Jump to content

Frontier Airlines

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Aliwal2012 (talk | contribs) at 10:00, 28 November 2022 (→Current fleet). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article is about the company founded in 1994. For the earlier company, see Frontier Airlines (1950–1986). For the similarly named Alaskan airline, see Frontier Flying Service.

Frontier Airlines
Logotype of the words Frontier Airlines with a stylized F
IATA ICAO Call sign
F9[1] FFT[2] FRONTIER FLIGHT[2]
FoundedFebruary 8, 1994 (1994-02-08)
Commenced operationsJuly 5, 1994 (1994-07-05)[3]
AOC #F3LA008Y[4]
HubsDenver
Focus cities
Frequent-flyer programFRONTIER Miles
Fleet size116
Destinations110
Parent companyIndigo Partners
Traded asNasdaq: ULCC
HeadquartersDenver, Colorado, United States
Key people
Founders
  • Frederick W. "Rick" Brown
  • Janice Brown
  • Bob Schulman
RevenueIncrease US$2.06 billion (2021)
Operating incomeIncrease US$−117 million (2021)
Net incomeIncrease US$−102 million (2021)
Employees5,481 (2021)
Websiteflyfrontier.com

Frontier Airlines is a major ultra low-cost U.S. carrier headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Frontier operates flights to over 100 destinations throughout the United States and 31 international destinations, and employs more than 3,000 staff.[16] The carrier is a subsidiary and operating brand of Indigo Partners, LLC, and maintains a hub at Denver International Airport with numerous focus cities across the US.

History

1990s

A Frontier Boeing 737-300 in the original 1994 livery. Frontier retired its last 737 in 2005.

Frontier Airlines was created by Frederick W. "Rick" Brown (a United Airlines pilot), his wife Janice Brown, and Bob Schulman, the latter two having worked at the original Frontier Airlines (1950–1986).[17] In 1993, Continental Airlines was scaling back flights from Denver's Stapleton International Airport, and the three proposed a charter airline named AeroDenver Travel Services to fill demand on international routes, potentially in partnership with Condor Airlines.[17] To run the company, they brought in M.C. "Hank" Lund (ex-CEO of the original Frontier Airlines) as CEO and Sam Addoms as executive vice-president and treasurer (later CEO).[17] As Continental's Denver drawback expanded in scope in late 1993, the proposed airline pivoted to fill regional routes, and adopted the Frontier Airlines name.[17] The company was incorporated in February and went public in May 1994.[17]

Scheduled flights began on July 5, 1994, using Boeing 737-200 jetliners between Denver and four cities in North Dakota.[18] Around three-quarters of its 180 employees, and many executives, had worked for the original Frontier Airlines.[18] By January 1995, Frontier had expanded its route network from Denver and was serving destinations in New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota, Texas, Nevada, Nebraska, and Arizona.[19] Like the original airline of the same name, the new Frontier operated a hub at Denver (DEN) and for the first nine years used the slogan "The Spirit of the West" which was displayed above the windows and just behind the cursive letters "Frontier" on the fuselage of their aircraft.

In 1999, Frontier signed agreements to begin purchasing and leasing Airbus A318 and A319 jet aircraft and had also added Boeing 737-300 jetliners to its fleet as well. Also by September 1999, the airline was serving destinations from coast to coast in the U.S., having expanded its route network to include Atlanta (ATL); Baltimore (BWI); Bloomington/Normal, Illinois (BMI); Boston (BOS); Chicago (MDW, Midway Airport); Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW); Phoenix (PHX); Los Angeles (LAX); Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP); New York City (LGA, LaGuardia Airport); Orlando (MCO); Portland, Oregon (PDX); Salt Lake City (SLC); San Diego (SAN); San Francisco (SFO); and Seattle (SEA), all served from its Denver hub.[19]

2000s

Frontier Airbus A318 in the livery introduced in 2001. Frontier was the first operator of the A318.

Frontier took delivery of its first Airbus aircraft (an A319) in 2001 and simultaneously launched with it DirecTV in-flight television along with a new company livery. Frontier Airlines was the launch customer of the Airbus A318 in 2003.[20] In mid-April 2005, Frontier officially became an all-Airbus fleet, retiring its last Boeing 737.[21] Jeff Potter was appointed CEO in 2002.[19]

As part of its plan to stay competitive in reaction to the entry of Southwest Airlines into Denver, the company underwent a reorganization early in 2006. On April 3, 2006, Frontier created Frontier Airlines Holdings (FRNT), a holding company incorporated in Delaware to take advantage of favorable tax laws in that state. The corporate headquarters did not leave Colorado.[22] In 2007, Frontier established a commuter airline subsidiary, Lynx Aviation, Inc., chaired by Dr. Paul Stephen Dempsey.[19] Also that year, Jeff Potter left the company and was replaced by Air Canada's Sean Menke as CEO.[23]

On January 24, 2007, Frontier was designated as a major carrier by the United States Department of Transportation.[24]

On January 11, 2007, Frontier Airlines signed an 11-year service agreement with Republic Airways. Under the agreement, Republic was to operate 17, 76-seat Embraer 170 aircraft for the former Frontier JetExpress operations. At the time the contract was canceled in April 2008, Republic Airways operated 11 aircraft for Frontier Airlines, with the remaining six aircraft expected to join the fleet by December 2008. With the integration of Republic aircraft, the 'JetExpress' denotation was removed. Subsequent to the cessation of Horizon's services for Frontier in December 2007, all flights operated by Republic were sold and marketed as "Frontier Airlines, operated by Republic Airways."[25] The first market created specifically for the Embraer 170 was Louisville, Kentucky, which began on April 1, 2007. Service to Louisville was suspended in August 2008 but restarted in April 2010.[26]

Flights operated by Republic Airlines offered in-flight snack and beverage services similar to Frontier's mainline flights. Unlike Frontier's aircraft and due to the nature of contracting with regional carriers, these Embraer 170 aircraft were not fitted with LiveTV.[27]

On April 10, 2008, Frontier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in reaction to the intent of its credit card processor, First Data, to withhold significant proceeds from ticket sales.[28][29] First Data decided that it would withhold 100% of the carrier's proceeds from ticket sales beginning May 1.[30] According to Frontier's press release, "This change in practice would have represented a material change to our cash forecasts and business plan. Unchecked, it would have put severe restraints on Frontier's liquidity..." Its operation continued uninterrupted, though, as Chapter 11 bankruptcy protected the corporation's assets and allowed restructuring to ensure long-term viability.[31] After months of losses, Frontier Airlines reported that they made their first profit during the month of November 2008, reporting US$2.9 million in net income for the month.[32]

On June 22, 2009, Frontier Airlines announced that, pending bankruptcy court approval, Republic Airways Holdings, the Indianapolis-based parent company of Republic Airways, would acquire all assets of Frontier for the amount of $108 million. Thus, Frontier Airlines would become a wholly owned subsidiary of Republic.[33] However, five weeks later on July 30, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines announced that it would be making a competing bid of $113.6 million for Frontier with intentions to also operate Frontier as a wholly owned subsidiary, but that it would gradually fold Frontier resources into current Southwest operating assets.[34]

During a bankruptcy auction on August 13, 2009, Republic Airways Holdings acquired Frontier Airlines and its regional airline, Lynx Aviation, as wholly owned subsidiaries.[35] On October 1, Republic completed the transaction, and Frontier officially exited bankruptcy as a new airline.[36]

In late 2009, Republic began to consolidate administrative positions and moved 140 jobs from the Frontier Airlines Denver headquarters to Indianapolis.[37] Shortly after in January 2010, Republic Airways announced that it would move all of its executives to Indianapolis.[38] Later in February, the Denver Business Journal stated that the headquarters would be moved "soon".[39] Despite this, according to the Denver Business Journal, Frontier Airlines will still maintain a local headquarters in Denver to house Training, Marketing, Customer Reservations, and Scheduling & Planning teams after extending its lease on the building through 2020.[citation needed]

In 2010, Frontier's then-CEO Bryan Bedford took part in the reality TV show Undercover Boss.[40]

As Republic Airways Holdings was in the process of bidding to acquire Frontier in 2009, it was also in the process of acquiring Milwaukee-based Midwest Airlines. Through the fall and winter of 2009, Republic operated its two new acquisitions as separate brands. However, to improve efficiency by better matching aircraft capacity to route demand, Republic began to intermix the fleets of the two airlines, swapping a portion of its higher-capacity planes from Frontier with its smaller-capacity planes from Midwest and vice versa. However, the move caused some confusion amongst the public, as the two brands did not offer the same amenities and did not match the amenities mentioned on the airfare. As a result, in the Spring of 2010, Frontier and Midwest Airlines announced that their brands would merge, with Frontier being the surviving brand.[41] This was a merger of brands only—no Midwest Airlines aircraft was ever operated by Frontier, as by this time, all Midwest Airlines flights were operated on its behalf by other Republic Airways Holdings subsidiaries.[42]

On April 13, 2011, Frontier formed a new subsidiary, Frontier Express, that was planned to operate the airline's smaller aircraft with different services than those available on full-size aircraft.[43]

2010s

Frontier Airbus A320-200 in the 2013 livery

Upon the full merger and integration of Frontier and Midwest Airlines in October 2010, Frontier and its regional partners operated over 100 daily flights from the Milwaukee hub. However, on September 9, 2011, Frontier notified the public of a 40% reduction of arriving and departing flights from MKE. Along with this reduction of flights, the company laid off approximately 140 employees from the MKE station. This included but was not limited to: maintenance, grooming services, flight-line and gate.[44]

In February 2012, Frontier Airlines further reduced service to Milwaukee by cutting five more nonstop routes. This move "reduced Frontier's daily departing flights out of Mitchell International from 32 to 18," or 56%. Frontier announced further layoffs in conjunction with this route change: up to 446 Milwaukee-area employees were affected by the job cuts that occurred between April 15 and 30, 2012.[45]

In an effort to focus on regional contract flights for major carriers, Republic Airways Holdings announced in January 2012 its intention to sell or spin off Frontier.[46][47] On January 26, 2012, Republic Airways Holdings appointed former US Airways and Gate Gourmet CEO David Siegel as president and CEO of Frontier Airlines. Republic also added new senior officers for Frontier's finance and commercial team, among other changes in the executive leadership team. Siegel and other Frontier executives moved to Denver where Frontier is headquartered in order to facilitate management of all aspects of Frontier during its separation process from Republic and continue its transformation into an ultra-low-cost carrier.[48]

In November 2012, Frontier started low-frequency service between Orlando International Airport and Trenton–Mercer Airport, located in Ewing, New Jersey,[49] which at that time, had no commercial service. Frontier later expanded service several times from Trenton, and as of June 2016 services 11 destinations. Frontier currently bases three aircraft in Trenton.[citation needed] Trenton Mercer Airport lies roughly equidistant between Philadelphia International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.[citation needed]

In July 2013, Frontier started service from Wilmington-New Castle Airport near Wilmington, Delaware, to five destinations,[50] which Frontier markets as Wilmington/Philadelphia. Again, this airport had no commercial service prior to Frontier's entry.[51] New Castle Airport lies roughly 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia International Airport and 75 miles northeast of Baltimore–Washington International Airport.[citation needed]

Frontier marketed both the Trenton-Mercer and Wilmington-Philadelphia airports as low-cost, low-hassle alternatives to the existing nearby commercial airports.[52] Frontier was the only commercial carrier at these two airports.[53][54]

In October 2013, Republic Airways Holdings entered into an agreement with private equity firm Indigo Partners to sell Frontier Airlines for approximately $145 million. According to Indigo, the transaction would further Frontier's evolution into an ultra-low-cost carrier.[55] In December 2013, Indigo Partners LLC, through an affiliate, completed the purchase of Frontier Airlines from Republic Airways Holdings. The airline's headquarters remained in Denver.[56] On January 1, 2014, Republic Airways Holdings subsidiary Republic Airlines ceased its operation of Embraer 190 aircraft on behalf of Frontier.

Frontier Airbus A321-200 in the 2014 livery

In 2014, Frontier announced it would be transitioning into an ultra-low cost carrier.[57] Frontier also announced that it would cut several flights and jobs at its Denver hub and transition them to different markets. On January 16, 2015, Frontier announced that it would close both its Denver and Milwaukee call centers, laying off 1,300 employees and outsourcing the jobs to call center company Sitel, which operates a large call center for Frontier in Las Cruces, New Mexico.[58] Frontier Airlines joined Spirit and Allegiant in June 2015 by eradicating its toll-free telephone number for customer service.[59]

In June 2014, Frontier Airlines opened a crew base for flight attendants at Trenton–Mercer Airport.[60]

In January 2015, Frontier Airlines cut several flights from Wilmington and Trenton. It also resumed service to Philadelphia, casting doubt on the airline's existing bases.[61][62] In late June 2015, Frontier announced it had ceased service in Wilmington, stating it was not profitable.[63]

In February 2015, Frontier announced that they would begin service to several destinations from Atlanta, adding the airport as a focus city. In July, Frontier began to decrease service from Washington Dulles International Airport, removing the airport as a focus city. In early 2016, Frontier announced major route expansion from airports nationwide, including Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Orlando, and Philadelphia.[64] In June 2016, Frontier re-established service to John Glenn Columbus International Airport.[65] In May 2017, the airline announced it would open a new crew base in Las Vegas in fall 2017, to improve operational reliability and potentially create new jobs in Las Vegas.[66] In December 2017, Frontier began service to Buffalo, New York, with service to Denver, Colorado, and Florida, including Miami, Fort Myers, Orlando, and Tampa.[67]

In May 2015, Indigo and Frontier announced the departure of David Siegel as CEO. He had already previously turned over the role of president to Barry Biffle, formerly of Spirit Airlines. Siegel was not immediately replaced; instead, his duties were split between Biffle and Indigo chairman Bill Franke. Biffle cited operational issues in connection with Siegel's departure.[68]

In 2015, in an airline quality rating report by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Wichita State University, Frontier was ranked amongst the five worst airlines in the United States, especially due to its rate of customer complaints and bumped passengers.[69][70][71] The airline had relatively poor on-time performance, and the waiting time for help when calling the airline on the phone was reported to have risen to two hours or more.[72]

In December 2016, a winter weather event disrupted fleet operations and caused Frontier to delay or cancel up to 70% of their flights suddenly during the peak of the crisis. On the weekend of December 17, the storm caused major delays at Frontier's Denver hub. The effects of the storm were felt throughout the fleet.[73] Flights were delayed or canceled at airports across the country; in some cases, planes were ready to depart, but the airline had no rested and available flight crews to service the flights.[74] The head of Frontier's pilot's union issued a statement criticizing the companies' handling of the event, comparing the airline to a "house of cards."[75]

2020s

In 2020, class-action lawsuits against Frontier were filed after the company refused to refund airfare for customers who could not travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.[76] The company accepted part of the $25 billion in U.S. government funds to offset financial damage to the airline industry during the outbreak.[77]

On April 1, 2021, Frontier went public with an initial public offering on the Nasdaq exchange. The company adopted the ticker symbol ULCC, a nod to the company's ultra low-cost carrier business model.[78][79]

In early 2022, Frontier attempted to acquire Spirit Airlines, another US-based ultra low-cost carrier in a US$2.8 billion cash-and-stock deal. The deal would have created the fifth-largest airline in the country.[80][81] After announcing the proposal, JetBlue made a competing offer to acquire Spirit for US$3.6 billion in cash. On July 27, 2022, Spirit announced that its shareholders had rejected Frontier's offer.[82]

In November 2022, Frontier announced that it will establish a crew operating base at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in early 2023, and will add a gate in DFW Terminal E for flights to additional destinations starting in April of that year.[83] That month, it also eliminated its customer service phone line completely, referring customers to online modalities. Customers looking for information or help must now deal with an online chatbot, social media channels, or WhatsApp. Those wishing to speak with a live agent can use the carrier's 24/7 chat tool. "We have found that most customers prefer communicating via digital channels," spokesperson Jennifer F. de la Cruz said in a statement, saying they can now receive information as "expeditiously and efficiently as possible."[84]

Corporate affairs

The key available trends for Frontier Group Holdings, Inc. over recent years are shown below (as at year ending December 31), although full annual accounts have not been published since Frontier has been owned by private equity firm, Indigo Partners.

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Revenue (US$m) 1,317 1,662 1,433 1,349 1,575 1,604 1,714 1,915 2,156 2,508 1,250 2,060
Net profit (US$m) 17 140 146 200 80 251 −225 −102
Number of employees (FTE) 3,614 3,653 2,981 3,163 3,978 4,935 4,974 5,481
Number of passengers (m) 10.7 10.8 12.2 13.2 14.9 16.8 19.8 22.8 11.2 20.7
Passenger load factor (%) 83.6 87.1 88.8 90.6 90.4 88.0 87.2 86.4 84.9 86.1 67.5 75.9
Number of aircraft (mainline) (at year end) 55 52 54 61 66 84 98 104 110
Notes/sources [85][86] [85][86] [87][85] [87][85] [87][85] [87][85] [87][85] [85][86]
[88] 		[89] [89] [a]
[89] 		[90]
  1. ^ 2020: Activities and income in fiscal 2020 were severely reduced by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic

Management changes

Dave Siegel took the chief executive officer role in January 2012.[91] Siegel's tenure ran through May 2015, when he left for personal reasons and was succeeded by the company's chairman, Bill Franke, who would manage strategy and finances.[91] In April 2014, Barry L. Biffle was appointed as the company's president, reporting to Siegel;[92] after Siegel's departure, Biffle was charged with managing the company's day-to-day operations.[91]

Former regional carriers

Frontier Express Embraer ERJ-145 operated by Chautauqua Airlines in 2011

Frontier JetExpress

In February 2002, the airline launched its first regional product, Frontier JetExpress, initially operated by Mesa Airlines, using CRJ-200 regional jets. Similar to the "express" operations of other carriers, Frontier JetExpress was targeted for markets to and from Denver that do not generate traffic sufficient to support Frontier's smallest mainline jet, the Airbus A318, but could still offer lucrative business with a smaller jet.

The initial JetExpress partnership with Mesa ended in January 2004, when Horizon Air was selected to operate the routes. Horizon utilized slightly larger CRJ-700 regional jet aircraft on these routes. In August 2006, Frontier and Horizon planned to end their partnership.[93] While Frontier was generally pleased with Horizon's operation, the carrier decided that it needed to revisit the agreement and find a provider with additional regional jets to grow the operation. The last of the CRJ-700s was returned to the Horizon Air fleet on November 30, 2007. As the service by Horizon Air was winding down in November 2007, Frontier had some flights operated by ExpressJet using Embraer-145 regional jets.

Lynx Aviation

On September 6, 2006, Frontier created a new division of the holding company, known as Lynx Aviation, to operate Bombardier Q400 aircraft beginning in May 2007.[94] On December 5, 2007, Lynx Aviation received its operating certificate from the FAA. Lynx began passenger operations on the morning of December 6, 2007.

After commencing operations, Lynx provided service to 19 regional destinations: Albuquerque, Aspen, Billings, Boise, Bozeman, Colorado Springs, Durango, El Paso, Fargo, Grand Junction, Hayden/Steamboat Springs (seasonal), Jackson Hole (Seasonal), Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Rapid City, Salt Lake City, Tulsa, and Wichita. Most cities were also served by mainline Frontier jets however Lynx provided the only Frontier service to Aspen, Billings, Bozeman, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, and Hayden.

In 2012, the Lynx Aviation operation was folded into Republic Airways Holdings' subsidiary, Republic Airways. The remaining Q400 aircraft were withdrawn from Frontier service and placed in service for United Airlines, flying as United Express.

Republic Airways

Republic Airways operated Embraer 170 regional jets on behalf of Frontier in 2007 through mid-2008. Republic was also providing feeder service for Midwest Airlines and as Frontier and Midwest began merging in 2009, retaining the Frontier brand, Republic resumed service for Frontier with the Embraer 170s and also introduced larger Embraer 190 jets.

Chautauqua Airlines

Chautauqua Airlines had been operating feeder flights on behalf of Midwest Airlines and began service for Frontier with the merger of Frontier and Midwest in October 2010. Chautauqua operated up to 12 Embraer 135 and Embraer 145 jets out of Milwaukee. Frontier began branding these flights as Frontier Express in the spring of 2011. New service began in 2011 on three subsidized Essential Air Service routes to the cities of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, as well as Ironwood and Manistee, Michigan. However, Frontier almost immediately began a pull-down of the Milwaukee hub and by the end of 2012, the only route that continued to operate with a Frontier Express ERJ-145 jet was Milwaukee to Rhinelander. Service to Rhinelander ended on January 3, 2013, and Chautauqua transferred the remaining aircraft to other partners.

Maverick Airways

In 1997, Maverick Airways was operating code share service for Frontier with de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7 STOL capable turboprops between Denver (DEN) and two destinations in Colorado: Grand Junction (GJT) and Steamboat Springs (SBS).[95] However, the service was short lived as Maverick encountered financial challenges and then ceased all flights.

Great Lakes Airlines

Great Lakes Airlines also operated a codeshare service with Frontier from the early 2000s, until the airline shut down in 2018. Great Lakes provided connecting service to many smaller cities from the Denver hub, using Beechcraft 1900D and Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia aircraft.

Airline branding

From 1994 to 2001, the airline's livery consisted of green script "Frontier" titles on the forward fuselage, a small "Spirit of the West" slogan, and wildlife photography on the tail of each aircraft.[96] Most Boeing 737 aircraft featured different imagery on both sides.[97]

Beginning in 2001, a new livery was introduced on the airline's new Airbus A319s, with large silver "FRONTIER" titles on the sides of the aircraft, and the airline's "Spirit of the West" slogan, later changed to "A whole different animal." The animal tails were retained, although only one image per aircraft was now used. Though the airline's Boeing 737s remained in the fleet until 2005, none were repainted into this livery.

In April 2013, Frontier introduced a modified version of that livery,[98] keeping the iconic animals on aircraft tails, but dropping its former slogan and replacing "FRONTIER" with "FLYFRONTIER.COM", the company's website, in support of new marketing that focused heavily on the airline's web presence. This livery was only painted on a few newly delivered aircraft. Aircraft in the older livery received "FLYFRONTIER.COM" titles on engine nacelles.

On September 9, 2014, Frontier introduced an updated livery,[99] as part of a rebranding that saw the spokesanimals' roles increase. The new livery reintroduced a green "FRONTIER" typeface to the fuselage, featuring the stylized "F" designed by Saul Bass for the original Frontier when the carrier unveiled a new livery in 1978. The livery of 2014 also includes the traditional arrow used by the original Frontier prior to 1978. Each aircraft features the name of the animal featured on its tail near the nose of the aircraft for easier identification.

Animal concepts used in the livery extend into Frontier's marketing as well. Each animal has a specific name.[100] Animal aircraft used in their radio and television commercials include Jack the rabbit, Grizwald the bear, Foxy the fox (for whom Jack has a crush), Flip the dolphin (who always gets stuck going to Chicago rather than the warmer climates the others are going to), Larry the lynx, Hector the sea otter, and Sal the cougar. New additions are Penguins Jim, Joe, Jay, and Gary, a barbershop-style quartet, singing the praises of EarlyReturns to an audience of Frontier's well-known characters from the "a whole different animal" campaign, Hector the otter, advertising Frontier's expanding service to Mexico, and Polly the Parrot, who won the new animal audition in 2012.

Destinations

Main article: List of Frontier Airlines destinations
Countries in which Frontier operates (October 2022)[101][102]

Frontier Airlines currently flies to 115 destinations[103] throughout the United States, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica.

Top airports by annual departures seat count 2019[104]
Rank Origin airport Seats Annual change
1 Denver, Colorado 4,767,516 Increase014.4%
2 Orlando, Florida 2,714,630 Increase026.2%
3 Las Vegas, Nevada 1,797,154 Increase033.7%
4 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1,204,770 Increase026.5%
5 Tampa, Florida 722,036 Increase027.6%
6 Atlanta, Georgia 720,850 Increase016.4%
7 Chicago–Midway, Illinois 719,410 Increase05.6%
8 Cleveland, Ohio 717,050 Increase026.0%
9 Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina 605,274 Increase035.0%
10 Fort Myers, Florida 579,096 Increase029.8%

Fleet

Current fleet

Frontier Airbus A321-200

As of October 2022, the Frontier Airlines fleet consists entirely of Airbus A320 and A320neo family aircraft, consisting of the following aircraft:[105][106]

Frontier Airlines fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes/sources
Airbus A320-200 12 — 180
Airbus A320neo 81 69 186 Deliveries until 2026.[107]
Largest operator of its type in the US.
Airbus A321-200 21 — 230
Airbus A321neo 1 167 240 Deliveries from 2022 to 2029.[108]
Option to convert 18 aircraft to Airbus A321XLR.
Total 115 236

Fleet development

During the 2011 Paris Air Show, Republic Airways Holdings ordered 60 A320neo aircraft and 20 A319neo aircraft for Frontier.[109] In 2014, the airline ordered 19 Airbus A32neos.[110] In October 2016, Frontier Airlines took delivery of its first Airbus A320neo aircraft and became the second US operator of the type after Spirit Airlines.[111]

On November 15, 2017, Frontier Airlines announced a $15 billion order for 134 additional A320neo family aircraft. The order, slightly revised under new owner Indigo, consisted of 100 A320neos and 34 A321neos. The order also included the conversion of the remaining A319neo to A320neo.[112] With this order, Frontier Airlines fleet sought industry-leading fuel efficiency as well as one of the youngest and most modern fleets, particularly in comparison to other low-cost carriers,[nt 1] with an average fleet age of five years as of 2018.[113]

Historical fleet

Frontier Airlines has operated the following aircraft types:[114]

Frontier Airlines Historical Fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Replacement Notes
Airbus A318-100 11 2003 2013 Airbus A320 family
Airbus A319-100 53 2001 2021 Airbus A320neo
Boeing 737-200 12 1994 2006 Airbus A320 family
Boeing 737-300 19 1995 2005
Bombardier CRJ200 6 2004 2006 Bombardier CRJ700 Operated by Mesa Airlines
Bombardier CRJ700 6 2004 2006 Bombardier Q400 Operated by Horizon Air
Bombardier Q400 11 2007 2012 None Operated by Lynx Aviation
Embraer 170 10 2010 2013 Airbus A320 family Operated by Republic Airways
Embraer 190 10 2010 2013 Operated by Republic Airways

Frontier was the launch customer of the Airbus A318; between 2003 and 2007, the airline took delivery of eleven of the type. Retirement of the type began in 2010 and was completed by autumn 2013. All of Frontier's A318 were parted out for scrap. At the time, the five youngest examples had spent less than two and a half years in active service, while the oldest two were just over ten years old.[115]

Services

In-flight services

At 19″ wide, the middle seats in the airline's Airbus 321s and A320s are wider than the window and aisle seats and, as of July 2015 when the airline began installing them, are the widest middle seats of any airline in the U.S.[69] The A321ceo and A321neo, utilized on longer flights, features industry-standard seat pitch of 30"-32".[116] The airline uses a seat pitch of only 28″-29", the tightest seat pitch of any airline in the United States, on their A320ceo and A320neo, typically operated on shorter flights. Main cabin seats are "pre-reclined" by the airline[69] and there are no televisions mounted at any of the seats in order to save weight.

"Stretch" row seating, available for an additional fee or complimentary for Frontier Elite Program members, features an extra 5-8" pitch, full-reclining seat, lumbar support and diamond stitching.

Frequent-flyer program

Frontier Miles is the frequent-flyer program for Frontier Airlines, replacing the EarlyReturns program, which existed from 2003 to 2018.[117] Frontier Miles can be earned by flying Frontier Airlines, using the Frontier Airlines World MasterCard, or by spending at partner hotels, car rental chains, cruises, and merchants.[118] Frontier Miles can be redeemed for flights, magazine subscriptions, car rentals[119] and hotel stays.[120]

Frontier has a three-tier frequent flyer status program. The tiers are Elite 20K (earned by flying 20,000 Status Qualifying Miles [SQM] or 25 segments in a calendar year), Elite 50K (50,000 SQM or 50 segments), and Elite 100K (100,000 SQM or 100 segments). Elite benefits include free carry-on and checked bags, advance seat assignment and family seating, priority boarding, redemption fee waiver, stretch seating, Discount Den membership, and mileage multipliers.[121]

Accidents and incidents

  • On November 30, 2018, a Frontier Airlines Airbus A320-200, (registered N227FR) operating as Frontier Airlines Flight 260, had its engine fan cowlings ripped off during take-off. The crew stated that a foreign object on the runway may have caused it. Although this did not interfere with the aircraft's engine functionality, the crew decided to perform an emergency landing anyway before the situation got worse. No one aboard was injured.[122][123]
  • On August 8, 2019, a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321-200 (registered N717FR) operating as Frontier Airlines Flight 1187 suffered a tailstrike during landing. The aircraft was repaired and no one was injured.[124]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ For comparison, fleet ages as of 2018: Southwest, 10.7 years; JetBlue, 9.7 years; Spirit, 5.4 years; WestJet, 9.7 years; Volaris, 4.3 years, Allegiant, 17 years, VivaAerobús, 5.2 years; Sun Country, 14.4 years. Information from Airfleets.net: Southwest, JetBlue, Spirit, WestJet, Volaris, Allegiant, VivaAerobús, Sun Country. (listed airlines from List of largest airlines in North America)

References

  1. ^ Vasigh, Bijan; Fleming, Kenneth; Humphreys, Barry (2014). Foundations of Airline Finance: Methodology and Practice. Routledge. p. 137. ISBN 978-1-317-80249-5. OCLC 895660773 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b Kurywchak, Sharon (March 29, 2018). "ORDER JO 7340.2H Contractions" (PDF). faa.gov. pp. 3–1–46. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  3. ^ "Frontier Airlines – Our History, 1993–1998". Frontier Airlines. Archived from the original on May 24, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2013.[self-published source]
  4. ^ "Federal Aviation Administration – Airline Certificate Information – Detail View". av-info.faa.gov. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  5. ^ Maslen, Richard (February 25, 2015). "Frontier Increases its Focus on Atlanta". Routes Online. Routes. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  6. ^ "MDW becomes Frontier's primary airport in Chicago". Frontier Airlines News. April 28, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  7. ^ Mutzabaugh, Ben (March 21, 2014). "Frontier Airlines tabs Cleveland as newest focus city". USA Today. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  8. ^ "Frontier Airlines to Open a Crew Base at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport".
  9. ^ Marroquin, Art (May 4, 2017). "Frontier adding Las Vegas flights, local crew base". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  10. ^ "Frontier Airlines' route droppings revealed; 23 airport pairs no longer served". anna.aero. October 11, 2017.
  11. ^ Tracy, Dan. "Frontier Airlines to hire 200 flight attendants in Orlando". orlandosentinel.com.
  12. ^ "Frontier Airlines' rapid network changes continue. A return to Philadelphia, now with a ULCC mindset". Insights > Analysis. CAPA—Centre for Aviation. January 14, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  13. ^ "Frontier Airlines to Open New Crew Base at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport". News.flyfrontier.com. March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  14. ^ "Frontier to open Tampa base, signals Atlanta intention | Routes". Routesonline.com. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  15. ^ Loyd, Linda (January 15, 2013). "Frontier Airlines will make Trenton's airport its East Coast base". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2013 – via Aviationpros.com.
  16. ^ "About Us". Frontier Airlines. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  17. ^ a b c d e Kesmodel, David (February 14, 2004). "The secret of Captain X". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on February 15, 2004. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  18. ^ a b "Airline Has New Frontier 8 Years After Mourning". Deseret News. Associated Press. July 4, 1994. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  19. ^ a b c d Dempsey, Paul Stephen (May 13, 2015). "The New Frontier: A Case Study" (PDF). mcgill.ca. Retrieved January 26, 2020.[self-published source]
  20. ^ "A318 is certificated as newest and smallest Airbus aircraft". Airbus. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  21. ^ "Frontier adds 38th Airbus A319 to its fleet". bizjournals.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  22. ^ "Fact Sheet". Frontier Airlines. Archived from the original on October 17, 2006. Retrieved November 1, 2006.[self-published source]
  23. ^ "Jeff Potter left the company and was replaced by Air Canada's Sean Menke as CEO". aviationpros.
  24. ^ "Frontier Airlines Offers a Major Sale From a Major Airline!" (Press release). Frontier Airlines. January 24, 2007. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2012.[self-published source]
  25. ^ "Frontier Airlines signs up Republic as regional carrier". The Daily Sentinel. No. January 12, 2007. Retrieved January 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Frontier to return with daily flight to Denver". The Courier-Journal. October 23, 2009. Retrieved January 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Frontier Sends Roomier Jet to El Paso". El Paso Times. No. March 7, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ Bowley, Graham (April 12, 2008). "Frontier Airlines Files for Bankruptcy". The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  29. ^ Airways: A Global Review of Commercial Flight, Volume 15. Airways International, Incorporated. 2008. p. 15. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  30. ^ Leavitt, Noelle; McGaw, Renee (April 11, 2008). "First Data offers regrets about Frontier Airlines". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved April 10, 2008.
  31. ^ "Frontier Airlines Not Grounded Yet". Forbes. Archived from the original on January 28, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  32. ^ Walsh, Chris (December 29, 2008). "Frontier Reports First Profits in Chapter 11". Rocky Mountain News. Denver, Colorado. Archived from the original on January 3, 2009.
  33. ^ "Republic Airways to Serve as Equity Sponsor for Frontier's Exit from Bankruptcy" (PDF) (Press release). Indianapolis: Republic Airways Holdings. June 22, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2011.
  34. ^ Maynard, Micheline (July 30, 2009). "Southwest Airlines Set to Make a Counteroffer for Frontier". The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  35. ^ "Republic Airways to Acquire Frontier Airlines". Archives. BizTimes Daily. Wisconsin: BizTimes Media. August 14, 2009. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2009.
  36. ^ "Frontier Airlines Emerges from Chapter 11 Protection" (Press release). Frontier Airlines. October 1, 2009. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  37. ^ Sealover, Ed (December 8, 2009). "More Frontier Airlines jobs leaving Denver". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  38. ^ "Republic Airlines Moving Executives to Indianapolis". The Times. No. January 15, 2010. Munster, Indiana. Retrieved January 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ Harden, Mark. "DIA fare wars: Frontier Airlines offers summer discounts to 7 new destinations." Denver Business Journal. February 15, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2010. "Frontier is a unit of Republic Airways Holdings Co., based in Indianapolis. Frontier's headquarters will be moving soon to that city."(registration required)
  40. ^ Mandell, Lisa Johnson (October 15, 2010). "Frontier Airlines' Bryan Bedford: Riskiest Undercover Boss Yet". AOL. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  41. ^ Daykin, Tom (April 13, 2010). "New name for Midwest-Frontier airline: Frontier". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
  42. ^ "Republic putting on a new face". The Indianapolis Star. March 21, 2010. Retrieved January 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ^ "Frontier Airlines cuts fee for changing tickets". CBS News. April 13, 2011. Archived from the original on April 18, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  44. ^ "Frontier Airlines layoffs". Todaystmj4.com. September 9, 2011. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  45. ^ Daykin, Thomas (February 13, 2012). "Frontier Airlines to cut about 450 Milwaukee-area employees". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
  46. ^ "Republic Airways to Sell Frontier for $36M". The Indianapolis Star. October 2, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  47. ^ "Does Frontier Have a Future?". BusinessWeek. November 8, 2011. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  48. ^ "Republic Airways Names New Frontier CEO, President and Interim COO" (Press release). Republic Airways Holdings. January 26, 2012. Archived from the original on January 13, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2012 – via Business Wire.
  49. ^ "Frontier's Trenton – Orlando Service Takes Flight" (Press release). Frontier Airlines. November 16, 2012. Archived from the original on November 30, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  50. ^ Frontier Airlines Service from Wilmington/Philadelphia Takes Flight | Frontier Airlines Newsroom Archived March 23, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. News.flyfrontier.com (July 1, 2013). Retrieved on August 16, 2013.
  51. ^ "Frontier plans to launch service from Wilmington-New Castle in mid-November". Delaware Business Now. April 21, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  52. ^ "Frontier Airlines Files". airlinefiles.com. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  53. ^ "Frontier Airlines puts Delaware back on USA's flight map". USA Today. July 2, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  54. ^ "Has Frontier hit pay dirt at Trenton, Wilmington airports?". USA Today. November 7, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  55. ^ "Indigo Partners Completes Acquisition Frontier Airlines" (Press release). Frontier Airlines & Indigo Partners. December 3, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2018 – via Business Wire.[self-published source]
  56. ^ "Frontier Airlines sale finalized to Indigo Partners LLC". denverpost.com. December 3, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
  57. ^ "Frontier Airlines owner hints at mergers ahead among low-cost carriers". Denver Business Journal. January 19, 2015. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  58. ^ "Frontier Airlines to outsource 1,160 airport, reservations jobs in Denver". FOX31 Denver. January 16, 2015. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  59. ^ Mutzabaugh, Ben (August 11, 2015). "Frontier is latest airline to do away with toll-free customer service number". USA TODAY. Gannett. Retrieved October 16, 2018. ...discontinuing the toll-free number will save it $160,000 a month — or close to $2 million a year.
  60. ^ Frontier Airlines Newsroom Archived June 21, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. News.flyfrontier.com (February 28, 2014). Retrieved on March 1, 2014
  61. ^ "Frontier Airlines officials remain committed to Trenton–Mercer Airport amid service cancellations". NJ.com. January 17, 2015. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  62. ^ Wood, Tim (January 12, 2015). "Watch: What Will Frontier's Move to the Market Mean for Philly Travelers?". TravelPulse.
  63. ^ "Frontier Airlines officially departs Delaware". delawareonline.com. June 26, 2015.
  64. ^ "Frontier Announces Major Route Expansion". April 4, 2016.
  65. ^ "Frontier Airlines launches at Port Columbus".
  66. ^ Marroquin, Art (May 4, 2017). "Frontier adding Las Vegas flights, local crew base". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  67. ^ "Frontier Airlines to launch service from Buffalo". WGRZ.com. WGRZ. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  68. ^ Keeney, Laura (May 13, 2015). "David Siegel out as Frontier Airlines CEO". The Denver Post.
  69. ^ a b c Groden, Claire (July 14, 2015). "Frontier Airlines' new perk will make you actually want the middle seat". Fortune. Time Inc. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  70. ^ Bowen, Brent D.; Headley, Dean E. (April 13, 2015). "Airline Quality Rating 2015". Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  71. ^ Bukszpan, Daniel (April 13, 2015). "These are the 5 Worst Airlines in America". Fortune. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  72. ^ Keeney, Laura (April 9, 2015). "FAA records spike in consumer complaints against Frontier Airlines". The Denver Post. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  73. ^ "Frontier Airlines apologizes after weather 'meltdown' in Denver". USA Today. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  74. ^ Arab, Zahid. "Frontier Airlines passengers frustration reaches boiling point". Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  75. ^ Larson, Jace (December 22, 2016). "Head of Frontier pilots' union compared airline to a house of cards". thedenverchannel.com. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  76. ^ FIRSHEIN, SARAH (June 12, 2020). "In Fine Print, Airlines Make It Harder to Fight for Passenger Rights". New York Times.
  77. ^ RAPPEPORT, ALAN (April 29, 2020). "Crippled Airline Industry to Get $25 Billion Bailout, Part of It as Loans". New York Times.
  78. ^ "Budget carrier Frontier Airlines files for an IPO again". CNBC. March 8, 2021.
  79. ^ "Frontier IPO prices at $19 a share, low end of range". MarketWatch. April 1, 2021.
  80. ^ LeBeau, Phil (February 7, 2022). "Frontier and Spirit to merge creating fifth-largest airline in U.S." CNBC. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  81. ^ Schaper, David; Hernandez, Joe (February 7, 2022). "Frontier-Spirit merger promises better deals and service; critics aren't so sure". NPR. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  82. ^ Chokshi, Niraj (July 27, 2022). "Spirit Airlines and Frontier call off a proposed merger". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  83. ^ Arnold, Kyle (November 3, 2022). "Frontier Airlines adding crew base at DFW and flights to more destinations". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  84. ^ Frontier Airlines no longer has a customer service phone line
  85. ^ a b c d e f g h "Operating revenue of Frontier Airlines from 2004 to 2019". August 4, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  86. ^ a b c "Frontier Airlines' passenger load factor from 2004 to 2019". June 15, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  87. ^ a b c d e "Form S-1 Registration Statement". March 31, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  88. ^ "Total number of passengers carried by Frontier Airlines from 2004 to 2019". June 15, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  89. ^ a b c "Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. SEC Form S-1 Registration Statement (Amendment No. 3; subject to Completion)". March 3, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  90. ^ "Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Financial Results". February 7, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  91. ^ a b c Koenig, David (May 13, 2015). "Frontier Airlines CEO steps down citing personal reasons". Yahoo News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 30, 2015.
  92. ^ "Frontier Airlines Appoints Barry L. Biffle as President" (Press release). Frontier Airlines. April 21, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2018 – via Cision PRWeb.[self-published source]
  93. ^ "Frontier JetExpress ends". Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  94. ^ Yamanouchi, Kelly (September 6, 2006). "Frontier thinking small to go bigger". Denver Post. Retrieved September 7, 2006.
  95. ^ Airways North American Airlines Handbook, 1997 edition, Maverick Airways
  96. ^ "Aviation Photo #0238841: Boeing 737-3L9 – Frontier Airlines".
  97. ^ "Animal Tales". Archived from the original on April 24, 2015. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  98. ^ Frontier Airlines | FlyFrontier.com Livery Archived July 25, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Flyfrontier.com. Retrieved on August 16, 2013.
  99. ^ InAirlineNews.com Archived September 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on September 9, 2014.
  100. ^ Frontier Airlines | Animal Tails Archived April 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Flyfrontier.com. Retrieved on April 14, 2015.
  101. ^ "Route map Frontier Airlines". Flightconnections. October 31, 2022.
  102. ^ "Frontier Airways Online Booking". Frontier Airlines. October 31, 2022.
  103. ^ "Frontier Airlines – Cheap Fares – Friendly Service". flights.flyfrontier.com. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  104. ^ "BTS Air Carriers : T-100 Segment (All Carriers)". Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  105. ^ "Frontier Airlines Fleet". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  106. ^ "Frontier Air Announces Huge Expansion with Commitment for 134 Aircraft". Frontier Airlines. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  107. ^ "Frontier Airlines Announces Huge Expansion with Commitment for 134 Aircraft".
  108. ^ "US's Indigo Partners orders 255 A321neo Family jets". Ch-Aviation. November 14, 2021.
  109. ^ "Republic alludes to A320neo place holder deposit". Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  110. ^ "A321s for Frontier". Airliner World: 15. January 2015.
  111. ^ "Airbus A320 neos in the US". Airliner World (December 2016): 16.
  112. ^ "Frontier Airlines Announces Huge Expansion with Commitment for 134 Aircraft" (Press release). Frontier Airlines. November 15, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2018.[self-published source]
  113. ^ "Fleet age Frontier Airlines". Airfleets.net. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  114. ^ "Frontier Airlines Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
  115. ^ "Frontier Airlines A318 Production List search – Planespotters.net". Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  116. ^ "SeatGuru Seat Map Frontier Airbus A321 (321)". www.seatguru.com. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  117. ^ "New Mileage Program". Frontier Airlines. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  118. ^ "Earn Miles". Frontier Airlines. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  119. ^ "Use Miles". Frontier Airlines. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  120. ^ Ltd, Points International (February 4, 2019). "Frontier Airlines Expands Partnership With Points To Enhance Travel Redemption Program". GlobeNewswire News Room.
  121. ^ "Elite Status". Frontier Airlines. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  122. ^ Ranter, Harro. "Incident Airbus A320-214 (WL) N227FR, 30 Nov 2018". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  123. ^ "Aviation Logbook - Blog". www.aviationlogbook.eu. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  124. ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Airbus A321-211 (WL) N717FR Orlando International Airport, FL (MCO)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frontier Airlines.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frontier_Airlines&oldid=1124321876"