Frontier Airlines will no longer charge passengers an additional fee for social distancing options on flights after Democratic lawmakers accused the company of cashing in on pandemic fears.
The Colorado-based airline raised some eyebrows when it introduced a feature for passengers to pay $39 for additional space on a flight to ease their concerns about the coronavirus. The upgrade option, which was set to be implemented on Friday, would guarantee an empty middle seat in the row for passengers looking to get more space.
Frontier Chief Executive Barry Biffle noted that the airline believes face masks are the best way to keep passengers safe but said that the social distancing option could provide worried travelers “extra peace of mind or simply additional comfort.”
Biffle’s announcement was met with disgust from some congressional Democrats. Rep. Peter DeFazio, an Oregon Democrat, accused the company of “callous profiteering” in a statement to the Washington Post, adding, “I find it outrageous that an airline sees the imperative for social distancing as an opportunity to make a buck.”
“I don’t think it’s appropriate for some passengers who can’t afford to pay an additional charge for a seat to be less safe than other travelers,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, echoed DeFazio’s concern during a hearing for the Senate Commerce Committee.
Following the backlash, Biffle told the Denver Post it would be ditching the $39 fee for social distancing.
“We recognize the concerns raised that we are profiting from safety and this was never our intent. We simply wanted to provide our customers with an option for more space,” he said. “We will leave the seats blocked which were associated with this product and honor purchases made by all customers who bought the product up until now.”
While Biffle did decide to back down from the idea, he rejected the notion that Frontier was trying to cash in on pandemic fears or that the company was putting lower-income travelers at risk.
“We offer the lowest total prices in the United States. Period. So we are not profiteering off customers at all,” Biffle said. “We don’t know how much real demand there is for this. And it’s a little like a belt and suspenders, because, again, we believe you are safe on Frontier without this.”
Biffle also highlighted new precautions the airline is taking, including total disinfecting of planes and plans to begin taking the temperature of all travelers starting in two weeks.
Frontier is one of several airlines receiving aid from the CARES Act to help the company make ends meet during the pandemic.
