ATLANTA — More passengers from Frontier Airlines are speaking out about allegations they were extorted for money while attempting to board a plane.
Jermaine Koger says he was forced to pay a Frontier gate agent while attempting to board a flight from Baltimore to Atlanta, last month.
“She said we’re going to close the door in five minutes and if I didn’t pay the $25 fee, then I would not be allowed on the plane,” Koger said.
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In a rush to get home, Koger admits he allowed the Frontier employee to transfer money to a Cash App account called “Frontier Airports”.
In emails between Koger and Frontier’s customer service, the company says the $25 charge was likely for an “Airport Assistance Fee.”
It’s a fee that can be applied at the discretion of a gate agent if a passenger requests assistance from an airport agent. But, Koger says he didn’t make that request and believes employees are taking advantage of Frontier’s program by having unknown passengers deposit money in their personal banking accounts.
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“I just thought everything was unusual, they’re asking me for money to get on a plane that I already paid for,” Koger said.
Channel 2 consumer advisor Clark Howard says if any airline employee asks you to pay via a digital wallet, that’s a red flag.
“The money wasn’t going in Frontier’s pockets. It was being stolen from a customer’s pocket allegedly into the employee’s pockets,” Howard explained.
Clark says anytime you buy a ticket with Frontier, be on the lookout for fees.
“When you buy an airline ticket on Frontier you have given them a license to your wallet,” Howard said.
Frontier sent the following statement to Channel 2 Action News:
“Ensuring that all customers are treated with professionalism and respect is fundamental to our business and we were extremely disappointed to learn of this incident. The gate agents involved were employed by a third party, contracted by Frontier to support our operations at ATL. They have been terminated from the Frontier account by their employer. We, again, extend our sincere apologies to the customer involved.”
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