First-time Frontier flyer arrives early for $50 flight, then witnesses something at the gate that left her ‘so angry’

A traveler’s first experience with Frontier Airlines turned into a nightmare at Orlando airport. Content creator Ashley documented watching gate agents turn away several passengers who had been waiting in line for hours. These travelers were denied boarding simply because they missed the airline’s strict baggage check deadline.

According to Bro Bible, Ashley arrived at the airport at 6:50 AM for her 8:50 AM flight to Connecticut. She had her mobile boarding pass ready to avoid the $50 printing fee. Despite doing everything right and arriving two hours early, she ended up witnessing what she called “the most insane thing” during her flight experience.

In her TikTok video, she had paid just $50 for her Frontier ticket, though she also spent $100 for an oversized checked bag. Ashley had flown Spirit Airlines before and loved it, but the cheap Frontier price was too tempting to ignore.

Budget airlines run on strict rules that punish passengers for their own staffing problems

The problems started immediately at the check-in counter. Hundreds of people were waiting in massive lines, but only two or three agents were working the main desk. Ashley accidentally spent 30 minutes in the wrong line for a Dominican Republic flight because she was directed incorrectly. When she finally got to the correct domestic line, she watched the chaos unfold.

Frontier requires all bags to be checked exactly 60 minutes before departure. The agents started calling out destinations like “Dallas, Houston” and told those passengers they had missed their flights. One frustrated woman explained she had been standing in line for two hours. The agent’s response was cold: “You missed your flight. Go rebook. Stand in the rebook line. No, we’re not taking your bag.”

Ashley understood those passengers technically missed the cutoff, but the policy seemed harsh given the obvious lack of staff. “In my mind, I was like, why wouldn’t you just take their bags, like, a five-minute grace period? Because you see all these people are standing here, and you see that you guys do not have the manpower,” she said.

Ashley only made her own flight because those passengers were removed from the line. This isn’t the first time airline staff showed they don’t care about passenger struggles during flights. Ultra low-cost carriers operate on very tight profit margins, which means their policies are designed to be unforgiving.

You must arrive two hours before departure, with bag drop closing 60 minutes before takeoff. Boarding starts 45 minutes out and closes 20 minutes before departure. Missing that one-hour baggage deadline means you miss your flight, no matter how long you waited.

The fees also add up fast. Adding a bag during booking costs around $53, but waiting until the airport kiosk raises it to $79. At the gate, you’ll pay $99 – almost double Ashley’s original ticket price. Many commenters shared similar horror stories about Frontier, especially at Orlando airport.

One person said they got so nervous about a last-minute Frontier trip that they bought $500 Delta tickets instead. Similar issues have happened with other airlines, like when expensive tickets didn’t guarantee boarding for passengers. Ashley’s advice was clear: “Frontier, probably never again, like, know what you’re signing up for.”