Frontier Refund/Credit Policy
 

I recently received a notification from Frontier that my flight schedule has changed for a May flight, and I was looking for some advice.

My original return flight was scheduled to be 4:45PM; it has now been rescheduled to 6:35AM. Because the flight number did not change, I guess this counts as a schedule change and not a cancellation?

The email asked me to accept the new schedule online. Because the new time would not have worked with my original travel plans (which aren't happening now), I did not accept the change online, and called customer service. I was offered a 90-day credit for the full fare amount, which I declined, so my reservation is currently unchanged (and still not accepted online, as I received a second email notice about it today).

To try and keep the possibility of a full refund, is my only option to wait it out and see if this flight eventually gets cancelled (would a refund even be an option at this point, or do you think they would push a credit in this case as well)?

Call back and push for refund because of the MAJOR schedule change. Once you kindly ask for a supervisor they will suddenly do it.

Or, if you get a 3rd notice on schedule change they will phone you soon after to advise you of the change. The agent, unfortunately, has no more or less power than all other phone agents.

I would request a refund on the basis that a roughly 10-hour change is a cancellation, whether F9 changes the flight number or not. If you are denied a refund initiate a chargeback with your credit card issuer (bank) making clear that F9 cancelled your flight and then rescheduled it for 10 hours earlier. Have a copy of your e-ticket receipt and your cancellation (change) notice and upload or otherwise provide them with you chargeback.

Not worth arguing at a time when F9 (and other carriers) are trying to preserve cash.

If you want, you may also file a DOT Complaint on the same grounds, e.g., 10-hour change is a cancellation and DOT rules require a refund for a cancellation.

Having nothing to do with Covid-19, the fact that F9's own COC do not provide for a refund at a reasonable point, e.g. 90-120 minutes is a good reason not to book F9 in the future.

As of March 21 when I saved this from their website, their policy was that the customer is entitled to a refund for a schedule change of more than 3 hours. I'm unable to find it on their website now (undoubtedly they took it down to avoid paying refunds) but I saved it as a PDF to protect myself when I saw the airlines were getting sketchy about providing refunds.

I would call back and insist on a refund based on the policy on their website. If they won't budge, dispute the charge with your credit card and file a complaint with the DOT (if they're still in business).

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9e22d4f47c.png

DOT issued a Warning Letter to call carriers earlier today reiterating long-standing rules classifying lengthy delays as qualifying for a refund. It offers not to bring enforcement actions -- in light of the emergency -- for those carriers which, having offered a voucher, now process a refund. Whether "substantial" is 2 or 3 hours is an open question. But, one would think that 10 would qualify.

Consider filing a DOT complaint along with your chargeback.

https://www.transportation.gov/sites...3%202020_0.pdf

Thanks for posting the screenshot. I referenced it in a message on their Feedback Form and also in a Twitter message to [MENTION=529261]Front[/MENTION]ierCare (I actually created my first Twitter account just to be able to do so).

I did not hear back from the feedback form, but I got a reply on Twitter today and was offered a full refund, so the $800 refund has been initiated and I got a confirmation email showing it.

Thanks everyone for the help!

Screen shot
 

Hi Lightning 19 -

could you please send me the screenshot you took. I purchased tickets in Feb 2020 and frontier has now changed my itinerary three times! My flights are now more than 10 hours difference.

thanks!
Hammer6

Hello,

I saw this today. So I get an email today regarding the same thing you went through. I called but wanted to do 90 day credit. I wouldn't accept that. So I sent message on Twitter filled out the form. I will see what happens. So you did get a refund after you went through Twitter?

Thanks,
Ruth Ann Hager

Got nothing
 

Hi -

so far I have supposedly talked to the highest customer service representative and he said that his hands were tied. He tried moving us to an airport in a different state with better times, but we specifically booked the airport we did due to its location and parking fees. I have written NBC 4 and ABC 7 to see if they’ll help me get what we are entitled to. I have also filed a claim with the Department of Transportation. Still nothing...

You are entitled to a refund. Don't waste another second speaking with F9.

1. Initiate a chargeback with your credit card issuer (bank).
2. File a DOT complaint.

With both, supply a copy of your e-ticket, receipt, the schedule changes, your request for a refund, and the denial.

For the benefit of others, you are going to find out quickly whether you are getting a refund. When you are denied or more than 7 days have passed since your request and no refund has been initiated, move to chargeback + DOT on the 8th day. Do everything in writing and keep copies (screen shots are fine). Supply that paperwork with your chargeback + DOT complaint and you will find this resolved in your favor fairly quickly and without a time investment on your part.

Often1 - you mean supply frontier with the charge back and DoT claim?

No.

The "supply" refers back to DOT and your card issuer (bank). The key is that your submission is complete and cannot rationally be challenged.

I just received notification that my flights have been changed one was 6 hours and one was 12 hours. Has anyone had any luck with a refund? They are telling me a significant change is calendar day. I am getting nowhere with frontier and already filed a complaint with the DOT. Thanks

File a chargeback. Include with the chargeback with your credit card issuer. Include with it:
1. Copy of your e-ticket receipt.
2. Copy of schedule changes (showing original & new times)
3. Copy of your request for a refund.
4. Copy of F9 response.

Make sure that the package is complete (same documents should also have been submitted to DOT). 6-12 hours as not "significant" is over the top and will likely result in a sustained chargeback in your favor.

Response?
 

I am in this same position where Frontier changed
my flight 6 hours earlier both to my destination and back home. They will not issue a refund even after talking with a supervisor. Did anyone have luck with Twitter and/or the refund request form?

I had a case this week with an ATL-SLC-ATL itinerary with nice midday nonstops both ways for late October. They cancelled those and "schedule changed" both directions to connections in DEN, with the outbound with a 3-hour layover and the return with an 11-hour layover :mad:

That should qualify for a refund, but of course you'd have to fight to get it. In this case it was $62 at stake and I took the credit (doing enough business to be able to use it).

Now they've pushed ATL-SLC and vv into November...could be a "spaghetti against the wall" type of route. Even non-stops may not be safe to book. Their two flights between ATL and DEN also are being moved soon to times that are terrible for catching connections. I was able to go to GEG and PDX recently on F9 itins not requiring overnight DEN "camp-o-rees", but that's about to come to an end.

"Schedule changes" that are really cancellations is an area where we need specific regulations (even statutory law, if that's what it takes). Otherwise this is what you get with "self-regulation."

This is easily achieved by DOT. Its rule, since 2011, has been that a cancellation or significant time change entitles a passenger to a refund. But, DOT has left it to carriers to define "significant." All that is required is for DOT to amend the rule to insert a number in place of "significant" and the issue is resolved.

But, that is not going to happen in the next 3-4 years while the industry recovers. It also does not likely cost F9 a lot of business. Those who are its regular fliers are likely just fine with a credit as they will use the credit in short order.

There was an article sometime back about F9 getting difficult with refunds. Might need to cancel a ticket bought with the works bundle. are they giving grief about that as well?

If the flight number changed it's a cancellation. I have some sympathy for a flexible standard of what constitutes a significant delay. A 2- hour delay on a one hour fligh5 might be significant, but not on a transcon.

I've had no issues getting refunds from tickets with The Works specifically because of COVID-19. Have experienced some shenanigans but as a by-product of the bare-bones customer service structure (e.g. 100% off-shore) and in my view a less then transparent pricing as it pertains to the change process (when I voluntarily modified flights) - forces present with our without COVID-19.

Just learned something today... it’s in the fine print, but a friendly reminder. They will NOT refund Works tickets less than 24 hours before departure. I had a last minute change in plans (Elite 100k w/the Works) and was notified no refund is available.

I would even be happy with the voucher at this point, let alone a refund.

I had a set of two one way flights booked from MSN to MCO and back for February. The flight back, which started as a direct flight that left Saturday evening and got me home Saturday night, changed to a flight out LATE Saturday night with an overnight layover at their hub in Denver and got me back to Madison almost 24 hours later. This obviously wasn’t going to work and there were no other options on days nearby so I needed to rebook my entire flight. Problem is I was using the federal holiday on 2/15 so I needed to wait until March to have enough leave.

Because the flight I booked was beyond a 72 hour window of the first one (by necessity, not choice. I would have loved to have kept that week) I had to pay the difference in fare, which I grumbled about. A lot. But it wasn’t too bad so whatever.

I just got a notice that they’ve changed my NEW flight home to another goofy one. This time, I get a stop in Atlanta and Denver, and over a day of travel time. I called and let them know this was NOT going to work and that we would just be driving because it would take less time. The first Support person I talked to was not going to give me anything. Not a refund, not a voucher, not even a few miles. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was put on hold for over an house when I finally just hung up and reached out via email and their Twitter support. Hoping to hear back, ugh.

I realize the pandemic has hit the airline business HARD but it hasn’t exactly been kind to your average person either. It’s a really unfortunate time to have paid almost $400 when including baggage and fair differences and what not, only to have nothing to show for it.