Some notes from my first Frontier flight LAX-MCO
Nov 1, 2015, 9:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 71
Some notes from my first Frontier flight LAX-MCO
Took my first flight on Frontier and thought I'd share with everyone what it was like, answer some questions I had etc.
The flight was mostly full. Maybe 10 empty seats on the plane. Most of the empty seats were in the Stretch sections.
In terms of how the seats were assigned, I watched carefully the open seats leading up to check in and throughout the day. Before check in time, there were only about 27 assigned seats on the flight. As people checked in, the seats seemed to start in the middle of the lowest price ($12 on this coast to coast flight) until all but the last two rows of $12 seats were filled, then the seats in the $24 section started to be populated. Seats were definitely filled in chunks. I'm fairly certain that no parties were split up in this process.
I purchased a Stretch Seat in row 2. This worked out pretty good for me. Someone was on the aisle and the middle seat was empty, which gave the two of us lots of room on this red-eye flight. Unfortunately there was no sleep to be had because the guy in the row behind us was thrashing around and violently ill most of the flight. That was an interesting occurence. As for the comfort of the seat, it certainly wasn't any more comfortable than other airplane seats I've been in, but it also wasn't any less comfortable. It was uncomfortable, but seriously, are there ANY comfortable economy seats out there these days?
The flight was delayed for about an hour due to a technical problem with the monitor in the cockpit. The captain was very upfront about the delay and kept the passengers aware of what was going on. Maintenance responded very quickly and they were working on it throughout the delay. While it was unfortunate, I think that the problem was handled in the best possible way by Frontier.
Bags were slow to come at MCO. We were the first flight in in the morning, and I think bags in general tend to take a while to get to the carousel here. I timed the bags as arriving 41 minutes after I stepped off the jetway.
The flight was mostly full. Maybe 10 empty seats on the plane. Most of the empty seats were in the Stretch sections.
In terms of how the seats were assigned, I watched carefully the open seats leading up to check in and throughout the day. Before check in time, there were only about 27 assigned seats on the flight. As people checked in, the seats seemed to start in the middle of the lowest price ($12 on this coast to coast flight) until all but the last two rows of $12 seats were filled, then the seats in the $24 section started to be populated. Seats were definitely filled in chunks. I'm fairly certain that no parties were split up in this process.
I purchased a Stretch Seat in row 2. This worked out pretty good for me. Someone was on the aisle and the middle seat was empty, which gave the two of us lots of room on this red-eye flight. Unfortunately there was no sleep to be had because the guy in the row behind us was thrashing around and violently ill most of the flight. That was an interesting occurence. As for the comfort of the seat, it certainly wasn't any more comfortable than other airplane seats I've been in, but it also wasn't any less comfortable. It was uncomfortable, but seriously, are there ANY comfortable economy seats out there these days?
The flight was delayed for about an hour due to a technical problem with the monitor in the cockpit. The captain was very upfront about the delay and kept the passengers aware of what was going on. Maintenance responded very quickly and they were working on it throughout the delay. While it was unfortunate, I think that the problem was handled in the best possible way by Frontier.
Bags were slow to come at MCO. We were the first flight in in the morning, and I think bags in general tend to take a while to get to the carousel here. I timed the bags as arriving 41 minutes after I stepped off the jetway.
Nov 2, 2015, 5:58 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 206
I really appreciate you sharing your experience!
We usually fly Southwest or JetBlue. Daughter has status on Delta, so we fly them when she books it.
I booked Frontier ONLY because I was able to snag the $15 fare from Orlando to Las Vegas (and back). We did not pay for "the works" or a seat assignment as that would reduce our delight in the $15 fare. We did pay to check one shared bag.
So I've been watching seat availability and wondering how big a mistake we made. Given Frontier's reputation for being difficult and not passenger-friendly, we will check-in @ T-24 and plan to be at MCO by the 2 hour mark. It sounds like we'll definitely get a $12 seat at that point, but will probably sit together.
But we're going to Las Vegas for $15 so it's all good.
We usually fly Southwest or JetBlue. Daughter has status on Delta, so we fly them when she books it.
I booked Frontier ONLY because I was able to snag the $15 fare from Orlando to Las Vegas (and back). We did not pay for "the works" or a seat assignment as that would reduce our delight in the $15 fare. We did pay to check one shared bag.
So I've been watching seat availability and wondering how big a mistake we made. Given Frontier's reputation for being difficult and not passenger-friendly, we will check-in @ T-24 and plan to be at MCO by the 2 hour mark. It sounds like we'll definitely get a $12 seat at that point, but will probably sit together.
But we're going to Las Vegas for $15 so it's all good.
Nov 2, 2015, 11:08 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
So I've been watching seat availability and wondering how big a mistake we made. Given Frontier's reputation for being difficult and not passenger-friendly, we will check-in @ T-24 and plan to be at MCO by the 2 hour mark. It sounds like we'll definitely get a $12 seat at that point, but will probably sit together.
But we're going to Las Vegas for $15 so it's all good.
But we're going to Las Vegas for $15 so it's all good.
Nov 3, 2015, 4:26 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 71
I really appreciate you sharing your experience!
We usually fly Southwest or JetBlue. Daughter has status on Delta, so we fly them when she books it.
I booked Frontier ONLY because I was able to snag the $15 fare from Orlando to Las Vegas (and back). We did not pay for "the works" or a seat assignment as that would reduce our delight in the $15 fare. We did pay to check one shared bag.
So I've been watching seat availability and wondering how big a mistake we made. Given Frontier's reputation for being difficult and not passenger-friendly, we will check-in @ T-24 and plan to be at MCO by the 2 hour mark. It sounds like we'll definitely get a $12 seat at that point, but will probably sit together.
But we're going to Las Vegas for $15 so it's all good.
We usually fly Southwest or JetBlue. Daughter has status on Delta, so we fly them when she books it.
I booked Frontier ONLY because I was able to snag the $15 fare from Orlando to Las Vegas (and back). We did not pay for "the works" or a seat assignment as that would reduce our delight in the $15 fare. We did pay to check one shared bag.
So I've been watching seat availability and wondering how big a mistake we made. Given Frontier's reputation for being difficult and not passenger-friendly, we will check-in @ T-24 and plan to be at MCO by the 2 hour mark. It sounds like we'll definitely get a $12 seat at that point, but will probably sit together.
But we're going to Las Vegas for $15 so it's all good.
Nov 3, 2015, 11:50 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 206
I appreciate and am reassured by the positive feedback shared here!
Frontier just advised me via Facebook that seats are assigned by the Gate Agent. So given the OPs observation, are we better off to watch seat availability online, while waiting at the gate, and approach for a seat when we see the $12 seats are filled?
We're really OK with any seat that ends up in Las Vegas one week from this morning! Otherwise we wouldn't have taken this chance.
WITH THAT JUST SAID, I CAVED AND BOOKED SEAT ASSIGNMENTS. Not as daring as I imagined...
Frontier just advised me via Facebook that seats are assigned by the Gate Agent. So given the OPs observation, are we better off to watch seat availability online, while waiting at the gate, and approach for a seat when we see the $12 seats are filled?
We're really OK with any seat that ends up in Las Vegas one week from this morning! Otherwise we wouldn't have taken this chance.
WITH THAT JUST SAID, I CAVED AND BOOKED SEAT ASSIGNMENTS. Not as daring as I imagined...
Last edited by GottaLuvCruising; Nov 3, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Nov 3, 2015, 3:17 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,813
I always buy a seat at the time I purchase my ticket. The only time that bite me was one flight when my wife decided to come after I'd booked my flight and we couldn't get seats together. Since she'd rather have a windows seat than a middle and I'd rather have an aisle than a middle we decided it wasn't a big deal.
I'm under the impression that most Frontier GAs will try to get people seated together if they can so try to be at the gate as soon as someone shows up to have the best chance.
I'm under the impression that most Frontier GAs will try to get people seated together if they can so try to be at the gate as soon as someone shows up to have the best chance.