Way to go Lauren and Veronica of Frontier Airlines at Reagan International Airport.
Today:March 21
I was early to the airport so waited
in line at Frontier ticketing to ask the gate number from Reagan international to Denver(it was not on my boarding pass and there were no monitors in sight).
"Hi," I said when I got to the front, Can you tell me the gate number for Denver."
I was in a great mood because I had a very nice time in DC and Norfolk, Va.
The rep. behind the counter, Veronica, ignored my gate number question , and said there would be a fee for my bag that was strapped over my shoulder. She didn't even know who I was yet. Besides, I hadn't been charged on the way in because my bag has a heavy leather jacket inside and I put it in there when I arrived at Reagan because it was warm and sunny out.
"Can I do this at the gate?" I asked. "I have a jacket and sweatshirts in here that I can put on."
"Boarding pass, please," Said Veronica.
I handed it to her.
"Do you want to pay the fee
Online?"She Asked. "You haven't paid for
Your bag."
"Ok," I said. I don't mind paying the fee but you are being very dismissive of my original question. I came here to ask for the gate
number and you still have not told me."
She didn't reply. She looked frustrated, like she had to deal with this all the time.
"Can I have you name please?" I asked.
"Veronica castillo," she said.
"Ok, can you tell me what the bag fee is for?", I asked.
She Pointed to the test box that says Personal Item.to I went over and stuffed in my bag. It fit even with the jacket inside. Veronica was talking to
Another rep so she didn't see me.I took a picture.(See pic.)
I returned to her and said,
"It fit in. It's also full of clothes. I can put on my jacket and sweatshirts that are inside. It fit in the box anyway," I said.
I tried to show her the picture, but she want interested.
"Ok," I said, "I'll take care of that at the gate. Can you please give me the gate number number?"
She rattled off the gate very quickly and all I understood was "A."
I asked her to write it down.
She refused.
I came up here to ask about the gate number and you are treating me rudely," I said. "Can I speak to
Someone else?
Over came the Rep Veronica had been speaking to while I was at the test box.
The first thing that she said was, "She wasn't being rude to you. "You need to pay for your carry on."
"Ok, I get it," I said, "I just need the gate number.Can you write it down?"
"We don't provide that service, " she said.
She brought me a pen and bag tag to write on.
"Can I have your name please," I said.
"Lauren," she said.
"Last name," I asked.
"Just Lauren," she said.
I knew I was leaving from gate A, so I left. Went through security. Went to the bathroom and put on my jacket and sweatshirts. The bag now had
2 pair of pants, underwear, a
Cell phone and a laptop.
My bag was small enough to fit under my jacket now. But that wasn't even the point. The point was, why am I being treated like the enemy? I was in a great mood and these two were pushing me around. Why was I warned about my bag before Veronica even looked at my boarding pass?
Guess who was at gate A7 when I arrived: Veronica Castillo.
I didn't want to deal with her again. She obviously hated me, or was indifferent. Who knew?
I went to another rep.who was eagle
eyeing boarding passengers.
She looked irritated like Veronica and Lauren, but even more stressed, and she was wearing an orange thingy over her uniform that made her look more TSA.
I asked her if she could look at my bag and tell me the policy because downstairs...
She cut me off. "Your carry-on was already flagged, she said. "It is a duffel bag, " Duffel bag pays the fee whether or not they fit in the square," she said.
"Go to the agent at the desk."
Nooo. I had to face Veronica again. I walked to the desk and showed her the bag.
"It will fit in easy now, " I said.
Veronica had that look like, "If you mess
with me now, you will miss your flight.
"You can pay by debit or credit, cash is not accepted," she said.
I handed her my credit card without asking price. I had given up and we both knew it.
I got on the plane and I'm on my way to Denver now. Duffel bag was $99. The clothes inside are not worth that. But the price isn't my issue. My issue is that I was treated poorly for
No reason.
I was in a great mood coming into DC. Everyone treated me so nicely in that beautiful city. But this service really brought
Me down. I was treated like an enemy from the start. I've worked restaurants my whole
Life and I know customers can be unreasonable. But that wasn't me. I was courteous the whole time. I never berated or swore or even raised my voice.
What bothers me most is that I was flagged and treated with the same disdain when I arrived at the gate. I was tagged as the enemy.
I saw other customers being treated with the same rudeness and disregard. There was no time to explain for them, because the plane was already boarding. read more