Frontier Airlines Rescinds ‘Covid Recovery’ Charge

UPDATE++++ Frontier Airlines has rescinded their "COVID Recovery" fee less than a month after it was implemented nationwide. According to CBS News, a spokesperson for the discount airline told them The fee "was meant to provide transparency and delineate what portion of the fare was going toward Covid-related business recovery, including repayment of a CARES Act loan from the U.S. Government. However, to avoid misinterpretation, the airline will discontinue the practice of breaking out this category within its overall promoted fares." Frontier was one of 10 different airlines who accepted over $50 billion dollars in federal government funds during the pandemic. That's billion with a B, y'all.

After a year of shutdowns, quarantine, and anxiety, Americans are ready for some vacation time. And with airline travel being virtually nonexistent last year, there are clear signs that things might be making a return to "normal". And not all of it is good.

One of the worst parts about flying the friendly skies is that they're not so friendly anymore. The nickel and dime charges from airlines for "extras" are outrageous, and yes, they are coming back. Even though airlines got millions of recovery dollars from the government during the pandemic, that is not stopping them from returning to their usual practice of passing everything on to their customers. UGH. And the latest to up charge their customers with a new fee? Frontier Airlines.

According to company spokesman Zach Kramer, via USA Today, The budget-friendly airline that is based out of Denver has quietly added a "Covid Recovery Charge" that has actually been in effect since May. A statement on the airline's website, via USA Today says "the charge offsets costs such as increased sanitation and cleaning on its planes and at the airport, shields at the ticket counters and in gate areas and personal protective equipment for employees. The charge is per passenger, per one-way flight." And the information is basically hidden on the site, of course.

And in other news from Frontier Airlines, they have discontinued temperature checks for customers who were boarding a flight, which was a COVID safety protocol that has been in effect for over a year. Frontier says the practice was stopped on June 14.