Airlines are one of those things we put up with because we like to go places quickly. Flying is most often an annoying or frustrating experience, not to mention expensive, and the airlines know that we need them at least as much as they need us.
Recently, it was Frontier Airlines taking heat after they demanded a passenger pay for a bag that fit in the carry-on size-checker.
The airline has a baggage policy that they claim is simple – and it is, in theory.
Image Credit: TikTok
You get to bring one carry-on item for free, but it must measure smaller than “14”H X 18″W X 8″D including handles, wheels, and straps.”
If you want to travel with a larger bag you can pay to check it ahead of time or, for a much higher fee, can pay to check it at the gate. The latter fee is the one charged if they decide the carry-on you’ve brought does not follow their guidelines.
What’s not simple, though, is the way Frontier employees have been repeatedly accused of lying about the size of customer’s carry-on bags, forcing them to pay high fees to check bags that meet the requirements.
Here’s the initial video…
@dyanavilla.tv Replying to @melamours THE BAGS LIKE THE PHOTOS! #frontier #foryoupage #personalitem #frontierairlines #carryon
But this is apparently nothing new.
There have been a couple of previous videos on the subject, like this one where a gate agent forced a customer to prove her bag fit after trying to charge her $100.
@dejatheexplorer Replying to @thereallennagstyles they can’t change me if it fits 🤗🤗 #traveldealplug #flightdeals #budgettravel #personalitem #greenscreenvideo #greenscreen #rightideawrongbish
Then there’s this incident, in which a man had to both pay for his bag and apologize for questioning the decision of the gate agent – even though his bag, too, was the correct dimensions.
@cubsracingsociety Really frontier…. #frontier
The most recent video evidence has amassed over 486,000 views and shows Dyana Villa (@dyanavilla.tv) arguing with a gate agent who is demanding she pay for a carry-on bag, even after Dyana demonstrated how it fits in the bin.
Both of the bags in the video fit, actually, and easily.
Villa claims they were denied boarding due to the bag, but also that the gate agent began to give several different reasons for keeping them off the flight.
@dyanavilla.tv They are straight lying and inconsistent… #frontierairlines #foryoupage #frontier #flying #viral #personalitem
One of the women in the video even threw away some of her clothes so the bag would fit with less shoving, but the agents were not moved.
They said they had to wonder whether or not their race had anything to do with their poor treatment.
The comments are all very supportive, with no one suggesting the women were wrong about their bags fitting in the boxes.
I mean, you can literally see it.
Image Credit: TikTok
Someone suggested they fight the charge with their credit card company, since that would be easier than moving those gate agents.
Image Credit: TikTok
No word on how all of this shook out.
The more videos in this vein that surface, though, the fewer people who will likely take a chance on Frontier.
It just doesn’t seem like it’s worth the hassle.
Source: https://twistedsifter.com/2023/07/they-said-i-couldnt-board-for-filming-my-bag-frontier-airlines-passenger-claims-they-were-charged-for-bags-that-were-small-enough-to-fly-free/