Frontier Quietly Reduces Maximum Checked Baggage Weight
Joe Cortez February 03, 2022
The Denver-based airline announced on their website new restrictions on checked luggage, starting with tickets purchased after January 18, 2022, for flights departing on or after March 1, 2022.
Frontier Checked Bag Weight Limit Drops to 40 Pounds Per Bag
Currently, the industry standard on checked luggage for domestic flights is 50 pounds. While Frontier will honor that weight limit for tickets purchased before January 18 or completed by March 1, future travel will be subject to a lower weight limit of 40 pounds.
The price of a checked bag in each direction varies based on when flyers buy the option. For many domestic flights, the price starts at $40 when travelers buy one checked bag during booking and increases up to $79 when buying at the gate. Overweight luggage fees will also increase, starting at $50 per direction, per bag weighing up to 50 pounds, and $100 per direction, per bag weighing up to 100 pounds. For a flyer carrying one standard 50-pound bag unaware of the changes, they could face a maximum baggage fee of $129 each way.
The change comes after Frontier encouraged more flyers to status match with their loyalty program, Frontier Miles. Those who match their airline frequent flyer or hotel elite status to the Elite 100K level get one free checked bag when they travel. Those who don’t hold top-tier status can add a bag to their trip by buying “The Works” bundle with their ticket.
Baggage Weight Change Latest Sneaky Move by Frontier on Customers
The move by Frontier is not the first time the airline has made a suspect change on flyers. The carrier kicked off 2022 by offering a “100% off*” promotion, offering a full discount on airfare which did not include carrier-imposed fees.
Are we really surprised at Frontiers' change in baggage pricing? Appearances suggest there will be more changes to come now that Spirit and Frontier are merging, This is only the beginning,,,as one other flyer commented in the merging article.
For business reasons, I need to check a lot of heavy tools. United has the best checked baggage policy of any airline for anyone with Gold status or better. It's the reason I only fly United.
I never fly Frontier and this is another reason not to. What they ultimately want to do is make it so in the future you will not even beable to check a bag. This just another example of the "UNFRIENDLY SKIES". They are making out like a bandit. Another reason not to fly unless you have a long distnace to travel. I drive if flights are less than 300 miles. Just not worth the hastle of travel.
I know everybody and their dog seems to like to carry on all their items these days, and not check a bag, but I really wish airlines would make checking a bag more friendly, not less. Boarding is such a free-for-all these days with everyone trying to compete for overhead bin space. So this change just makes me even less inclined to ever fly Frontier.
Some airlines actually charge for overhead bin space.
Why are all these articles slanted against Frontier. They are a discount carrier. I don't feel like there was anything shady about the 100% sale. They discounted their charges 100%. They can't force others to reduce their fees. Most airlines charge bag fees now. Frontier is not the only or first. I do agree that reducing the weight limit without at least emailing flyers registered with them is poor customer service. When you book a ticket though, the fees and limits are disclosed. I also think 40 pounds is a bit drastic. My average large bag is 42-44 so this could impact me. That being said, Frontier is often used for short trips where smaller bags are used.
"Why are all these articles slanted against Frontier. "
"I do agree that reducing the weight limit without at least emailing flyers registered with them is poor customer service."
Thats why...
The "fees" are not "other's" fees. The fees they didn't include are Frontier's OWN fees, levied on top of the airfare. Like this baggage charge under discussion.
Hint: when the article says "carrier-imposed fees" it means "fees imposed by the carrier". The carrier is Frontier. This is not rocket science. It's not even aviation science.