Passengers say that the line at Frontier’s Orlando airport check-in counter caused them to miss their flights. There wasn’t enough staffing, they couldn’t check in in time, so Frontier tried to upsell them $99 flight changes. The customers think they were delayed by the airline on purpose because their flight was overbooked.
They were flying Orlando to St. Louis back on January 16. Since the was so long, they didn’t make it to the front to get checked in at least an hour before departure. They were coded as late (no show) and were therefore told they’d be charged for another flight, instead of compensated for getting bumped off the one they’d purchased.
The customer can be seen arguing with Frontier staff about printing his boarding pass and insisting, “my flight is at 6 o’clock,” while staff keep saying he already missed it. Another passenger says they’re going to St. Louis, too, and one notes there are “seven, eight people” getting hit the same way. They all they they’d been in line for about 90 minutes.
Frontier called the police to deal with the customer service mess. Frontier gave them nothing, and the customer in the video says he spent over $400 on another airline.
- Frontier says to arrive at least 2 hours early. They did that here.
- However, check-in/bag-drop closes 60 minutes before departure, and you must be at the gate 45 minutes before departure. That didn’t happen because there weren’t enough counter staff, lines were too long, and they were waiting rather than checked in in time.
- For a 6:00 p.m. departure, the counter deadline was 5:00 p.m. They missed it, and the rules say they get charged.
One agent reportedly told the customer he should have come 3 hours earlier. How is he supposed to know this? It’s not the airline’s formal guidance.
Frontier Airlines overbooked several flights that day, not an uncommon occurrence on flights, but what they did next was crazy.
Instead of asking for volunteers to fly at a later time with compensation, they just began denying people seats and telling them that they were “late”… pic.twitter.com/UQhuLWNicT— CeCe (@cecegkh) March 14, 2026
If this were actually about overbooking, and Frontier wouldn’t check them in because they had too many passengers, this is obviously being handled improperly. They’re required to solicit volunteers, and offer cash compensation to anyone actually involuntarily denied boarding.
- 200% of the one-way fare up to $1,075 if arrival is delayed 1–2 hours
- 400% up to $2,150 if the delay is more than 2 hours.
But that only applies to confirmed passengers checked in on time and at the gate on time. Here, Frontier’s position seems to be that they did not check in on time (and therefore weren’t at the gate on time, either). And so not only wouldn’t they be due compensation, they wouldn’t even get rebooked free either – it’s $99 plus any difference in fare (the ‘another $100’ in the video).
Compounding Frontier policies is clearly insufficient staffing. Frontier spends as little as possible. And they generally outsource their airport staffing, too. What’s more, at Orlando, it’s Menzies – that’s who you use when you’re looking to spend the least amount possible. It’s no surprise you’d run into terrible lines with this airline and at that airport.
It’s always seemed a bit unreasonable to me that a passenger presents themselves in time for check-in but is bounced from their flight for not checking in on time because the airport staff are too busy to handle the queue.
And here it’s even worse because police became the customer service resolution strategy. Staff don’t clearly explain what’s going on, apologize (even if there’s nothing they can do), instead they are basically telling customers to pound sand and talk to the cops. But that’s also outsourced Frontier. Not known for customer service!
- Last year I broke what became a big story, as Frontier threatened to ban a passenger and then called police over a $25 ‘check-in fee’ when the customer showed up late (not realizing the one hour cutoff, which is earlier than other airlines).
- There was also another Frontier check-in issue at Orlando that I wrote about last year as a passenger jumped the ticket counter and got into a hair-pulling fight with the agent. There I certainly understand calling the police (the customer was arrested). Naturally the issue triggering this was whether the passenger was actually late and whether Frontier owed rebooking or compensation.
- Then there was the Frontier agents caught demanding a $50 bribe from a soldier for ‘weed and nails’.
Frontier eliminated check-in counter service within an hour of flight in 2023, and they involuntarily deny more passengers on a per capita basis than anyone else.
“The beatings will continue until morale improves…” vibes.
(Wishing anyone who’s traveling in the eastern US today good luck… lots of ‘weather.’)
@Gary: How do we know the passengers arrived at least two hours prior to checkin time? They say they were there 90 minutes early. That would seem to be a admission of lateness.
@L3 — If passengers ‘must’ arrive 3 hours before for a domestic Frontier flight… that speaks more to a poorly-run business, not the passengers’ negligence.
Lack of planning on their part doesn’t constitute an obligation on Frontier’s.
The race to the bottom of the ULCC airline industry saga continues and at this stage none of us should be surprised any. I am glad this customer found his way home on another carrier rather than having to deal with the hassle air travel has become, but is not supposed to be in some footprints of the former Industry.
Confirms, that having never flown on Frontier, my intention to never do so is the right choice.
“Frontier” and “Orlando.” That’s all I needed to read.
The passengers’ fault for flying Frontier in the first place and being too stupid to use Frontier’s app to check in on line. And if you tell me something about not having a phone capable of doing so, then my response is that if they’re that poor, they shouldn’t be flying and are thus Frontier’s target audience, thus return to my first point. Frontier has their rules. Frontier is enforcing those rules. Deal with it, proles.
Makes me want to fly Spit Airlines instead for a more premium experience if they are still in business
MCO-without PreCheck it should be minimum three hours. Fly a trashy airline expect to get treated like trash.
Just like waiting in the queue for Space Mountain. In a divided country the Demos have managed to piss off 100% of the traveling public, both left and right.
@1990: Read the question.
Frontier making friends and life long customers…lol
Isn’t this the airline that was giving gate staff bounties on every carryon they rejected? As I’ve said before their customer service sucks because who would apply to work for the worst airline other than those who can’t get hired anywhere else?
Frontier is a joke. I watched the gate attendant turn away a carryon bag since it didn’t fit in the guide, which is great. But they allowed the bag owner to remove items from the bag until it fit, which is also good. But then they didn’t stop the guy when he just picked up all the discarded items and walked on board with his hands full.
There should be a way to time stamp into the line at both tsa and bag checkin. The line could be 80 deep, but it doesn’t show when u got there . Then the cheapie airline can bone you for an upcharge
Just figure that the airline is lying and get there an hour earlier than they say to so you have enough time even if your fellow passengers are slow.
I realize that Frontier is a poor airline and I avoid them when I can, but if you are flying certain places, Denver for instance, a traveler has fewer choices. Air travel is not a free market with limited choices and options. That is why the service is so bad and the prices are all over the place.
This has the plot of a great YouTube video. Irate passengers argues with Frontier cou ter agent – police called.
Frontier is a no frills airline. You follow their rules, you fly great. Knowing that the airline offers one to check-in online and get boarding pass, the issue strats there. You should know better as a passenger. Read the rules for Frontier Airlines and stop playing the victim. Again, this is a no frills airline. You want better treatment on their rules, fly Delta or United Airlines.
People: STOP.
Stop flying American-based airlines for pleasure.
If you can’t stop flying “for business,” at least stop ruining your own vacations by wasting TIME and money flying on aircraft owned by airlines based in the USA.
Otherwise, quit yer bitchin’, because you know the deal now and you keep screwing yourselves over.
If you want to save money, fly Frontier. You may get there. You may actually save money.
But you may also not get there and not save money. Being cheap has a price.