross mistreatment I received from your employees as well as their unreasonable enforcement of airline policy.

Sunday morning, at approximately 9:10a.m. I was 5 minutes late for the 45 minute check in that Frontier Airlines requires (though nowhere on my e-ticket did it say that). The ticket agent, a petite, young woman with blond hair named Kristin asked if I was on this flight to Denver. I told her yes, expecting her to try to help me make the flight as there was still 40 minutes left and this has happened to me before with other airlines. She flat out said, "You aren't getting on the plane." I told her light-heartedly that I was a fast walker but she refused. While remaining calm and friendly I asked her to please let me try to make my flight. She said, "NO, absolutely not." I have to mention that she did not smile, smirk, laugh or come close to breaking that death glare, pinched face, snippy voice at any time. She then said she was putting my bags on standby for the next flight and that I "MIGHT" be able to get on the standby flight with my bags. I thanked her and hurried to the gate.

So, I arrive at the gate in approximately 10-12 minutes and approach the ticket agent there. Richard Anderson (taller with salt and pepper hair and a beard) did not look pleased to see me. I, on the other hand was thrilled to see that the plane had NOT ARRIVED. I told him what happened and he started to slowly type some things on the computer and tell me what I already knew, which was that Kristen had not checked me in. I said, "Well I'm here now, so can you check me in now?" He sighed and heaved and started pecking at the keys again. I was perplexed as to why they still wouldn't let me on the flight (since I was there and since the plane was not). Again he told me he couldn't do anything.

I asked to speak to a manager and then he made a call and came back to me saying that the manager was Kristen from downstairs and that she WASN'T GOING TO HELP ME. Meanwhile the plane arrives and passengers begin deplaning. I again try to plead to Richards's rational side by saying that I was a paying customer who purchased a round trip ticket between Chicago Midway and Las Vegas and that I was here and ready and there was no real reason on God's green earth why I shouldn't be put on my flight.

Again, I'm subject to that vacant, vapid look that I will become so accustomed to in dealing with the McCarran Frontier ground crew. Richard asks if I had any bags. I told him that Kristen had put them on standby for the next flight. Richard seemed relieved by this and told me that I have to travel with my bags. Then he walked away. I couldn't leave as I was utterly stunned. I looked over to Richard and he was whispering behind a clipboard to the two young women who were taking boarding passes. They both shot me darting glances. I have a very hard time believing that hard fast rule of traveling with bags since I know from personal experience that that is not always the case.

As I waited there until MY plane was boarding, I tried to ask the other Frontier employees questions about why I could not get on the plane. One was a young African American girl with a head band and short braids, the other a woman of Latina descent and long brown hair, both appearing about 20-22. Neither of them would LOOK at me to answer any of my questions. They would either fiddle with some papers, type on the keyboard or simply WALK AWAY from me. I have to point out that I had yet to raise my voice beyond an excited "Please, please, can you let me on this plane?" I had not insulted, scowled, glared, condescended to, swore or anything that would peg me as a difficult or unmanageable passenger. Conversely, all of those things, swearing aside, had been done to me by multiple McCarran Frontier ground employees.

I notice a short African American man in glasses at the Frontier counter. I naively think he may be able to help me at least get bumped up the standby list and show me my options once I got to Denver. AGAIN I'm greeted with a sigh and a glare. I have been flying on a regular basis for 30 years and I know how to deal with customer service people. It is annoying enough to have a customer service representative who does their job and does what is in the best interest of the customer but may be sort of rude about it, but it is a complete travesty to have someone who is both unhelpful and does not meet the minimum requirements of being able to communicate with human beings.

I explained my plight as quickly as I could. He said he couldn't tell if I would get on standby until that flight was closed. He went on to say that he couldn't guarantee me a seat on the flight from Denver to Chicago and there were only two seats left. The only way to guarantee is to buy a one-way ticket from Denver to Chicago. He told me it would cost $225. I gave him my card wanting desperately to get home. So he typed away for literally 10 minutes, not really answering my questions.

A major line had formed behind me. The gentleman still typed away and would not make eye contact to answer any of my mom's or her friend Mike's (who coincidentally had just landed in Las Vegas) questions. None of us can really believe that I hadn't been allowed to board the plane in the first place even though I beat it to the gate. Finally the gentleman said that while we've been standing here the ticket price had gone up to $409! I nearly threw up. We were stuck between a rock and a hard place. We were given no options, no help and not even ONE apology the throughout this entire ordeal. While the gentleman is unapologetically taking my mother's money, Richard Anderson walks back up to the counter and asks with a smirk if I'm feeling better. I actually said, "No, not really, but my mom's here. Thank you for asking."

We stood there waiting to see if I would be getting on this next flight. We were ready to have them go get my bags off the flight if they weren't going to let me on, though I've never seen that happen. They did say I couldn't travel without them all the while saying that I may not get on this flight. The gentleman did call my name; I thanked him as I grabbed my boarding pass. I kissed my mom and hugged Mike and boarded the plane.

My seat is in the emergency row. The flight attendant stops and asks If I'm comfortable sitting in the exit row. I tell her, "I can't wait." She starts laughing. The next thing you know I see her coming back down the aisle with the African American gentleman from the Frontier counter behind her. I hear her asking people in the seats around me if they wouldn't mind switching seats with me. I was extremely confused. I'd just told her I was happy to be in the emergency row. The gentleman directly in front of me said he'd switch. So I got up to switch with him. I joked to the man next to me that, "They don't trust me." The flight attendant smiled and laughed and told me, "That's not it." The African American man then loudly announced, "YOU'VE HAD A BIT TO DRINK."

I have never in my life been so stunned, humiliated and enraged all at the same time. I sat down and bowed my head because I knew everyone on this full plane was staring at me. Still, as I type this, I really cannot believe that it actually happened. I had now been completely publicly humiliated by a representative of the company to which I had paid over $600.00 for horrible services.

The flight attendant came back and offered to buy my Direct TV for me. I pursed my lips with my head still down and shook my head no. She came back again during beverage service and knelt down and said how sorry she was that that had happened. That the African American man thought he smelled alcohol on me. Given that this was Las Vegas I'd bet that the majority of the people on the plane smelled like alcohol. I'd been out until 4:00am and I knew my mouth tasted stale, I knew I maybe smelled, but I also new that I was not drunk. The flight attendant actually argued with the gentleman and said that when she'd talked to me, in no way did she think I was the least bit drunk. I explained that regardless of the night before I was most certainly not drunk now. She told me that she, "…didn't know what went on out there with him but thought it was weird."

I didn't think it was weird. I thought that it was perfectly consistent with how I'd been treated up to this point. I was confused because several times I have flown with people who were actually drunk and the flight crew handled them with complete discretion, never even uttering the word "drunk".

I have traveled with Frontier for several years. I love the fares, the flight crew has always been friendly and I'm a sucker for the animals on the tail. I prefer to spend my money at smaller airlines as opposed to the monster conglomerates. However, this experience has saddened me to the fullest extent. No other passenger should ever experience the rudeness, the unreasonable policies, lack of compassion, defamation of character in a public forum, false accusations and slander. I hope that you take proper action against these employees. I trust that your human resources department can identify the people that I have written about based on the details I have provided. If you have further questions I implore you to contact me via phone or email.

My first instinct was to sue for slander for accusing me of drinking in front of a plan full of people, though it would be near impossible to show damages. What I would like out of this ordeal first and foremost is an apology. Second, I would like to have the money refunded from the ticket that I purchased to guarantee me a seat from Denver to Chicago. I have enclosed a copy of my receipt. Considering I had already purchased a roundtrip ticket, I would think that they could have used the money from the portion of the flight that I had already purchased and put it toward the change. They did not do that and it cost me over $600.00 to fly roundtrip from Chicago to Vegas. Third, I would like you to seriously consider that every single McCarran Frontier ground employee that I mentioned be severely reprimanded and/or terminated. Their actions were inexcusable and I highly doubt that I have been, or will be the only customer treated in the manner in which they treated me. Kristen, the manager, had her mind made up from the get go that she was in no way going to help me. I should have taken a clue from the unpleasant way in which she dealt with the woman and her two children in front of me and the woman behind me.

If I were you I would be ashamed, embarrassed and totally intolerant of the manner in which your staff has treated their paying customers. I have noticed a steady decline in service from airlines across the board. Please tell me that you will not allow people like this to drag down the Frontier name and further tarnish the industry as a whole. It would be refreshing to see an airline take responsibility for the actions of their employees and to ensure that their passengers are treated with the respect and helpfulness that they not only deserve, but that they have paid for.

Thank you for reading.

Kerri
Chicago, IL

Company details:
Frontier Airlines Flight 772 from Las Vegas, NV to Denver, CO.