Q: I was flying from Denver to Orlando on Frontier Airlines. I prepaid for my checked luggage. I only had one carry-on bag and a small personal item, both of which were within the size limits. But when I checked my bags, Frontier charged me an extra $220. I had to pay twice for the same bags.
I requested a refund, but Frontier will only give me a credit that expires within a year. I don’t want a credit with Frontier; I want my money back. This is horrible customer service! I should be able to get a refund, right?
A: Frontier should have honored its agreement with you. You prepaid for your luggage through your online travel agency, but for some reason, the ticket agent charged you for it again. And it looks like Frontier charged you the more expensive rate for checking luggage on the same day, but it discounts its luggage rates if you prepay.
Frontier incentivizes its agents to collect as many luggage fees as possible, but sometimes they take it too far. In this case, it appears that the agent didn’t see your prepaid luggage and charged you again. It looks like the airline found the error, then offered you a credit.
This is standard operating procedure. Airlines, particularly budget carriers like Frontier, avoid giving you a refund. They would prefer to offer you an expiring ticket credit. Why? Because they know that there’s a chance you won’t use it.
It looks like you went back and forth with Frontier’s online customer service agents. It’s fine to do this to start, but when you keep getting the same answer, you have to appeal. You can find the contact information for Frontier executives on my consumer advocacy website, elliott.org. A brief, polite email to one of them would have helped. (I know that the CEO answers his emails personally.)
Your case illustrates the problem with these so-called ultra-low-cost carriers. They charge you less up front but make it up with extra charges. They’re not shy about billing you — or about keeping your money when they make a mistake. Interestingly, these discount carriers are fighting for survival as people start to understand that the prices they’re quoted are not the prices that they end up paying.
If Frontier had not been able to help, you could have disputed the charges with your credit card company. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your credit card can refund you for an item you paid for but did not receive.
