DENVER — Frontier Airlines has abandoned a $39 upgrade charge for customers who preferred to sit next to an empty seat on upcoming flights.
In a letter to members of Congress, CEO Barry Biffle wrote, "We recognize the concerns raised that we are profiting from safety and this was never our intent. We simply wanted to provide our customers with an option for more space.”
Speaking to Next with Kyle Clark earlier this week, Biffle said the offer was Frontier’s way of “guaranteeing” safety for travelers who want to practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The “More Room” plan was going to start May 8 and last through Aug. 31.
Biffle's letter continued, "However, we will rescind the seat price increase associated with the More Room product and revert to our former seat assignment pricing. We will leave the seats blocked which were associated with this product & honor purchases made by all customers."
His message was in response to criticism earlier in the day from Congressmen Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-Illinois), and Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.). In their letter, they called Frontier’s policy “bewildering.”
“Frontier’s plan to charge customers a fee from $39 to $89 for appropriate space, in addition to the passenger’s ticket and other ancillary fees charged by Frontier, is outrageous given the spread of the coronavirus. The flying public should not be charged extra to stay healthy on flights,” the letter also said.
Like most other airlines, the Denver-based Frontier is requiring passengers and employees to wear a face-covering or mask. The airline has also rolled out a plan for temperature checks for all passengers and crew starting in June.
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