Frontier Airlines Faces $100 Million Lawsuit and Customer Backlash Over Alleged Hidden Fees

Frontier Airlines, a renowned low-cost carrier in the US, is currently grappling with a significant legal battle and growing discontent among customers due to alleged hidden fees and questionable baggage regulations.

The $100 million lawsuit, which was filed on June 29, 2023, is spearheaded by Amira Hamad, a Frontier customer who asserts that she is representing herself and other customers facing similar issues.

At the core of the lawsuit’s claims is the contention that Frontier Airlines, self-proclaimed as the “Home of low fares done right,” does not truly offer the lowest fares and cannot be considered a budget airline as it purports. The lawsuit argues that the carrier manipulates its fees to create the illusion of low fares while actually burdening consumers with fraudulent and unwarranted charges.

Among the allegations made in the lawsuit are accusations of misleading advertising, with Frontier allegedly leading customers to believe they are getting low fares when they are actually subjected to deceptive charges. The lawsuit also accuses the airline of employing “bait and switch” tactics, deliberately confusing and trapping unsuspecting passengers to their disadvantage.

One example cited in the lawsuit revolves around Frontier’s carry-on baggage regulations. While the airline states that one carry-on item is permitted at no charge as long as it adheres to the dimensions of 14x18x8 inches, the lawsuit claims that measuring devices at the gates are significantly smaller, leading to additional fees for passengers. Moreover, the lawsuit contends that employees are incentivized with bonuses for charging excess fees at the gate.

The legal claims are further substantiated by a surge of social media posts from fellow disgruntled customers sharing their experiences with Frontier’s alleged deceptive practices. One Tiktok video in particular, posted in March 2023, showcases a passenger with a carry-on bag that clearly fits within the airline’s stated dimensions, but the gate agent insists otherwise. This video serves as an example of the alleged “bait and switch” strategy.

Another video depicts a passenger breaking his skateboard into two pieces after being told by Frontier that he needed to pay an $80.00 fee because it was deemed “too big.” Additionally, a separate Frontier customer shared a video detailing the airline’s purported tactics to accumulate as many baggage fees as possible, along with the alleged incentive scheme for gate agents based on bag fees charged.

Frontier Airlines’ response to the situation has been minimal, with a spokesperson declining to comment on the pending litigation when approached by various media outlets.

As the lawsuit progresses and customer discontent continues to spread on social media, Frontier Airlines faces a challenging period ahead, necessitating transparency and prompt resolution to regain customer trust.