Canceling the first flight of a roundtrip ticket
Oct 1, 2015, 12:25 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 71
Canceling the first flight of a roundtrip ticket
I'm flying on Frontier from LAX to MCO on Oct. 31. I paid $45 each way on a killer deal.
Right now JetBlue is offering an earlier flight out of Long Beach on Oct. 31 for $51. I'd like to just eat the $45 I spent on the first leg of my roundtrip on Frontier.
Can I cancel the first leg of my flight without paying the $100 fee?
I thought about just no showing on the first flight, but apparently if you no show they cancel your return trip too?
Right now JetBlue is offering an earlier flight out of Long Beach on Oct. 31 for $51. I'd like to just eat the $45 I spent on the first leg of my roundtrip on Frontier.
Can I cancel the first leg of my flight without paying the $100 fee?
I thought about just no showing on the first flight, but apparently if you no show they cancel your return trip too?
Oct 1, 2015, 1:38 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SMF
Posts: 1,251
Unfortunately no, there's no way to get out of flying the first leg without either paying the fee or having the return flight canceled. This is one reason many people only buy one-ways. However the downside to that is that many credit cards require a round-trip purchase to be able to receive trip delay insurance.
Oct 2, 2015, 8:23 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
I'm not so sure.
There was an exchange on twitter about this issue a while ago:
Here is the applicable part of the T & C
Never tried it but is seems you can cancel a ticket and not pay the change fee but if you reuse the credit that's when you pay the $99 change fee. Of course if the ticket is less that $99 the credit will simply expire.
mominem @mominem Sep 3
@FrontierCare If a passenger misses the outgoing flight on a round trip do you cancel return flight?
@FrontierCare If a passenger misses the outgoing flight on a round trip do you cancel return flight?
Frontier Airlines @FrontierCare Sep 3
@mominem Yes, please check out cancellation at: http://spr.ly/6019ByZbP . ^BG
@mominem Yes, please check out cancellation at: http://spr.ly/6019ByZbP . ^BG
mominem @mominem Sep 3
@FrontierCare If I cancel the outgoing flight is the return flight still valid?
@FrontierCare If I cancel the outgoing flight is the return flight still valid?
Frontier Airlines @FrontierCare Sep 3
@mominem If you cancel the outbound prior to take off, you can still fly the return. ^BG
@mominem If you cancel the outbound prior to take off, you can still fly the return. ^BG
mominem @mominem Sep 3
@FrontierCare So if I cancel and Economy ticket I will have a credit for 90 days. If I use the credit I will then pay a $99 Fee. Correct?
@FrontierCare So if I cancel and Economy ticket I will have a credit for 90 days. If I use the credit I will then pay a $99 Fee. Correct?
Frontier Airlines @FrontierCare Sep 3
@mominem Yeah, there would be a change fee and applicable fare difference. ^BG
@mominem Yeah, there would be a change fee and applicable fare difference. ^BG
VOLUNTARY TICKET CANCELLATION
<snip>
Economy tickets will retain its value for 90 days, and the value of your ticket may be applied toward the purchase of a future ticket subject to a change fee of $99.
<snip>
Economy tickets will retain its value for 90 days, and the value of your ticket may be applied toward the purchase of a future ticket subject to a change fee of $99.
Oct 2, 2015, 6:22 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 71
Sigh...
The JetBlue fare expired, but I still was thinking of flying out a day earlier than scheduled (one way flight is $69 for 10/30... I paid $45 for the 31st, so it would only be $69 more to fly out a day earlier....)
I tried calling Frontier to find out about this. That was a disaster. I'm not sure why but I was not able to communicate what I wanted to do, or the person I spoke with could not understand it. They wanted to cancel both parts of my trip, not just the first leg, and then said I should just change the first leg for the $99 fee...
So I tried tweeting @frontiercares as well, and they also were not much help.
So I'm just going to stand pat with my current flight.
It's really a shame for Frontier. They could have gotten an additional $69 out of me, but because they can't clearly communicate what their policy is, I'm standing pat to avoid either accidentally canceling my return trip or having to pay a $99 change fee on a $45 fare.
The JetBlue fare expired, but I still was thinking of flying out a day earlier than scheduled (one way flight is $69 for 10/30... I paid $45 for the 31st, so it would only be $69 more to fly out a day earlier....)
I tried calling Frontier to find out about this. That was a disaster. I'm not sure why but I was not able to communicate what I wanted to do, or the person I spoke with could not understand it. They wanted to cancel both parts of my trip, not just the first leg, and then said I should just change the first leg for the $99 fee...
So I tried tweeting @frontiercares as well, and they also were not much help.
So I'm just going to stand pat with my current flight.
It's really a shame for Frontier. They could have gotten an additional $69 out of me, but because they can't clearly communicate what their policy is, I'm standing pat to avoid either accidentally canceling my return trip or having to pay a $99 change fee on a $45 fare.
Oct 2, 2015, 8:32 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
I tried calling Frontier to find out about this. That was a disaster. I'm not sure why but I was not able to communicate what I wanted to do, or the person I spoke with could not understand it. They wanted to cancel both parts of my trip, not just the first leg, and then said I should just change the first leg for the $99 fee...
So I tried tweeting @frontiercares as well, and they also were not much help.
So I tried tweeting @frontiercares as well, and they also were not much help.
Oct 3, 2015, 11:44 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
This exchange on Twitter yesterday is perhaps clearer.
Patrick J. @wallyboag 20h20 hours ago
@FrontierCare I have a RT flight booked and would like to change the departing flight to a day earlier. Can I cancel the 1st segment... Cont
Frontier Airlines @FrontierCare 19h19 hours ago
@wallyboag If you change a tix, there is a change fee and fare difference (if any). Our Res Agts can help assist you- 801-401-9000. ^BG
Patrick J. @wallyboag 19h19 hours ago
@FrontierCare Does canceling one leg of a round trip flight count as a change?
Frontier Airlines @FrontierCare 19h19 hours ago
@wallyboag You can cancel one and hold it for the future (90 days) and applicable fees would be applicable for rebooking. ^BG
@FrontierCare I have a RT flight booked and would like to change the departing flight to a day earlier. Can I cancel the 1st segment... Cont
Frontier Airlines @FrontierCare 19h19 hours ago
@wallyboag If you change a tix, there is a change fee and fare difference (if any). Our Res Agts can help assist you- 801-401-9000. ^BG
Patrick J. @wallyboag 19h19 hours ago
@FrontierCare Does canceling one leg of a round trip flight count as a change?
Frontier Airlines @FrontierCare 19h19 hours ago
@wallyboag You can cancel one and hold it for the future (90 days) and applicable fees would be applicable for rebooking. ^BG
Oct 3, 2015, 2:26 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 71
That was me on twitter... didn't really clear anything up, or if it did, just proved that they don't want me to change... to me that says I can't cancel my first flight and rebook to an earlier day without paying the $99 change fee.
What I'd like to do is cancel the first leg of my RT and forefeit the $45 I paid for it, then book a one way the day before for $60 while still keeping the return leg of the original trip.
So if I can just forfeit the first leg and rebook the day before for the new rate I will lose the $45 I paid for the first leg.
If I change my flight to the day before, I have to pay the $99 change fee plus the $15 difference in the flight, so that will cost me $114 ($54 more than just forfeiting and rebooking).
What I'd like to do is cancel the first leg of my RT and forefeit the $45 I paid for it, then book a one way the day before for $60 while still keeping the return leg of the original trip.
So if I can just forfeit the first leg and rebook the day before for the new rate I will lose the $45 I paid for the first leg.
If I change my flight to the day before, I have to pay the $99 change fee plus the $15 difference in the flight, so that will cost me $114 ($54 more than just forfeiting and rebooking).
Oct 3, 2015, 8:43 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
What I'd like to do is cancel the first leg of my RT and forefeit the $45 I paid for it, then book a one way the day before for $60 while still keeping the return leg of the original trip.
So if I can just forfeit the first leg and rebook the day before for the new rate I will lose the $45 I paid for the first leg.
So if I can just forfeit the first leg and rebook the day before for the new rate I will lose the $45 I paid for the first leg.
If I change my flight to the day before, I have to pay the $99 change fee plus the $15 difference in the flight, so that will cost me $114 ($54 more than just forfeiting and rebooking).
I think if you change the existing reservation you will pay the change, but if you cancel the outbound leg and book a seperate one way reservation according to my understanding you will have a $45 credit which will cost you $99 to use, and will expire in 90 days. But I've never tried it. It seems you should be able to do it on the website and it should tell you what the charges will be before you finalize you cancellation.
If you do it let us know what happens.
Oct 7, 2015, 11:51 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
I've now had to cancel the first leg of a flight. I was able to do it but I had to talk to supervisor and she said she was doing it because there wasva schedule change (about 10 minutes).
The explaination I got on the phone didn't match either my understanding or the words on the web site. I was also told that if the fare was less than the $99 change fee the fee would be reduced to the fare. I'd never heard that before.
The explaination I got on the phone didn't match either my understanding or the words on the web site. I was also told that if the fare was less than the $99 change fee the fee would be reduced to the fare. I'd never heard that before.
Oct 7, 2015, 1:54 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 71
I take it you were the one that mentioned me on Twitter today. If so, Howdy Twitter Neighbor!
If this is true, I really wish they would put it in writing somewhere. This is a policy that makes sense. It's a win/win for Frontier and the customer. Frontier gets money from the extra fare paid on the new flight plus the original fare paid by the customer, and the customer gets to get a little flexibility (at the extra cost of the new fare).
If this is true, I really wish they would put it in writing somewhere. This is a policy that makes sense. It's a win/win for Frontier and the customer. Frontier gets money from the extra fare paid on the new flight plus the original fare paid by the customer, and the customer gets to get a little flexibility (at the extra cost of the new fare).
Oct 7, 2015, 11:12 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
I take it you were the one that mentioned me on Twitter today. If so, Howdy Twitter Neighbour!
If this is true, I really wish they would put it in writing somewhere. This is a policy that makes sense. It's a win/win for Frontier and the customer. Frontier gets money from the extra fare paid on the new flight plus the original fare paid by the customer, and the customer gets to get a little flexibility (at the extra cost of the new fare).
If this is true, I really wish they would put it in writing somewhere. This is a policy that makes sense. It's a win/win for Frontier and the customer. Frontier gets money from the extra fare paid on the new flight plus the original fare paid by the customer, and the customer gets to get a little flexibility (at the extra cost of the new fare).
I posted a link to this discussion to @FrontierCare and expect a response tomorrow. I have also sent an "form mail" complaint. Those seem to take about 2 weeks for a response. I intend to carry this further even though I have not yet been harmed.
I am also active in the Southwest forum and recently I discovered that a long time ambiguity in one of their policies had been resolved, in the passengers favor.
I'm not yet willing to ascribe Frontiier's failings to malice. Several of my irriataing failures have been resolved silently, including including the word "Elite" on my wife's Boarding Passes. That failure has resulted in her being denied upgrading to "Stretch Seating" at the gate and entering the "Express" security line at the airport.
All of that said I likely wil not be flying Frontier after the first of the year because they have discontinued the major route I used, From May till th efirst of the year my wife and I will have logged more than 50 segments on Frontier and generally had a positive experience. IF the route had continues through 2016 we would no doubt have logged over 100 segments.
Oct 13, 2015, 9:19 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 71
While I'm often willing to give Frontier the benefit of the doubt over the Yahoos who obviously haven’t read anything and expect a $1 + (Fees and Taxs) fare to include First Class amenities. I do expect them to be able to consistently articulate the policy, which in this case they haven't.
I posted a link to this discussion to @FrontierCare and expect a response tomorrow. I have also sent an "form mail" complaint. Those seem to take about 2 weeks for a response. I intend to carry this further even though I have not yet been harmed.
I am also active in the Southwest forum and recently I discovered that a long time ambiguity in one of their policies had been resolved, in the passengers favor.
I'm not yet willing to ascribe Frontiier's failings to malice. Several of my irriataing failures have been resolved silently, including including the word "Elite" on my wife's Boarding Passes. That failure has resulted in her being denied upgrading to "Stretch Seating" at the gate and entering the "Express" security line at the airport.
All of that said I likely wil not be flying Frontier after the first of the year because they have discontinued the major route I used, From May till th efirst of the year my wife and I will have logged more than 50 segments on Frontier and generally had a positive experience. IF the route had continues through 2016 we would no doubt have logged over 100 segments.
I posted a link to this discussion to @FrontierCare and expect a response tomorrow. I have also sent an "form mail" complaint. Those seem to take about 2 weeks for a response. I intend to carry this further even though I have not yet been harmed.
I am also active in the Southwest forum and recently I discovered that a long time ambiguity in one of their policies had been resolved, in the passengers favor.
I'm not yet willing to ascribe Frontiier's failings to malice. Several of my irriataing failures have been resolved silently, including including the word "Elite" on my wife's Boarding Passes. That failure has resulted in her being denied upgrading to "Stretch Seating" at the gate and entering the "Express" security line at the airport.
All of that said I likely wil not be flying Frontier after the first of the year because they have discontinued the major route I used, From May till th efirst of the year my wife and I will have logged more than 50 segments on Frontier and generally had a positive experience. IF the route had continues through 2016 we would no doubt have logged over 100 segments.
Can you change the first leg of a R/T flight that was less than $99 by forfeiting the fare paid for the first leg and paying full price for the new flight, or do you have to pay the $99 cancel fee, change the flight and apply the credit to the new flight?
Oct 14, 2015, 8:58 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
Just wondering if you ever got a response from Frontier about this policy being official.
Can you change the first leg of a R/T flight that was less than $99 by forfeiting the fare paid for the first leg and paying full price for the new flight, or do you have to pay the $99 cancel fee, change the flight and apply the credit to the new flight?
Can you change the first leg of a R/T flight that was less than $99 by forfeiting the fare paid for the first leg and paying full price for the new flight, or do you have to pay the $99 cancel fee, change the flight and apply the credit to the new flight?