Blog: New Frontier Fees To "Improve" Travel Experience, Huh?
By Jim Donovan: The nickel and diming of air travelers continues to expand, this time with Frontier Airlines. The carrier has announced some new charges that it claims in part will "improve the travel experience for its most loyal customers," huh? Yep that's right they are adding fees and they want you to be happy about it.
You may recall that Frontier has recently expanded service in our area. I know that the mountain air is a little thin up at their main hub in Denver, but if this is the way they hope to attract customers, they need to take a hit of oxygen.
The first new charge involves carry-on-baggage. Frontier says that its most loyal customers have made it very clear that finding overhead bin space for carry-on bags has become unacceptably difficult. In response, Frontier will be introducing a charge for carry-on bags for customers buying Basic fares through third party sites. The fee will range from $25 -$100, but they don't explain how they'll determine what price you'll pay. The message is clear - buy your tickets directly from us or you'll be sorry. All tickets sold through their website include a carry-on bag with the fare. How nice of them.
Checking a bag? The fee to check a first bag will remain $20 when purchased during on-line check-in at FlyFrontier.com but will increase to $25 when purchased at airport check-in for all Economy and Basic tickets booked on or after June 1, 2013 for travel on or after July 11, 2013.
If all this information is making you thirsty. I suggest that you drink up before you board. As part of the transformation into an "Ultra Low Cost Carrier", Frontier will begin charging for onboard beverages this summer. Effective July 1, 2013, customers who purchase Economy or Basic fares will be charged $1.99 for coffee, tea, soda and juice. All on-board purchases continue to require a credit or debit card. Beverages will continue to be free for Ascent and Summit level EarlyReturns® members, as well as for all customers who purchase Classic and Classic Plus fares, when they show their boarding pass or EarlyReturns® membership card. All customers will now receive a full can of soda or juice and customers choosing coffee will be offered free refills.
A whole can of soda and coffee refills, Yippee!
