Major U.S. Airline Axes Its Customer Service Number, TSA May Scrap Liquid Limits Frontier Airlines will be switching to a completely digital method of communicating with customers. This, plus more in air travel news.
By Emily Rella
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
When choosing to fly on a discount airline, people usually aren't expecting top-tier customer service in the event that they need assistance.
But Frontier Airlines' latest move will ensure that no one will complain when calling customer service lines because the company is axing its customer service phone lines altogether.
The airline announced that it will only be offering customer support via digital channels — a chatbot (available 24/7), WhatsApp, or social media platforms like Twitter.
"We have found that most customers prefer communicating via digital channels," a Frontier airlines spokesperson told CNN in a statement.
The decision is already effective, as Frontier's former 1-800 phone number now just redirects customers to digital options.
"At Frontier, we offer the lowest fares in the industry by operating our airline as efficiently as possible," the recording says once the number is dialed. "We want our customers to be able to operate efficiently as well, which is why we make it easy to find what you need at Flyfrontier.com or on our mobile app."
The news comes just days after Frontier announced its unlimited GoWild! Pass, which will give buyers unlimited flights on the airline for $1,999 a year for flights beginning on May 2 in hopes of making things a bit easier for frequent and last-minute travelers.
TSA Looking to Revamp Liquid Limits
Frequent travelers abroad may soon be able to bring their own water (and full-size toiletries) through security again after it was announced last week that airports in the U.K. are looking into 3D scanners that could potentially scrap the TSA liquid carry-on limit.
As it stands, carry-on liquids must be placed in a clear, quart-sized bag and can't be larger than 3.4 fluid ounces in size. Travelers who aren't careful enough about how their liquids are presented to security are often stopped and held up in the security line, causing delays and lots of full products and refreshments thrown into the garbage.
The new scanners are being tested at three major U.K. hubs -- Heathrow, Birmingham, and Gatwick -- and could be implemented as early as 2024 in the U.K., though the U.S. is also reportedly exploring the same technology.
Frontier was down just over 5% in a one-year period as of Monday afternoon.
