With the demise of Spirit Airlines earlier this year, American travelers now have one less Ultra Low-Cost Carrier (ULCC) in market. As a loss of such an airline often means the increase of fares, it presents an opportunity for other budget airlines in the market, like Frontier Airlines, to take over their routes and help keep that from happening.
Already, the Denver-based airline is aiming to fill the gap in the market, with 38 new routes being introduced in the last year. Many of them formerly operated by Spirit.
But what is the experience like on board? When I last flew them a couple of years ago, my experience with “America’s Greenest Airline” was less than great. However, last month I flew with them again from New York (Newark) to Orlando. So did my experience improve between visits? Read on for my full review.
Flight Details
Carrier: Frontier Airlines
Flight Number: F9 1659 (Newark EWR to Orlando MCO)
Aircraft Type: Airbus A321neo
Class: Economy (Only Class)
Seat: 32D (Aisle 3-3)
Flight Time: 3 Hours
On Time? Yes, Landed 20 Minutes Early
Departing from Newark Airport (EWR)
There are a lot of long needed upgrades happening at Newark’s EWR, which means the AirTrain from the train station to the terminals is not always running. So make sure to give yourself extra time to get to the airport. I was staying at a nearby hotel so I jumped in the shuttle bus, which made things easier. But if you train in from New York, you’ll need to change to a bus before getting the AirTrain at another station, which can add a good deal of time to the commute.
I was travelling with carry-on only, so I checked in online before arriving at the airport, and made it through security in under 15 minutes. When I arrived at the gate, they were offering exit row upgrades for two passengers, and a lot of people were running for the opportunity of extra legroom.
Boarding was happening by the zone listed on the boarding pass. They did groups 0, 1 and 2 first, and then it seemed to be everyone else? It was all a bit unclear. I was sitting in the back half of the plane and was in group 3. But while in line to board, someone from group 5 was behind me and someone from group 4 in front of me – so there was plenty of confusion. Nonetheless, boarding was pretty painless.
Staff were very friendly as we were boarding, and were very helpful with bags – something I flagged as an issue on my last Frontier flight. So this was wonderful to see.
The In-Flight Experience
After a long runway taxi at EWR (as is common), we hit the air with a dolphin on our tail (each aircraft has a different animal adorning its livery) to Orlando.
We were greeted on board with pink lighting on the sides and blue lighting on the ceiling which gave the cabin a warm feeling. This Airbus A321neo felt new and very clean, though my in flight food menu had seen better days. There was no sick bags at the seat, just the menu and a safety briefing card.
As is common with most ULCCs, the seats offer no recline option, and leg room is tight. I put my water bottle in the seatback in front of me, and at five foot ten, sitting fully upright, my knees sat right against the seat back.
There was regular trash collection and they did two drink and meal services through the three hour flight. Nothing is free here. Even bottles of water are $4.29. But they will offer a cup of water if you ask. You can also get a Stash Tea for $3.99, and they’ll provide free hot water refills. They only offer dairy creamer – but oat is popping up on some airlines, so it’s always worth asking.
There was no wi-fi, so make sure to download some entertainment before you board. The tray table was rigid and stable. My phone easily sat up while I watched entertainment, as the gap between the tray and the chair is non-existent. Though would be too small for more laptops.
It was a rough flight for a lot of reasons. There was a lot of turbulence, so the seat belt sign was on for most of the flight. But they didn’t do much to police people keeping their belts on. And being a flight to Orlando, there were tonnes of kids on board. The one in front of me was bashing their seat constantly, and others around me were screaming. And I mean SCREAMING. The entire flight. Don’t they know they’re going to Disneyland? Thank goodness for noise cancelling headphones.
The bathrooms were clean and well stocked. There were two toilets at the back of the aircraft, one of which was hidden behind the chair of the flight attendant, which I hadn’t seen before. What is this, a speakeasy? I kind of loved it though.
Landing in Orlando
With all those crying kids, passengers were pretty impatient on landing, and pushing in front of each other while they were waiting to deplane. Which of course took a minute due to family lag and general airport delays. But thanks to the early arrival, we exited the plane before we were even due to land.
Frontier flights land in Orlando at Terminal C and then you need to train to terminals A and B to exit the airport, with Ubers waiting downstairs for you at baggage claim. And I didn’t need to wait long for a ride.
Final Verdict
Would I recommend Frontier over other US carriers? Probably not. You fly Frontier when the routing and the price determines it for you – as was the case for me. But by and large, this is everything you would come to expect from a Ultra Low-Cost Carrier.
Uncomfortable seats with little leg room, and almost nothing included in the ticket but that seat. Yet, this is what keeps the prices so low, and helps keep the marketplace from exploding in cost. So they are a necessary part of the ecosystem.
And thankfully, while it was a challenging flight for issues outside the airline’s control, I had few of the issues I had the last time I flew Frontier.
The flight wasn’t just on time, it was early. The plane was clean, and it was great to see staff be so helpful after my last experience.
THREE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
To see the routes they fly, and to book your next flight with Frontier Airlines, head to flyfrontier.com.
The author flew at his own expense. Photos by the author, except the headline image, provided by Frontier Airlines.
