President Biden recently announced that he plans to crack down on travel “junk fees,” including airlines charging fees for families to sit together. While no laws have been passed yet, we’re seeing airlines be proactive.
A couple of days ago, United Airlines announced an impressive new family seating policy. Now Frontier Airlines has announced its policy, which interestingly has been in the process of being rolled out for several months now. I imagine we’ll see other airlines follow — I won’t be covering each of these, but I do think it’s interesting to look at how a legacy airline is approaching this, and how an ultra low cost carrier is approaching this.
In this post:
How Frontier Airlines is seating families together
Frontier Airlines has undertaken measures in recent months to improve its system for ensuring that children are seated with at least one adult in their party. When flying Frontier, at least one parent will automatically be seated with any children within their family group who are under the age of 14.
How does this work? At no additional charge, the airline will automatically assign seats based on family members’ ages before the check-in window opens. Frontier ordinarily charges for all seat assignments, so customers will also have the option to choose their own seats for a fee, if they prefer.
Here’s how Daniel Shurz, Frontier’s SVP of Commercial, describes this development:
“We recognize the importance of seating children next to an adult with whom they are traveling. Since last October, we have been doubling down on our efforts and further enhancing our system for ensuring a parent is seated with any children under the age of 14 in their family group. The system is working well and we are receiving positive feedback.”
This is a fair approach on Frontier’s part
First of all, it’s fantastic to see that airlines are voluntarily complying with President Biden’s recommendations, even without any laws being passed yet. I imagine we’ll see virtually all airlines do the same in the coming weeks, as soon as they have the technology needed to implement this. The optics are better of rolling this out voluntarily rather than being forced to by regulators.
Frontier’s policy seems fair, without really cannibalizing revenue much:
- Assigning seats to families shortly before check-in opens is easy, since I don’t think there has been a Frontier flight in history where there weren’t seats together shortly before check-in opens (since any seats assigned in advance have to be paid for, and most people aren’t looking to pay just to secure a standard seat)
- Frontier promises that children will be seated with “at least one” adult; it’s not clear if the intent is to seat the entire family together and that’s just a minimum promise, or if the airline will intentionally only assign one adult with a child (or multiple children), and try to get the other adult to pay to sit with them
- While I’d say this is totally fair on Frontier’s part (given that it’s an ultra low cost carrier), seats will automatically be assigned, and you won’t be able to change them for free; so if you’re not happy with the seats you’re assigned together, you’ll have to pay to move
Bottom line
Frontier Airlines is formalizing its family seating policy, whereby the airline is assigning seats for families shortly before check-in opens (24 hours out). Specifically, if you’re traveling on one reservation with a child under the age of 14, the airline will automatically assign at least one adult in the party a seat next to them.
If you’re not happy with the seat you’re automatically assigned, you’ll have to pay a fee to change seats.
What do you make of Frontier’s family seating policy?
I have not flown for 25 years. Back then you could purchase your airline flights directly with the airlines ahead of time and pick your own seats, and sat together with your whole family. What has happened to our current world?
i spent 4 hours fighting with frontier on an online chat after i was promised my 13 year old daughter would sit next to my wife and they refused to allow it without paying for 2 seats at $50 per seat horrible customer service on frontiers part my daughter cried for 2 hours... eventually i on my own found someone to switch with my daughter
Last November I had 6 ticketed passengers, including my 4 children ages 1, 4, 8, and 10. They sat all 6 of us in separate, non-concurrent rows. My 1 year old was 4 rows away from an adult! The flight attendants were great and re-sat people to accommodate us, citing this policy, but they told me to complain to the FAA.
Instead I took it back to Frontier- their customer service basically replied, if...
Last November I had 6 ticketed passengers, including my 4 children ages 1, 4, 8, and 10. They sat all 6 of us in separate, non-concurrent rows. My 1 year old was 4 rows away from an adult! The flight attendants were great and re-sat people to accommodate us, citing this policy, but they told me to complain to the FAA.
Instead I took it back to Frontier- their customer service basically replied, if you didn’t pay extra for the assigned seats, too bad. I pushed back that that wasn’t right, safe, or fair to other passengers and they had a similar answer. Zero acknowledgment or apology.
I traveled to Denver with my family on Frontier. We spent $308 on the way there for bags. On the way back it was $258. They were charging $100 a bag when boarding to those with carry on. 3 people 2 bags $566.
I am very disappointed by traveling on Frontier Airline in August. Flight got cancelled and was told to get another flight and you will be reimbursed upto $300 per person. We booked through delta from Atlanta to DFW. Called and mailed package with all the documents to the customer relation. No response as of today. Tickets were booked through third party Guru Cheap Fares.
Very bad experience with Frontier. First and last
All family should be placed together with no extra charge! They nickel and dime us so much no such thing as a cheap airfare! After all chargers are made you paid for a delta ticket with. No free wifi being that into play
Hi I just took a flight on frontier and my family was split up me and my son got to sit together and my wife sat about 15 seats in front of us. On the way back the same thing happened but I just asked a stewardist if she could see this all together if they had space available she did whatever she could and and it within 5 minutes we were all sitting together....
Hi I just took a flight on frontier and my family was split up me and my son got to sit together and my wife sat about 15 seats in front of us. On the way back the same thing happened but I just asked a stewardist if she could see this all together if they had space available she did whatever she could and and it within 5 minutes we were all sitting together. Also did not charge me Best bet is just make sure when you're booking they let you pick your seating that you pick the appropriate seats. I think frontier did a great job although I'm not too happy with all the airlines and how they're charging for anything bigger than carry on
Frontier Airlines Use To Be My Most Favorite To Fly. I'm A Den Member And Have The Credit Card. Unfortunately Not Sure WHT Thibgs Have Changed But They Are Absolutely Horrible. I Mean Horrible. My Husband And I Are Going To Get Rid If The Credit Card And I Won't Be A Den Member Anymore. They Screw You Every Way They Can. It's So Sad.
Our flight was canceled 1 hour before check-in. No explanation, no customer service. Low fairs if they happen to fly you to your destination on the day and time that you paid for (6 weeks of having your money)
Does anyone know how to redeem the kids fly free?
Pretend they are ESA.
Charging for seats is ridiculous......what do they want you to do stand up??!! I know someone who did not pay for a seat and when the " airline" OVERBOOKED.....how they do that, I hAve no idea!! He was kicked off.........not..the last person who purchased a seat!! Etc....Ridiculous
Just had half of my trip completed, was rescheduled twice last night and almost lost 1 day of vacation. Even had to get a hotel room so my kids could rest of last night ordeal.
Even would not help to get a reasonable booking to get to my destination on time. Extremely poor customer service. Even wanting to pay for an appropriate booking
Family should wait to get checked in like I had to when my children were small no jumping ahead.
Yes Frontier does have low fares but the seats are very uncomfortable because they don't recline and you have to sit straight up your whole flight and you have to pay for water.
We did fly on frontier airlines couple days ago. My 10 year old son got seat assigned with me, but my 14 year old son got standby ticket. How is it possible, we all booked together, and I am an Elite member. I see no benefits to be elite member for frontier. Customer service is at its worst.
I will avoid flying frontier they nickel and dime you for everything no customer service help unless you pay can't get anyone on the phone the cost you pay for an assigned seat is ridiculous people need to stick together by not flying frontier forcing them to make changes U can go on and on about frontier they pretty much suck.
FRONTIER SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN!!!
Worst flight period! They rope you in with good fare when you leave your desired state, but force you to pay extra money in order to return home with the same luggage you flew in with. BAD BAD BUSINESS RUN!!! EVEN IF THE TICKETS ARE FREE!! UNLESS YOU ONLY PLAN TO TAKE A TOOTHBRUSH!!!
The kiosk in Cancun would not print up boarding passes so we had to go to a window. Since we had to go to a window we are charged an extra $100. The person at the window said we would be charged to print up passes but we were.
Send this exact message to frontier in writing. Declare (do not demand): “Please refund this charge to my original payment method.” Wait one week. If you don’t get your money back that way, file a chargeback.
They don't care, he's not getting it back. I had some silly status match. So I was their top tier 100k or whatever it is. Everything is supposedly 100% refundable. Oops flight is only a dollar the next 200 are fake unrefundable charges.
I pay for 2 seats cause I'm bigger and every time they put them in A and F then they want me to pay for seats again to have them together so bitch at the airlines not me if you get seated by me
Why not invite the person seated next to you to take your other seat? So if you sit in A, somebody shows up in B, you tell them F is open because you reserved two seats and the airline isn’t smart enough to keep them together.
Doesn’t guarantee that your seat mate will actually move, because who knows if they’re even dumber then the airline they’re flying on.
I avoid Frontier if at all possible. Got nailed with a $99. Penalty fee at the gate for my personal item being 1” over. This same bag has always been accepted by this airline and many others many times. In fact my departure flight with Frontier my bag was fine but not the return flight. And it fits just fine under seats. The 2 very small wheels were the problem. Grrrrr
Great. Unaccompanied children are great safety risk not only for themselves but for everyone - in case of emergency, you do not want to have screaming kids trying to run in the direction opposite to evacuation to find their parents.
I flew them over the weekend as a family of 4 and my friend flew as a family of 3. Frontier assigned a seat 3 days before flight and they purposefully split the family, one adult and one child and sat them us 4 rows away. My friends family was 2 and 1 adult by themselves no where near their family.
Good job Frontier. I still won't fly them because they insist on measuring underseat bags. Their official guidelines are hella tiny. I know my backpack fits under the seat yet Frontier will ask me to pay $60 to bring it as a full sized carry-on. That makes Frontier fares close to legacy airlines where my standard issue black backpack has never been questioned. And I have not even touched upon the discomfort of the seats...
Good job Frontier. I still won't fly them because they insist on measuring underseat bags. Their official guidelines are hella tiny. I know my backpack fits under the seat yet Frontier will ask me to pay $60 to bring it as a full sized carry-on. That makes Frontier fares close to legacy airlines where my standard issue black backpack has never been questioned. And I have not even touched upon the discomfort of the seats and lack of other amenities (including crucially a RELIABLE ON TIME PERFORMANCE)
It's not a guideline, it's their rule.
And the rule is for 'personal item' not what fits under the seat.
So if it doesn't fit in the sizer, it's not a free personal item.
PSA: Every ULCC have unique 'personal item' size, so don't trust that if it fits Spirit means it would fit Frontier.
Most airlines, not just ULCCs, describe the max dimensions of a personal item. Most other airlines simply do not care beyond the item fitting under the seat.
So, Frontier is unique not in having a rule, but in being hardass about it. Is it their right? Yes. Is it also my right to never fly them? Yes, I almost booked a flight but exited my browser once I saw the smallness of the personal item...
Most airlines, not just ULCCs, describe the max dimensions of a personal item. Most other airlines simply do not care beyond the item fitting under the seat.
So, Frontier is unique not in having a rule, but in being hardass about it. Is it their right? Yes. Is it also my right to never fly them? Yes, I almost booked a flight but exited my browser once I saw the smallness of the personal item dimensions. And is it my right to criticize them nonstop for being a hardass about this rule and encourage other travelers never to fly them for this reason? YES!!!
"Rules are rules" -- said every hypocritical unhealthy overweight grade school PE teacher who almost certainly broke the speed limit on his or her commute that very morning.
P.S. I believe Frontier used to not care about this, but made a corporate strategy decision at some recent point in time to start being hardass about it and generate more revenue. It's not the underlying "letter of the law" that changed, but the enforcement.
Frontier should go (first letter of their own name) themselves.