Frontier Airlines to Fort Lauderdale?

[cibumcupio]

Has anyone ever flown Frontiers? We are going to for the first time from Trenton/Princeton to Fort Lauderdale this January. We were a little wary at first because they only have flights on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. But they were $400 cheaper round-trip for the two of us, and the airport is 15 minutes away from home instead of driving 1 hr to Newark or Philly.

 

But since it's January, we were worried that a snowstorm would strand us in New Jersey. Their website sounds pretty reassuring, that they would book you on the next available flight with another carrier and all that. Has anyone experienced how Frontiers handles these things? How soon will they get you to your destination? I'm just afraid that they will put you on THEIR next flight, which for us would be three days later.

 

Also our return flight is at 12:15 PM on the Saturday that our cruise gets back. We will be disembarking on the Reflection in Miami. This will be my first time in Florida, so I'm not familiar with how cruises and traffic works there. I understand that you shouldn't book a flight before noon. Would 12:15 be enough time for us to get from the Miami port to the Fort Lauderdale airport, again to fly Frontiers? Do we need to choose a certain type of transportation to get there on time? Like a taxi or something instead of the shuttles? Or would anything be okay?

[pms4104]

I have not flown Frontier ... but I played around on the website and checked out the reaccommodation area of the Customer Commitment. They will not endorse your ticket to just any airline ... only to those with whom they have an interline agreement. Suggest you check that list of carriers and whether they fly from your origin airport ... that may or may not give you the reassurance you are seeking.

[Zach1213]

I have not flown Frontier ... but I played around on the website and checked out the reaccommodation area of the Customer Commitment. They will not endorse your ticket to just any airline ... only to those with whom they have an interline agreement. Suggest you check that list of carriers and whether they fly from your origin airport ... that may or may not give you the reassurance you are seeking.

 

Not many airlines fly to Trenton. The exact number is one - Frontier. That may make it very difficult to get out of town should something go wrong. They could re-route you via another city, but you're also competing for spots with all of your fellow distressed passengers, and trying to get on planes that are usually booked solid.

 

These small airports and airlines (of which I consider Frontier to be fairly small) have pros and cons of being small. Frontier is also in a race to the bottom when it comes to costs, which is why I'm not a big fan of theirs like I used to be.

[pms4104]

Not many airlines fly to Trenton. The exact number is one - Frontier. That may make it very difficult to get out of town should something go wrong. They could re-route you via another city, but you're also competing for spots with all of your fellow distressed passengers, and trying to get on planes that are usually booked solid.

 

These small airports and airlines (of which I consider Frontier to be fairly small) have pros and cons of being small. Frontier is also in a race to the bottom when it comes to costs, which is why I'm not a big fan of theirs like I used to be.

That was my point ... no cake walk out of Trenton if Frontier can't get you out. While AA and US are on the list of interline carriers, they don't fly Trenton. Maybe some other Frontier cities, but not those the OP needs.

 

So, even tho the original tix may be lots cheaper, it may turn into a false savings if one needs to buy a same-day walkup fare, from a nearby airport, on a carrier with available space.

[jsmeeker]

They are really gonna interline you on a WX delay?

[Zach1213]

They are really gonna interline you on a WX delay?

Most likely not. They're definitely under no obligation to (and even if they would, most times weather shuts down a whole airport, not just one airline at it...but again, doesn't matter at Trenton where there's only one airline). They may help out their top frequent fliers if possible, but Frontier doesn't have many of those anymore (chased them all away), and OP definitely doesn't have status with Frontier

[waterbug123]

But they were $400 cheaper round-trip for the two of us,

 

But since it's January, we were worried that a snowstorm would strand us in New Jersey. Their website sounds pretty reassuring, that they would book you on the next available flight with another carrier and all that.

 

Stop. Go back and re-read whatever you read that "sounds pretty reassuring." Read what it actually says, not what you hope that means.

 

From their website:

Severe Weather Plan

When our operation is impacted by severe weather, the following plan will be enacted. Variations based on the individual situation and affected city will be posted in a travel advisory on FlyFrontier.com.

 

For customers scheduled to travel on the date the severe weather begins until flights resume:

 

When travel has already begun, customers may make one itinerary change. Rules and restrictions regarding standard change fees, advance purchase, day or time applications, blackouts, and minimum or maximum stay requirements will be waived. Origin and destination cities must remain the same. Specific policy details will vary based on the nature of the event, but in general changes must be made by midnight the date flights resume and travel must be completed in a designated period which may be up to 14 days.

When travel has not begun, customers may make one change to their travel plans without a change fee prior to original departure time. All rescheduled travel may be subject to higher fares if it does not meet original rule or booking class.

Customers may request a refund of any unused portion of your ticket when the original flight is cancelled or when the original flight's departure is delayed by more than three hours.

 

The bolding is mine. You are concerned about a snowstorm and this section seems to address that. Note that it seems to indicate that you still have to fly out of Trenton. Since others have pointed out that there are no other airlines that fly from there, the chance of them interlining you to another airline due to a snow disruption would seem to be zero. i.e. Don't count on them booking you on another airline out of Philly for instance. You have to fly out of Trenton, which pretty much means you have to fly Frontier....whenever they can get you on another flight. Since your entire plane full of pax will be trying to get rebooked, I wouldn't count on making my cruise in this situation. Furthermore, the next bolded section seems to imply that if the only available seats on the next flight are in a different booking class, the changed flight may be at an extra charge to you. In that case, so much for the $400 savings!

 

Frankly, there's no way I'd book a flight like this if I had a cruise (or any time-sensitive event) to get to on the other end. Without daily flights, and without any other airlines to endorse your ticket to, I'd suck it up, pay the additional money and drive the additional distance to Philly or Newark, and go with an airline and an itinerary that at least offer some feasible rebooking options.

[kenish]

Another point- for a ticket to be endorsed,

 

1) Frontier has to be willing. Their website verbiage is very clear they probably won't, especially from Trenton. I think the "same city" clause is a faux guarantee...many Frontier city pairs are exclusive to them.

 

2) Another airline has to accept the endorsement. Since a weather disruption will cause issues for them, they have little reason to endorse Frontier tickets.

 

On a similar note, many Allegiant planes have been grounded since Saturday...it's starting to ease up as inspections are completed but many aircraft are still not flying and some people have been stranded since Saturday. No doubt some people missed cruises (or a day of vacation, weddings, sports events, etc). Weather isn't the only thing that can delay your arrival, and the deep-discount airlines leave passengers with fewer ways to recover.

[jsmeeker]

If O&D has to stay the same, does F9 consider TTN to be part of a co-terminal with airports where other carriers operate from?

[cibumcupio]

Thanks to everyone who weighed in. Hmm, this is definitely giving me cause for concern. Especially about the part where they might only fly you out only from TTN if something happens. I guess maybe I can give them a call and verify what really does happen if a snowstorm occurs.

 

Well, we have three days built in into the beginning of the trip. Our cruise leaves on Saturday and we are flying in the Wednesday before. And at least generally in New Jersey there aren't many snowstorms in January. Except with global warming who knows what will happen.