Frontier involuntarily Denied boarding and denied to compensate
 

Hi, I've recently had a nightmare of a situation regarding a return flight on frontiere. I dropped my husband off at the airport around 11 am for a 1225 flight. He checked in and at the gate by 1125. He went to use the restroom and came back by 1150 He sat down and waited at the gate and by 12 he noticed that the gate said closed and there was Noone there anymore. He was unable to find anyone who worked for frontiere and he called Me. I immediately called frontiere and after a long wait I was told the plane boarded early and left ahead of time. They told me I could pay 90 dollars for a flight change and I requested to speak to a supervisor. The supervisor told me there was Noone at the airport for him to talk to but he'd be willing to waive the charge and have my husband on a 6 am flight that leaves the next day and than has an additional 10 hour layover before finally getting to his Destination the next day ( its Sunday currently and the flight got in Tuesday at 2 am.) I told him this wouldn't work and where was my husband supposed to sleep? They told me to have him sleep in the airport. I was transfered to his manager who told me it was my husband's fault for going to the bathroom and proceeded to hang up on me. By this time I've been on the phone for nearly 4 hours and I ended up shelling out 500 dollars for a last minute flight for him. I finally reach a customer service representative who tells me they do not do refunds here and she was going to send me a voucher to my email ( that wasn't even the full price of the flight I paid). At this point I was sick of it and ended the call. I called back the next day and advised the customer service agent that frontieres coc says 20 minuets is all that is needed and she tells me that the gates closed at 1145 and that there was nothing she could do but I could submit a complaint online. I am kind of at wits ends of this whole thing but if I'm not wrong wouldn't this be involuntary denied boarding and shouldn't we have been compensated?
The fkigjt is F9552 on March 21st leaving at 1225 to Denver.

I appreciate all of your opinions and if I'm in the wrong please correct me! TIA

The exact times are important. On March 21, F9-552 left SAN Gate 17 at 12:15 PDT ten minutes early. (FlightAware Link)

Frontier Airline's Contract of Carriage (link) require passengers to present themselves at the gate for boarding 20 minutes prior to scheduled departure time; which would have been 12:05 PDT. If your husband was actually at the boarding door before 12:05 PDT and they closed the door more than 20 minutes early then you have a valid case.

First, you should understand that involuntary denied boarding compensation only applies when a passenger is denied boarding due to an oversale. Does not appear to be the case here and thus, no compensation.

Second, what was the date, airport, destination & flight number?

Third, at what exact time does your husband say that he was at the gate?

Is it possible your husband could be a little embarrassed about something ? If this was pre Covid I would ask if there is an airport bar that was open. That said is it possible he could have napped off that late in the day ? I am not suggesting he is an alcoholic but many people are very nervous about flying and take alcohol or drugs prior and they will not admit it.

Are you sure he was waiting by the correct gate area?

I'm sure if we was there at 11:50 am he would of seen Frontier gate staff, other passengers boarding, and heard announcements in the gate area. Typically, the frontier gate staff returns to the podium computer for a few minutes to close out the flight - so there of been an employee at the gate until that 12:25 pm time (maybe minus a few minutes for them to push back the jetbridge).

No, definitely was not drinking but I do suspect he may of been looking at his phone and distracted. I asked him if he had fallen asleep and he swears he was not asleep. He was absolutely at the gate by 1150 as he texted me that he was there. I called frontiere and they confirmed to me they shut the gate at 1145. He was also not marked as a no shown for the flight and they can't explain why.



The exact flight is F9552 it was a flight from SAN to Denver. It was 3.21 and was scheduled to depart at 1225. I guess it's not denied boarding but it is really frustrating.


My husband flies every week to visit me for the past 6 months. He's usually really calm and collected about flying


He was definitely there by 1250. Frontiere told me they boarded at 1138,1144 and last call at 1147 ( this time.has changed slightly depending on the rep I've talked to) they also told me the gate was shut at 1145. I am going to need to ask him a bit more about the frontiere employees because I didn't quiet understand that either but he was at the right gate. The flight left 10 minuets early.

There are websites like flight aware which publish departures and arrivals of pretty much all scheduled flights. You could check there. I'm not sure how far back the records go back.

Yes. See Post 2.

Taking the FlightAware data and the OP together:

The flight left the gate at 12:15 and was scheduled to depart at 12:25. OP's husband arrived at the gate and it was empty with nobody around. This means that he could not have arrived at the gate prior to 12:15 and that would have been 10 minutes late. Thus, he was properly offloaded and has no complaint.

Anything F9 did was a courtesy beyond what was required and OP's husband ought to be grateful. I say this as one who is far from an F9 fan and avoids it when there is an alternative.

This is not true he was absolutely there bthere 1215 as he called me on the phone and I called frontiere at 1203. Do they not close the gate prior to 1215? I am trying to find an actual way to find the exact time they boarded and closed the gate. F9 told me they boarded and closed the gate at 1145.

The issue is not closing the gate, but closing the flight. There is a lot of paperwork (actually digital now) which the GA, the Captain, the dispatcher, and several others have to produce in order for the weight & balance to be calculated and the aircraft to push.

But, there would have been someone at the gate tapping away.

There was a Frontier Flight 2128 departed from SAN last Sunday that would have been pushing back at 11:45 PDT. But it was at the adjacent Gate 18 going to LAS. Gates 17 &18 are close to each other in the T1 Rotunda from Hell.

As embarrassing as I am at time, in my recollection, I do not recall that I was late to the gate .:D

A note to self, once OP able to short thing out, perhaps next time, turn the phone around, place it in video mode and take a short clip of the gate ID / face and what around, that will short out the exact time he is there, and proof of the gate actually close (which I believe it could happen).

I learn this from my Teen, who been rear-ended and actually composure enough to do just that ...

Hope ya both have a better day, and I agreed, F9 is cheap for a reason, and hope you both fly again soon.

EV-

Honestly, this is what I am most confused about why there wouldn't of been anyone there. I am thinking perhaps my husband didn't notice or was focused on gate 18 and thought there was Noone there. I am going to push him a little more on this.