A debate over the size of a personal item turned into a sassy back and forth between a Frontier Airlines gate agent and a passenger annoyed that he had to pay $100 to bring something onboard that he claims should have been free.
Sassy Gate Agent Calmy Deals With Angry Passenger On Frontier Airlines
On Frontier Airlines, you are severely penalized for not paying for carry-on items in advance. If you get “caught” with an unpaid oversized carry-on at the gate of your flight, expect to pay $100 or leave it behind. Often that’s double or triple the cost of the airline ticket itself…
Here, a passenger claims he was forced to pay $100 to bring a backpack onboard that was small enough to be properly classified as a “personal item.”
An exchange between the passenger and Frontier gate agent was captured on video, with “Liz” the gate agent making quips like:
Gate Agent: “You’re being crazy.
Passenger: “I’m being crazy?!”
Gate Agent: “Do you want me to say in Spanish?”
or later on:
Passenger: “What’s your name ma’am?”
Gate Agent: “I just told you Liz. Did I stutter?”
Admittedly, I chuckled at the way “Liz” handled this…and I do wonder if we are getting the full story. The backpack clearly fits…there is no question. Liz does not strike me as the stupid type (just the sassy type) and that makes me think these TikTokers may have manipulated the controversy for their own gain. Notice the girl has something else, like another backpack or purse, on her back. You are allowed one personal item on Frontier, but not two.
I’m not going to defend Liz for being sassy, but I do feel for the Frontier gate agents, who probably have to deal with this sort of thing all the time. Badgering is not the way to get what you want.
It appears the passenger had to pay the $100, but was eventually allowed onboard. He should be thankful…I’m truly surprised Liz let him onboard, especially after telling him he would not fly and calling security.
I don’t see many lessons to learn here…just an entertaining video…but do make sure your personal item fits in the sizer. Even then, though, you might run into some trouble…
Did Miss Sassy Mouth ever receive any blow back from Frontier Management? Did Frontier ever contact the Passenger? Clearly the backpack fit into the size all box.
Doesn’t matter what size it is if somebody has more than one item. One personal item. Anything else is a carry-on.
I’d defend Frontier gate agents more if they didn’t receive a commission for enforcing this rule. I’ve seen too many examples of them making up rules about things not fitting so they can get 10 bucks.
I would have been quiet and paid the money and took videos/pictures to show that it fit and filed a dispute with my credit card company.
Trash airline, trash employees, trash customers. End of story.
..and yet still better than Spirit.
So true.
Lessen learned, dont fly frontier.
I just flew 4 segments intra-Europe and felt stupid that I bought 4 EU size carry on bags for my family to fly according to their rules. You should see the size and number of items people bring onboard and nobody seems to care. I am talking KLM and ITA, not the budget airlines that charge for you to breathe onboard.
The sassy gate agent is not going to lose her own money. They need to be nicer to people and stop being so picky…
And not going to get any bonus from being mean to people…Meany…There, kick me off the flight lady.
I’m thankful for Frontier. It keeps angry passengers and employees confined to one airline.
I worked for a Big Three airline. The most frustrating people at the gate were the women who insisted that purses didn’t count. Yes, Karen, they do. Stick the damn thing in your personal item or your carry on, quit arguing, and get on the damn plane. Otherwise, pay to check your carry on.
Kind of find her attitude refreshing. Condescending douche bag camera boy got taken down a notch, and he overpaid for Frontier. Cool.
If the business model is “cheap ticket” you can expect that they’ll make up the price somewhere.
Planes cost a certain amount
Fuel costs a certain amount
Space at an airport costs a certain amount
Every airline has essentially the same fixed costs and the only variable is what they pay their employees and what they charge customers. They’ll make it up one or another.
Sassy doesn’t work in customer service. $100 is a decent amount of $$$ for some especially when the item fits. I was under the impression it was his backpack. His wife/gf had a purse. I heard no mention of her saying you have 2 items. She was claiming it was too big.