Frontier Airlines is taking a step towards providing a more comfortable flying experience, albeit not quite a first-class upgrade.
On Tuesday, the budget carrier announced the launch of a new add-on service aimed at offering passengers more space at the front of its densely packed aircraft—sans the dreaded middle seat neighbor.
Starting April 10, Frontier will introduce “UpFront Plus” in the first two rows of its Airbus planes. This service will ensure the middle seat remains unoccupied, providing passengers with a more spacious seating arrangement.
Additionally, these seats will offer an extra four to five inches of legroom compared to the majority of seats onboard, as confirmed by an airline spokesperson.
While the introductory price for UpFront Plus starts at $49, with bookings open until March 20 for flights between April 10 and April 30, the airline emphasizes that this seating option is not intended as a limited-time offer.
In an industry where airlines are constantly seeking innovative ways to differentiate their services and maximize revenue, both budget carriers like Spirit and industry giants such as Delta, United, and American have been exploring various strategies.
These include segmenting their cabins, offering premium products at higher prices, and implementing fees for advanced seat selection.
Spirit Airlines, a fellow budget carrier, already provides its version of enhanced seating with the “Big Front Seat” option in its Airbus cabins. However, Frontier’s latest offering differs in that it doesn’t introduce a new seat; rather, it rearranges the seating configuration in select rows of the plane.
For budget airlines, ancillary fees play a crucial role in revenue generation, with charges levied for services ranging from seat selection to carry-on baggage in addition to the base fare.
Notably, Frontier’s revenue per passenger averaged $42 from airfare last year, representing a 22% decrease from 2022, while nonfare revenue saw a modest 1% increase, reaching almost $74 per passenger.
