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Takeaways
- Frontier announced on Tuesday a limited-time offer of free seat changes, checked bags and flight selection.
- The budget airline's moves follow steps in the other direction by Southwest Airlines.
- Carriers broadly have said they're seeing cooler consumer demand to start the year.
Frontier Airlines is looking to pick up fliers irked by Southwest's latest policy changes.
Frontier Group Holdings’ (ULCC) budget airline announced on Tuesday that it would implement some of the things Southwest Airlines (LUV) customers may soon miss following the latter airline’s latest announcement. You need a hint? They begin with the word “free.”
For bookings for nonstop travel between now and August 18, the company said, customers can receive free seat selection, flight changes, and a carry-on bag; They can also use a promo code ("FREEBAG," of course) to get a free checked bag for flights departing May 28 through August 18. The company has said that these offers may not be limited to a specific time period.
"Think of this as the ultimate 'divorce your old airline' deal," Frontier CEO Barry Biffle said in the release—which, by the way, didn't mention Southwest by name. "If travelers show us the love, we'll make these perks permanent."
Recent comments from major U.S. carriers indicate that the year has started slowly.
Biffle, speaking earlier on CNBC, said that there is a softening in consumer demand. He also suggested that low-cost carriers could “win” during recessions or consumer pullbacks. “Now we are going to turbocharge that by offering more for less. This strategy will dwarf any consumer slowdown.
Frontier plans to offer more premium products this year including first-class seating and free companion tickets.
The company's shares were recently down about 3%. They're off a bit less than 20% over the past 12 months.
