United737522

So I was listing a non-rev today. I pulled up the availbility from DEN-ATL and got not only FL flights, but F9 flights as well. After speaking with my manager, I found out that FL and F9 have created an agreement for the FF programs. See below:

Effective Tuesday, November 14, 2006, Frontier will begin two new, innovative marketing programs with AirTran Airways (FL):

- A marketing/reservation referral program

- A frequent flyer benefits exchange

This new alliance is designed to give each airline a presence and exposure in markets not currently served.

Highlights -

- Passengers can earn AirTran Airways A+ Rewards credits on Frontier flights or Frontier miles on AirTran flights; credits/miles are only earned for one program

- AirTran Airways A+ Rewards Elite members get additional benefits when traveling on Frontier upon presentation of their Elite card (i.e., priority check-in, free DirecTV©, etc)

- The EarlyReturns® desk will handle AirTran as a frequent flyer partner

Referral Agreement -

The referral agreement is a contract between Frontier and AirTran allowing either airline to refer passengers on the other’s flights. Each airline operates and maintains independence. Both carriers will promote this partnership by offering to transfer revenue customers to the other carrier when service is not offered on the requested market (origin to destination).

Membership Benefits -

Frontier and AirTran will provide similar membership benefits for A+ Rewards Elite members and EarlyReturns® Summit and Ascent members. Each airline will honor the upgraded status for all airport locations when flying on the partner airline.

1. Frontier Ascent and Summit members receive the following benefits when traveling on AirTran by presenting their Ascent or Summit card:

a. Dedicated check-in positions

b. Priority boarding

c. Change and cancellation fees waived for ‘walk-up’ at the ATO on the day of departure only

d. Priority security clearance; currently available at:

· Denver , CO (DEN)

· Las Vegas, NV (LAS)

· Washington National (DCA)
· Minneapolis (MSP)

· Washington Dulles (IAD)

· Pittsburgh (PIT)


2. AirTran Elite members receive the following benefits when traveling on Frontier by presenting their A+ Awards Elite card:

a. Free DIRECTV® service

b. Dedicated check-in positions

c. Confirmed stand-by fee ($25) waived for ‘walk-up’ at the ATO on the day of departure only

d. Priority boarding

e. Priority security clearance (where available)

LegalEagle

It is still unclear to me.

Can we use our AirTran credits to book award travel at AirTran on Frontier flights?

underpressure

Good news... FL fans

ctownflyer

Wow-this is huge!
The real question now is whether we'll be able to book award travel on F9!
Keep us updated, and Thanks!!!

ctownflyer

What does this mean?

N830MH

I don't know either.

jelijo

From the Airtran website:

Earn — You can earn 1 A+ Rewards credit for each one-way flight beginning immediately.
Redeem — You can redeem credits on Frontier Airlines for travel beginning on January 1, 2007.

Reward Levels
Reward Value
Travel on Frontier in U.S. and Canada 24 A+ Rewards Credits*
Travel on Frontier to Mexico 36 A+ Rewards Credits*
Travel on AirTran in coach in U.S. 20,000 EarlyReturns® Miles
Travel on AirTran in Business Class in U.S.

ctownflyer

http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=624667

crhptic

These aren't that great. In both directions it costs more to redeem miles on the "partner" than it would on the originating airline. (Normal Frontier roundtrip is 15,000 miles in the US). Although it is better than the FL "any airline" awards by a good margin.

I suppose if you need to get somewhere that the other airline doesn't fly to, it's good, but you get less bang for your buck.

ctownflyer

Its not really better than the "other airline" awards becuase with those you earn miles on the other airline.
Like i said in the other thread the only real bargain of all of this is ANC...

crhptic

Oh, is that why those other awards are so expensive? Because FL just buys you a ticket?

Edit to add: Duh, how else would they do it? (too bad there is no emoticon for smacking forehead)


I would add Calgary but otherwise concur.

redbeard911

I had to make a trip from DEN-ATL-MSY next week, and the only carrier that came up with decent fares was FL. I did some poking around and found the F9 partnership. I get to keep my priority boarding. ^

I did not read anywhere that EQM's would transfer.

US @ DEN

So I took my first AirTran flight today and planned to credit the miles DEN-ATL-PIT-ATL-DEN to my F9 account. I checked the Frontier website for the following direction prior to my flight:

"Now you can earn EarlyReturns® miles on every AirTran Airways flight. AirTran Airways offers flights to many destinations in the Eastern U.S. like Boston, Pittsburgh, Myrtle Beach, New Orleans and many more. Earning: You can start earning EarlyReturns® miles beginning November 14, 2006. The miles you earn when you fly on Airtran Airways will also count towards EarlyReturns® status. Be sure to enter your EarlyReturns® Member number into your reservation at the time of booking or at the AirTran Airways airport counter check-in position, curb or kiosk. It takes approximately 5 - 7 days after you have completed your flight for miles to appear in your EarlyReturns® member account."

My experience today was that AirTran employees are not trained properly and the computer systems are not prepared to implement the FF relationship with Frontier. In Denver upon check-in with AirTran, the agent told me that the computer systems could not enter in Frontier FF #'s until 1/1/07. I pushed a little bit, citing the email announcing the partnership, but she was no help. I asked at the gate and the agent there took down my Frontier number and said she would check (adequate response for someone who doesn't know what to do). Then in ATL, the customer service counter had no idea what to do. After checking with a manger, the agent told me I have to call Frontier and provide them my AirTran PNR number in order to receive mileage credit (clearly wrong as the computer systems are not linked). Frontier's EarlyReturns desk told me to call AirTran prior to checking in to have AirTran enter my FF number or mail in my boarding pass to Frontier after travel (we'll see if this works - I am sending in my boarding pass).

I hope both parties clear these issues up for their customers.

redbeard911

This has been my experience this week as well. There was only one agent that even knew about the deal.

US @ DEN

Just an update that my boarding pass fax to Frontier ((505) 528-5765) for flights flown on AirTran was successful. Flights correctly posted to my EarlyReturns account in about 10 days. Hope this relationship grows into a codeshare, though my seat on one of the 717's was the most uncomfortable I've had in quite sometime.