If you think that’s bad, just wait until Congress passes the FAA Reauthorization Bill, which funds the Federal Aviation Administration. Thehas a provision that would rescind a rule that requires airlines to quote an airfare that includes all mandatory taxes and fees.
Consider DiDonato’s flight to Florida. The lowest fare from Trenton to Fort Myers in early October is just $78 round-trip, but to get that price, you have to join Frontier’s Discount Den, a “low fare” club that costs $59.99 per year, plus a $40 enrollment fee. Otherwise, the price of the flight rises by $10.Next, Frontier takes you through a dizzying series of sales pitches, from $31 seat assignments to $58 for a carry-on bag. That’s right, $58 for a carry-on bag.
But that’s not the worst of it. If you fly like most people — with a carry-on, a checked bag, a seat assignment and agent assistance — the price of your flight shoots up to $428. That’s a 448% increase.Frontier should have showed DiDonato the $428 fare first, along with an option to deselect checked luggage and an assigned seat if she wanted to lower her fare.