Dear Frontier Airlines,
I have decided to write an open letter on DSTidbits so the Deaf community can see what kind of airline you are and what kind of companies you use to “support” people that are forced to stay overnight elsewhere because you don’t maintain your airplanes properly. Just so you know, I am a seasoned passenger. I have flown in airplanes for over 26 years and this has won first place as the worst traveling experience I have EVER had.
I flew from Phoenix to Denver and then to KC. That was my route.
Security in Phoenix was high but I was still able to get to my gate on time and boarded the plane in a timely manner. Let the stewardess know I was Deaf and sat to wait for the flight to leave. We initially pulled out of the gate and started down the runway but then stopped. We were stopped for a good 45 minutes before we headed back to the gate. The Stewardess never came to let me know what was going on at any time during this 45 minute wait.
When we finally headed back to the gate and parked, I got out of my seat to find out what was going on. She kindly informed me that one of our propellers wouldn’t start and that we were waiting for something. I, then informed her that my connecting flight was to leave 40 minutes after we originally were supposed to leave and asked her to put me on another flight. I had, at that time shared with her where I was going. While it was late in the evening, she informed me that there were no other connecting flights and that I had two choices. My two choices were to fly out of Phoenix the next day (spend the night in Phoenix) or to fly out of Denver the next day.
This upset me because of various reasons but while trying to decide, she told me I had to make a decision right then. Here I am bawling my eyes out and under a lot of stress because of missing my connecting flight. (There were other underlying issues at the time too) She pushes me to go on to Denver which is what I did. I sat down, then we did not close our door for another 10-15 minutes.
Finally we took off and the stewardess was very kind to me on the flight and we had a good flight out. But then I landed and was placed with an airline employee (as if I can’t find my own way?) to take me to the customer service desk. Once I got there, they informed them that I was Deaf and apparently for some reason, the lady behind the desk just proceeded to schedule me for a flight and not discuss anything with me. I was then, guided out of the customer service area without any discussion. I told her I needed the earliest flight and she said that the 10 AM flight was the only one available. Fortunately for me, my father had already sent me an email with a list of flights that you guys had available.
I told her I needed the 6:45 AM flight. She then insisted there was no other flight. I told her to look. After a couple of no’s she rushed back behind the desk to check and was able to put me on a 6:45 flight. I was to go to the Comfort INN and stay the night. It’s already 10 at this time so then I was handed off to another flight attendant and told to stay with her.
She then guided me to the front and told me where to go to wait for the shuttle. After this, I stood outside for nearly two HOURS for my shuttle. (it is still under 30 degrees at night in Denver) An hour in, the shuttle had arrived but it was too small and there were already a lot of people piling on before I had a chance to get on. Once this happened, I told the guy driving the shuttle and he lied to my face and told me he had been there just twenty minutes before.
Once we loaded up on the shuttle, there was zero heat. The shuttle broke down a minimum of FOUR times before we got to the hotel. Once we got to the hotel, I spent another hour waiting my turn for the receptionist and then finally I talked to the woman in the front. Asked her if there was any way for them to wake me up because I’m Deaf. They did NOT have accommodations available to allow me to stay there so I asked them to take me back to the airport.
Once I got back to the airport, I had to stay up all night and wait for my flight at 6:45. Once it got to be 5:30 AM, I went up to the customer service desk and sat in their chairs to wait for somebody to help me. I figured nobody would help me until 6 so I didn’t worry too much about being ignored. That was until some man came up and stood there. A woman came out (who had walked by me a minimum of two times) and asked him how she could help him.
When I finally got a customer service rep to talk to me, they simply gave me a card and told me to file a complaint online. That was the most they would do for me.
So to highlight all the things your airline did wrong
– Your stewardess pushed me to go on to Denver and told me I had no time to decide
– Once I got to Denver, your airlines staff treated me as if I was an invalid
– Your staff lied to my face about several things including available airplanes leaving Denver
– Your airline placed me in a hotel that does NOT follow standard ADA policies.
– You send me to a subpar hotel that does not have a working shuttle. Another woman who was also on my flight and had to stay overnight was sent to a much nicer hotel. (How convenient, she was a middle-class white woman while me and an Indian woman who barely speaks English was sent to this one?)
– You don’t empower your employees to do more than refer me to a website especially after being mistreated at the desk!
Be rest assured I am including Comfort INN in this because I do not only blame your airline for being ignorant. Comfort Inn is just as guilty in having a hotel that does not follow standard compliance policies.
I have several demands including request for a full refund, full apology for being treated as an invalid by your employees, and being lied to by your employees. This is the minimum I expect from your airline. On another note, I already returned the voucher to your customer service desk. I hope you got it back.
Sincerely,
Disgusted Customer
