in this case
- Find out what happened when a Frontier Airlines agent double-charged a passenger for her prepaid luggage.
- A look into the common budget airline tactic of offering expiring travel credits instead of cash refunds for their mistakes.
- Learn the steps to take when an airline won’t refund an erroneous charge, including how to escalate your complaint and when to file a credit card dispute.
Allison Sanders prepays for her checked luggage on a Frontier Airlines flight from Denver to Orlando. But the airline charges her for her bags twice. Now it won’t refund her for the second charge. Can she get her second charge back?
Question
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 credit that expires within a year. I don’t want credit with Frontier, I want my money back. This is horrible customer service! I should be able to get a refund, right? Can you help me with this? — Allison Sanders, Hannibal, Mo.
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Answer
Frontier Airlines 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 the same day — it discounts its luggage rates if you prepay.
Frontier incentivizes its agents to collect as many luggage fees as possible (to enhance the airline’s profits) but sometimes they take it too far. In this case, it appears the agent didn’t see your prepaid luggage and charged you again. Based on the correspondence between you and Frontier, it looks like the airline found the error but then offered you a credit.
Have you ever been overcharged for luggage or hit with an unexpected fee by a budget airline? What’s the most outrageous fee you’ve ever encountered?
And what do you do when a company offers you a credit instead of the cash refund you’re owed?
Share your story in the comments.
This is standard operating procedure at Frontier. Airlines — particularly budget carriers like Frontier — avoid giving you a refund. They would prefer to offer an expiring ticket credit. Why? Because they know you there’s a chance you won’t use it. But I digress. (Related: American Airlines canceled my return flight because I missed a leg. But it said I could fly!)
It looks like you were going back and forth with Frontier’s online customer service agents. It’s fine to do that to start, but when you keep getting the same answer over and over, you have to appeal. You can find contact information for Frontier Airlines executives on my consumer advocacy website, Elliott.org. A brief, polite email to one of them would have helped. (I know the CEO answers his emails personally.)
Your case illustrates the problem with these so-called ultra-low-fare carriers. They charge you less up front but make it up later with extra charges. And as you now know, 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 being quoted are not the prices they end up paying.
If Frontier Airlines 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.
I contacted Frontier Airlines on your behalf. A representative acknowledged the error and agreed to issue a full refund of $220.
The Pre-Flight Luggage Checklist
Budget airlines have strict rules and high fees. Use this guide to avoid surprise charges at the airport.
The price escalator: Pay early — or pay more
Your day-of-travel checklist
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Weigh your bags at home. Checked bags have a strict weight limit (usually 40-50 lbs). Overweight bags can cost over $100 extra.
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Screenshot your receipt. Keep digital proof of your prepaid luggage. If an agent can’t see it in their system, you can show them your confirmation.
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Use the bag sizer. If you’re unsure about your carry-on, test it in the sizer at the check-in desk, not at the gate where fees are highest.
Need to contact a Frontier Airlines executive?
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