Be wary of Frontier's 20 minute gate rule
 

For as long as I can remember, US airlines have had a "10 minute rule" -- you had to present your boarding pass to the gate agent at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time, or you could be denied boarding . Frontier now has a 20 minute rule, and I've just seen it enforced! Almost 10 people were denied boarding between 10 and 18 minutes before departure time on a very early PHL flight. The gate agent would not reopen the boarding door. At least one denied passenger was crying. But at the gate across the way, the agent DID reopen the door for "tardy" passengers on a different flight. My recommendation: try not to risk this.

Happy to see this so that flights can leave on time (if not early). Showing up at the gate at the last minute is disruptive to everyone who arrived and boarded the aircraft ontime. Personally, I hate boarding and then sitting and waiting (and waiting) for the last two stragglers. I belive Frontier has had at least a 15 minute gate rule for years now.

Well, it is right on the boarding pass. And I have cut a few of them a bit close myself.

But I haven't had a delayed Frontier flight in.... I can't even remember how long!

I do agree it's quite shocking how on time they have been since they went to the outdoor gates in DEN for all flights to and from. This week I couldn't make F9 work so took United one way and Southworst back and wouldn't you know it, 2 hour delay on United and 75 minute delay on SWA.

Yeah, the best thing about Frontier is their operational reliability. That said, stuff still happens. I ran out of luck in Denver this week with a broken APU after we boarded the flight. Still, from my past experiences with Frontier mechanicals, it wasn't that bad -- only an hour delay

I'm surprised they didn't just defer the repair of the broken APU and continue the flight. Frontier hardly seems to use their APUs anyway.

The rules was 15 minutes, did it change to 20 minutes?

The BP clearly displays time boarding stops.

I have the exact opposite experience on all my Frontier flights…
https://www.instagram.com/adventurew...l/DH6Ib-ZRuzc/

The reel doesn't seem to be available any longer but hardly any flights (regardless of airline) I am on use the APU appreciably. It's usually started a few minutes before pushing back from the gate and (appropriately) shut off after the engines are started. On arrival, it's usually not even used. Airlines figured out years ago that using ground power and air are much cheaper than APU fuel and maintenance. ETOPS flights or inop ground air/power are the only exceptions I can think of.

Simple solution: Don't fly Frontier!

"Not being applied consistently"?

Its 20 minutes.

You were late.

Learning lesson for the future.

Yep. APU only required for ETOPS.

So that delay cost me an hour of my life for nothing? :) I guess they felt that they were in DEN and could make the fix relatively quickly.

This assumes they have the proper start carts and ground air available at the destination. It also assumes no other faults with the aircraft. There are several other MEL items that require the APU to operate.

this week a F9 flight from LAS boarded at the D gates fully, then 5 maint personnel couldn't tried fixing door R1. It would close & lock but not stay in an *open* on position on the hinge/stopper on the ground.

Heard maint ask the captain to sign off under MEL - the FAA rules would have required the flight to be unpressurized at 10k feet. Not enough fuel as that added 2hr to the flight calc. Also one crew member timed out after only 30min.

Offloaded, then gate change all the way to the E gates requiring a tram then a 4 person elevator that nobody can find. Departed with a 90 min total delay. Not bad.