Frontier Airlines fiasco

[deadsolid...shank]

Anyone trying to fly Frontier this weekend?

 

Dropped my wife and daughter of at DIA (Denver) this morning at 6:30 for their 8:45 flight to Houston. Checked beforehand, it showed the first leg of the flight coming in from Phoenix as cancelled, but theirs still scheduled. After checking in they were told the flight was delayed until 11:00. At 10:00 they cancelled the flight.

 

One person working customer service where the line is approximately a 2 1/2 hour(or more)wait, as is their customer service phone number. I wish I had looked at their facebook page prior because this seems to be how they've been doing it. Cancelling after people are already there. The girls could leave, but then Frontier won't help them at all. And in order to get their luggage back, they have to go out to the checkout counter and talk to a Frontier agent, but then they can can't get back on the concourse because their boarding pass has been stamped. And I'm back home, 200 miles away.

 

I don't know how these companies can get away with this crap.

[chickenpotpie]

Hate to say it but in any industry, the "low cost guy" is going to focus purely on that because that's all their clientele cares about. Customer service is quick to go out the window, unless you want to pay for it....I think AirTran did this before they went bankrupt.

[MtlJeff]

I absolutely hate travelling and get severe anxiety every time i do (which unfortunately is a decent amount)....it's not fear of flying as much as the lack of control you have over your schedule and the general mayhem that ensues at airports whenever there is cancellations or delays.

 

On the East coast i fly through Ohare a lot, and i read something like over 30% of flights there are delayed. We use Porter Airlines which is a regional northeast one, and i've had flights cancelled last minute aswell with them

 

When you have flights cancelled for whatever reason (around here weather is usually the reason) really there's no other option then to just suck it up and wait in that line. The airline will get you to your destination eventually....but it's not fun to wait 2-3 hours to get a hotel voucher and then come do it all again the next day

 

very odd in your case though that if they were using the same plane and the first flight was cancelled that the second wasn't cancelled at the same time. Maybe they were trying to find another plane for the second leg

[deadsolid...shank]

That what the wife and I were texting about. The lack of control and ability to do anything at all about it is what is frustrating.

 

Apparently now the word spreading through the concourse is numerous Frontier employees simply walked off the job this morning. A "semi-strike".

[dan360]

Not sure if it is still the same, but the bathrooms @ the Frontier terminal used to have heated and padded pooper seats....it was like sitting on a cloud.

 

Not completely relevant to your family's issue, but worth noting for anyone stuck there who ate too much Panda Express......

[golfandfishing]

As a whole we as consumers have told airlines that we will choose the lowest fare available with no regard to loyalty. This is what we taught the airline industry to do - lower fares, chop staff and operate on a bare bones infrastructure. This is fine for 90% of flights and we all fly across the country for $123, but one piece breaks and the result is what you experienced.

[deadsolid...shank]

As a whole we as consumers have told airlines that we will choose the lowest fare available with no regard to loyalty. This is what we taught the airline industry to do - lower fares, chop staff and operate on a bare bones infrastructure. This is fine for 90% of flights and we all fly across the country for $123, but one piece breaks and the result is what you experienced.

 

That is basically all true. However Southwest seems to make it work pretty well. They just don't happen to fly into George Bush in Houston, or Frontier would have never been looked at. In fact, they flew back on Spirit, which is even lower cost, less amenities than Frontier. They were fine.

[golfandfishing]

As a whole we as consumers have told airlines that we will choose the lowest fare available with no regard to loyalty. This is what we taught the airline industry to do - lower fares, chop staff and operate on a bare bones infrastructure. This is fine for 90% of flights and we all fly across the country for $123, but one piece breaks and the result is what you experienced.

 

That is basically all true. However Southwest seems to make it work pretty well. They just don't happen to fly into George Bush in Houston, or Frontier would have never been looked at. In fact, they flew back on Spirit, which is even lower cost, less amenities than Frontier. They were fine.

 

This time, for them. But somewhere on a message board someone is ranting how Spirit is the worst and they had an ordeal with them. SW has its share of critics also, and their fares are not always the lowest.

[deadsolid...shank]

As a whole we as consumers have told airlines that we will choose the lowest fare available with no regard to loyalty. This is what we taught the airline industry to do - lower fares, chop staff and operate on a bare bones infrastructure. This is fine for 90% of flights and we all fly across the country for $123, but one piece breaks and the result is what you experienced.

 

That is basically all true. However Southwest seems to make it work pretty well. They just don't happen to fly into George Bush in Houston, or Frontier would have never been looked at. In fact, they flew back on Spirit, which is even lower cost, less amenities than Frontier. They were fine.

 

This time, for them. But somewhere on a message board someone is ranting how Spirit is the worst and they had an ordeal with them. SW has its share of critics also, and their fares are not always the lowest.

 

Again all true. There are always instances for each one,but we can only form our opinions based on our own personal experiences with them and with reviews from others experiences. So, while there will be those who have had poor experiences with SW, they are going to be overwhelmingly higher rated than Frontier. Because their track record is far superior. Just read the reviews.

 

Spirit, yes I've heard the horror stories. But on the few occasions we've used them they've been fine.

[Munich77]

That really sucks. Unfortunately it happens with all airlines. I was supposed to take a trip to LA from DC in October and same story....after waiting an hour an a bit they cancelled the flight. The lines were insane and I could only get rebooked to Orange County. I was able to fly through O'Hare and finally got on a flight from there to LAX.... 12 hours after the fact. Customer service has gone down the drain.

[mtgrizinmn]

Frontier is the worst. We flew them to Orlando two years ago from St. Louis to Orlando. We had to check our youngest daughters car seat with our luggage. When we got to Orlando and got our luggage, no car seat. We went to the counter and asked about it, we were told, "They must have forgotten to put it on the plane and would get it to us later in the day." They had no loaner car seat and neither did the car rental, so I had to get the rental car and go buy a new car seat.

 

Long story short after several weeks of dealing with complete incompetents, still no car seat and no apology from Frontier. We will never fly with them again.

[Wriggles]

I'm glad I haven't been on an airplane since 1990. Never encountered any problems whatsoever. I recall back in the 1960's, men wore coats and ties, and ladies wore dresses on planes, even to football games.

 

The quote, "Clothes make the man" (or woman) may be true. Maybe, if people looked like they deserved decent service, maybe they might get it.

 

Just a thought on a January day.

 

PS: I really sympathize with the OP and everyone else who needs to travel, or receive any type of customer service. Really sad state of affairs.

[Argonne69]

I fly Southwest for 95% of my flights. They certainly have their problems, but from what I read they pale compared to the other airlines. Their on-time performance in and out of Midway is a joke. Any sign of bad weather and the airport is ready to close up. On my last trip it took 90 minutes to get my golf clubs after touchdown, as the oversized luggage conveyor was broken, and they didn't have the personnel to simply haul everyone's luggage up to the carousel. In December of 2015 they canceled my flight out of New Orleans at the last minute. I had already returned my rental car, and was standing in line to check my clubs when I got the word. Had they canceled the flight earlier in the day, I would have kept the car and golfed another day. Luckily they managed to get me out late the next day.

 

That said, being able to check my clubs and suitcase for free is worth the slightly higher price compared to the discount airlines. Living in Chicago, their largest or second largest hub, means I can get a direct flight to pretty much any major city. A handful of smaller cities requires a plane change.

[deadsolid...shank]

I fly Southwest for 95% of my flights. They certainly have their problems, but from what I read they pale compared to the other airlines. Their on-time performance in and out of Midway is a joke. Any sign of bad weather and the airport is ready to close up. On my last trip it took 90 minutes to get my golf clubs after touchdown, as the oversized luggage conveyor was broken, and they didn't have the personnel to simply haul everyone's luggage up to the carousel. In December of 2015 they canceled my flight out of New Orleans at the last minute. I had already returned my rental car, and was standing in line to check my clubs when I got the word. Had they canceled the flight earlier in the day, I would have kept the car and golfed another day. Luckily they managed to get me out late the next day.

 

That said, being able to check my clubs and suitcase for free is worth the slightly higher price compared to the discount airlines. Living in Chicago, their largest or second largest hub, means I can get a direct flight to pretty much any major city. A handful of smaller cities requires a plane change.

 

We typically fly Southwest almost exclusively, but Houston presents a problem for us. Southwest only flys into Hobby which is south Houston and the inlaws live in Montgomery 40-50 miles north of Houston. Hate for my FIL to have to drive all the way across town when Bush International is so much closer. But then Southwest isn't an option.

 

Fortunately our one trip in and out of Midway didn't present any problems, and so far the kids have been flying from there to Denver pretty smoothly.

[Munich77]

I prefer Southwest as well. I have flown Virgin America and loved it - for international I love Virgin Atlantic.

[deadsolid...shank]

Incidentally, Denver is predicted to have a fairly good sized storm in the next couple of days. Mainly starting Wednesday afternoon and evening. Frontier has already canceled 20+ flights for tomorrow.

[highergr0und]

Southwest rules!!! They are not always the cheapest, but the service is worth it. Only downside is their status stuff isn't that great.

 

Sorry to hear about your frontier issues. They've made a choice to make their CS horrible....

[Argonne69]

Southwest rules!!! They are not always the cheapest, but the service is worth it. Only downside is their status stuff isn't that great.

 

Sorry to hear about your frontier issues. They've made a choice to make their CS horrible....

 

SW's one time performance is pretty sad, but if one is an occasional traveling golfer, they really can't be beat. My large golf bag (49.5 lbs) and suitcase checks for free, but would cost $60 each way on United and American, and $55 each way on JetBlue.

[bigred90gt]

As a whole we as consumers have told airlines that we will choose the lowest fare available with no regard to loyalty. This is what we taught the airline industry to do - lower fares, chop staff and operate on a bare bones infrastructure. This is fine for 90% of flights and we all fly across the country for $123, but one piece breaks and the result is what you experienced.

 

That is basically all true. However Southwest seems to make it work pretty well. They just don't happen to fly into George Bush in Houston, or Frontier would have never been looked at. In fact, they flew back on Spirit, which is even lower cost, less amenities than Frontier. They were fine.

 

They don't need fly into Bush, but they do fly to hobby which is about 20-30 minute street for me Bush by car, just for future reference.

[deadsolid...shank]

As a whole we as consumers have told airlines that we will choose the lowest fare available with no regard to loyalty. This is what we taught the airline industry to do - lower fares, chop staff and operate on a bare bones infrastructure. This is fine for 90% of flights and we all fly across the country for $123, but one piece breaks and the result is what you experienced.

 

That is basically all true. However Southwest seems to make it work pretty well. They just don't happen to fly into George Bush in Houston, or Frontier would have never been looked at. In fact, they flew back on Spirit, which is even lower cost, less amenities than Frontier. They were fine.

 

They don't need fly into Bush, but they do fly to hobby which is about 20-30 minute street for me Bush by car, just for future reference.

 

Yeah, I know they fly into Hobby. Problem is my in laws live north in Montgomery. I hate to have my 80 year old FIL have to drive clear across town to pick up. But that's probably what we'll have to do in the future.

[bigred90gt]

As a whole we as consumers have told airlines that we will choose the lowest fare available with no regard to loyalty. This is what we taught the airline industry to do - lower fares, chop staff and operate on a bare bones infrastructure. This is fine for 90% of flights and we all fly across the country for $123, but one piece breaks and the result is what you experienced.

 

That is basically all true. However Southwest seems to make it work pretty well. They just don't happen to fly into George Bush in Houston, or Frontier would have never been looked at. In fact, they flew back on Spirit, which is even lower cost, less amenities than Frontier. They were fine.

 

They don't need fly into Bush, but they do fly to hobby which is about 20-30 minute street for me Bush by car, just for future reference.

 

Yeah, I know they fly into Hobby. Problem is my in laws live north in Montgomery. I hate to have my 80 year old FIL have to drive clear across town to pick up. But that's probably what we'll have to do in the future.

 

I didn't see your later post about that till after I posted.

 

I've flown spirit a few times and had no problems. Never personally been on frontier, but know someone who has and had no issues. I've had United cancel a flight after delaying it forn6 hours, and I had to go through the same song and dance of standing in a long line to get rebooked on a flight the next day. Had to get a hotel room with no clothes to wear the next day, as they couldn't find my bag. The person who was looking gave up and left, and after I sat in the baggage area for 2 hours waiting for a response, I asked them for the 4th time and that's when they said he left.

[deadsolid...shank]

As a whole we as consumers have told airlines that we will choose the lowest fare available with no regard to loyalty. This is what we taught the airline industry to do - lower fares, chop staff and operate on a bare bones infrastructure. This is fine for 90% of flights and we all fly across the country for $123, but one piece breaks and the result is what you experienced.

 

That is basically all true. However Southwest seems to make it work pretty well. They just don't happen to fly into George Bush in Houston, or Frontier would have never been looked at. In fact, they flew back on Spirit, which is even lower cost, less amenities than Frontier. They were fine.

 

They don't need fly into Bush, but they do fly to hobby which is about 20-30 minute street for me Bush by car, just for future reference.

 

Yeah, I know they fly into Hobby. Problem is my in laws live north in Montgomery. I hate to have my 80 year old FIL have to drive clear across town to pick up. But that's probably what we'll have to do in the future.

 

I didn't see your later post about that till after I posted.

 

I've flown spirit a few times and had no problems. Never personally been on frontier, but know someone who has and had no issues. I've had United cancel a flight after delaying it forn6 hours, and I had to go through the same song and dance of standing in a long line to get rebooked on a flight the next day. Had to get a hotel room with no clothes to wear the next day, as they couldn't find my bag. The person who was looking gave up and left, and after I sat in the baggage area for 2 hours waiting for a response, I asked them for the 4th time and that's when they said he left.

 

Wow. Customer service sure isn't what it used to be is it !? We've used Spirit twice. They nickel and dime you to death, but there were no flight problems.