Frontier's Latest: `Exchange Your Travel Credit for 50K Miles
Apr 12, 2020, 9:46 pm
#31
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 62
Got this CEO e-mail today from Tony Fernandes, founder of Air Asia. I post it here because I think Fernandes does a better job than most in describing things as they are and leveling with customers. I've bolded the parts that I think are most relevant to this discussion:
The bolded parts are either more information than you usually get (treating customers like adults), or they relate to the refund discussion. He all but admits that the cash is important to keeping the airline going. I do suspect that in this age of online-everything that the processing delays represent some intended foot-dragging to discourage the option, but OTOH they're no doubt inundated because of all the cancellations. They have customers from all over Asia and I'm not sure that credit cards issued in some of those countries would cover tickets if the airline went out of business like the U.S. companies would.
OTOH, the credits are "funny money" that becomes worthless without the airline, so there's a parallel there.
I guess the people who really bottom-fish the fares can be more flexible, while those who aren't date- or destination-flexible (e.g. flying to see family over a peak time) and who had to pay a premium have the most money tied up.
The bolded parts are either more information than you usually get (treating customers like adults), or they relate to the refund discussion. He all but admits that the cash is important to keeping the airline going. I do suspect that in this age of online-everything that the processing delays represent some intended foot-dragging to discourage the option, but OTOH they're no doubt inundated because of all the cancellations. They have customers from all over Asia and I'm not sure that credit cards issued in some of those countries would cover tickets if the airline went out of business like the U.S. companies would.
OTOH, the credits are "funny money" that becomes worthless without the airline, so there's a parallel there.
I guess the people who really bottom-fish the fares can be more flexible, while those who aren't date- or destination-flexible (e.g. flying to see family over a peak time) and who had to pay a premium have the most money tied up.
As for me, I went ahead and took the 50,000 mile offer. They will expire in September but the voucher was only valid for three months anyway.
Apr 14, 2020, 4:27 pm
#32
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: (SJC)
Posts: 2,198
Data point: I was not able to get points for $775 in vouchers, but they did extend my expiry date for 90 days into July as a courtesy.
I called their reservation desk (no wait time) and they did it without much back and forth. The process took 30min.
I called their reservation desk (no wait time) and they did it without much back and forth. The process took 30min.
Apr 15, 2020, 10:39 am
#33
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 1
Problem with Link
Anyone else having a problem with the "submit" button on the link to accept the offer? I've tried multiple browsers (safari, edge, firefox, chrome) with no luck over the last several days. I enter the information (name, email, ff#, check the boxes and hit "submit". Can't get past this point and nothing is updated in my frontier account. website is run through Wyng. Any ideas on how to get it to work? Have been on hold
Apr 15, 2020, 4:11 pm
#35
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NYC
Posts: 23
Anyone else having a problem with the "submit" button on the link to accept the offer? I've tried multiple browsers (safari, edge, firefox, chrome) with no luck over the last several days. I enter the information (name, email, ff#, check the boxes and hit "submit". Can't get past this point and nothing is updated in my frontier account. website is run through Wyng. Any ideas on how to get it to work? Have been on hold
Apr 24, 2020, 2:45 pm
#36
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Madison, WI
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 973
New datapoint:
$109 credit expires in just over two months (One of my two itineraries) offered 50K miles.
So it seems very likely that $100 is the threshold between being offered 30K miles and 50K miles.
$109 credit expires in just over two months (One of my two itineraries) offered 50K miles.
So it seems very likely that $100 is the threshold between being offered 30K miles and 50K miles.
Apr 24, 2020, 9:24 pm
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
The problem with taking a voucher from Frontier is that we know almost nothing about their current financial situation. Unlike the larger airlines, Frontier is not a publicly-held company so they have few reporting requirements. We know they were profitable a couple of years ago, but may not have been profitable during the past year. That's obviously problematic in the current situation. My personal observation is that the airline seems to have a very "meh" business plan and isn't particularly well-managed. Their website is among the worst in the industry for reliability and ease-of-use. Since they don't have a well established route network, it is very possible that the routes you as an individual are interested in flying may not exist in the future. For these reasons, unless the you're getting incredible value from the voucher and have a plan to use it quickly (like this summer), I'd personally take the cash.
Here's one writer who's concerned about Frontier's viability:
https://www.insidehook.com/daily_bri...-left-standing
Here's one writer who's concerned about Frontier's viability:
https://www.insidehook.com/daily_bri...-left-standing
Apr 25, 2020, 4:41 pm
#38
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 3
I have a $578 credit due to expire 6/16/20.
I have been offered 120,000 miles which would be good for 6 months.
I'm not a traveler, maybe once a year. Seems to me the miles deal would be the better option since they won't expire in June???
Can miles be used to purchase checked baggage? Can miles be used to pay for seat selection?
Thank you in advance for anyone who can help answer my questions.
I have been offered 120,000 miles which would be good for 6 months.
I'm not a traveler, maybe once a year. Seems to me the miles deal would be the better option since they won't expire in June???
Can miles be used to purchase checked baggage? Can miles be used to pay for seat selection?
Thank you in advance for anyone who can help answer my questions.
Apr 25, 2020, 6:44 pm
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
I have a $578 credit due to expire 6/16/20.
I have been offered 120,000 miles which would be good for 6 months.
I'm not a traveler, maybe once a year. Seems to me the miles deal would be the better option since they won't expire in June???
Can miles be used to purchase checked baggage? Can miles be used to pay for seat selection?
Thank you in advance for anyone who can help answer my questions.
I have been offered 120,000 miles which would be good for 6 months.
I'm not a traveler, maybe once a year. Seems to me the miles deal would be the better option since they won't expire in June???
Can miles be used to purchase checked baggage? Can miles be used to pay for seat selection?
Thank you in advance for anyone who can help answer my questions.
Apr 25, 2020, 6:50 pm
#40
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 3
I cancelled the flights, not Frontier.
That's how they'll make out. Guess I'll just keep the credit voucher until June.
Apr 26, 2020, 12:20 pm
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
Were these cancelled flights from before the coronavirus crisis?
Apr 26, 2020, 1:15 pm
#42
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 3
No. Flights were for March 30th and April 6th. I cancelled them on March 17th. At that time they waived the cancel or change fees due to the coronavirus crisis.
Terms and conditions | Updated April 16, 2020
To provide you with additional flexibility, bookings made prior to March 10 with original travel dates between March 10, 2020 and April 30, 2020 will be permitted a one-time change to travel plans without a fee.
Changes under this special waiver are subject to the terms and conditions below; additional restrictions may apply.
To provide you with additional flexibility, bookings made prior to March 10 with original travel dates between March 10, 2020 and April 30, 2020 will be permitted a one-time change to travel plans without a fee.
Changes under this special waiver are subject to the terms and conditions below; additional restrictions may apply.
- Customers can complete a one-time change free of charge as below:
-
- Change to new flight of equal or lesser value: change fee waived, no residual value retained by customer
- Change to new flight at higher price: change fee waived, customer pays fare difference
- Cancel flight: cancel fee waived, customer retains the value of the ticket to be applied toward the purchase of a future ticket to be booked within 90 days of cancellation for travel available through the selling schedule.
- For changed flights, travel must be completed by April 11, 2021
- All tickets are nonrefundable unless otherwise specified in the Contract of Carriage
Last edited by slick.rides; Apr 26, 2020 at 1:23 pm
Apr 29, 2020, 4:33 pm
#44
Join Date: May 2005
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: United Million Miler, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 20
Yes, my 30k points are now in the account. Just went to points.com to redeem them for gift cards and, sure enough, the redemption option is disabled. Now worried that I'm stuck using them for Frontier flights. Anyone else see the same thing?