# Tell Me About Frontier Airlines **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 7, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498 "2011-09-07T13:28:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/1 "2011-09-07T13:28:11Z")
Just wanted to hear what to expect when flying Frontier Airlines. Flying on a budget, it seems to be the best deal. What do experienced SD flyers have to say? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/2 "2011-09-07T13:36:43Z")
I’ve flown it many times and have never had any complaints. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/3 "2011-09-07T13:43:18Z")
If they’re the same ones I flew as a kid (into / out of Canada), they’ve been around longer than Southwest and most of the other budget airlines. ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/4 "2011-09-07T13:47:50Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > If they’re the same ones I flew as a kid (into / out of Canada), they’ve been around longer than Southwest and most of the other budget airlines. Nope, sorry they have not. The original shutdown in 1986, related to business dealings that I still can not talk about unemotionally. The current iteration was started by a group of former Frontier I employees, but has been bought up by Republic although they changed names to Frontier. I can’t provide any help on the current version. But the original was a great airline to fly on until near the end. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/5 "2011-09-07T13:53:01Z")
> [@howye](#): > > Nope, sorry they have not. The original shutdown in 1986, related to business dealings that I still can not talk about unemotionally. The current iteration was started by a group of former Frontier I employees, but has been bought up by Republic although they changed names to Frontier. > > I can’t provide any help on the current version. But the original was a great airline to fly on until near the end. My sympathies. I have a close relative with similar horror stories about the end of another airline. Pedantic ETA: Well, okay, I don’t actually know that they’re similar, but I imagine they are. ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/6 "2011-09-07T17:06:12Z")
This is a timely question, because I just booked my first flight on Frontier as well… Their rating seems to be the same as American and United (for what that’s worth) so I figured it would be fine. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/7 "2011-09-07T17:20:09Z")
The only snack they give you is a fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie. Unfortunately they don’t serve it during beverage service, and it isn’t very good. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/8 "2011-09-07T17:38:43Z")
Apparently, they empower their cabin crew to upgrade people to first class when it makes sense. Like when first class is basically empty and they have two really big passengers sitting next to each other in coach. I have never had nor seen this happen on another airline. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/9 "2011-09-07T17:39:55Z")
I’ve travelled ABQ to DEN and ABQ to Cozumel on them. Not a lot of frills, but they’re OK. The cookie is hit or miss. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/10 "2011-09-07T17:43:56Z")
I’ve only flown them on one trip. The service was fine (except for the obligatory connection in Denver, but that’s the way these things go). The only weird thing I encountered was that Frontier flew into the old terminal in San Jose, which had been undergoing renovation for what seemed forever. We had to access the airplane by walking outside and climbing stairs. I hadn’t done that anywhere since some time in the 1980’s. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/11 "2011-09-07T17:45:42Z")
I’ve flown them several times with no regrets. A+. Would book again. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/12 "2011-09-07T18:18:41Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > I’ve travelled ABQ to DEN and ABQ to Cozumel on them. Really? You couldn’t write out “Albuquerque” and “Denver”? You had to make me go look those up? ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/13 "2011-09-07T19:00:58Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > I’ve only flown them on one trip. The service was fine (except for the obligatory connection in Denver, but that’s the way these things go). The only weird thing I encountered was that Frontier flew into the old terminal in San Jose, which had been undergoing renovation for what seemed forever. We had to access the airplane by walking outside and climbing stairs. I hadn’t done that anywhere since some time in the 1980’s. That old terminal is no more. They built a new terminal and then, I think, demolished the old one to make room for a parking lot. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/14 "2011-09-07T19:06:59Z")
Midwest Airlines is now fully subsumed by Frontier. Midwest was one of the last great airlines in terms of comfort and good food. Now all you get is an occasional chocolate chip cookie on Frontier, in memory of what once was. I miss Midwest. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/15 "2011-09-07T19:10:52Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Really? You couldn’t write out “Albuquerque” and “Denver”? You had to make me go look those up? I wanted to make it clear that I was leaving from the airport, rather than having them pick me up somewhere else in town. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/16 "2011-09-07T19:17:34Z")
> [@Kevbo](#): > > Apparently, they empower their cabin crew to upgrade people to first class when it makes sense. Like when first class is basically empty and they have two really big passengers sitting next to each other in coach. I have never had nor seen this happen on another airline. I’m pretty certain that Frontier doesn’t have any planes with a first class cabin. They are a good airline. No frills, but who does anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/17 "2011-09-07T19:34:52Z")
I’ve flown Frontier several times. I found it efficient, yet with a pleasant crew. I’d certainly fly again. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/18 "2011-09-08T00:45:57Z")
Thanks, all! That’s good to know! ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/19 "2011-09-08T01:10:34Z")
Opinions differ. Frontier is the only airline on my no-fly list due to a series of unfortunate customer-service incidents a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-frontier-airlines/595498/20 "2011-09-09T05:53:01Z")
It means you will probably be passing through Denver at some point. I hope to hell you don’t have to go through security there because even before 9/11 it was the worst airport I’ve ever been to - ONE line for the entire airport!!! Also Frontier doesn’t do first class, and their coach is pretty shabby. On the plus side, their pilots know how to take off/land during a snow storm.