Flying Green on a Budget Airline: Skeptic’s Journey
My first travel experience with Frontier Airlines gave me more than a cheap fare. I received a surprising environmental education.
Departure
Having no experience with budget airlines, I decided to give Frontier a try after attending a funeral. Its fare was less than half that of competing airlines. But it took a while to get “on board” so to speak.
At the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania airport I experienced multiple annoyances, including: limited access to a ticket counter or help on the phone; at least a $53 fee for anything larger than a personal bag that you can stuff under the seat in front of you; and a $25 fee if you don’t use the Frontier App to check in.
After waiting through three lines I found an accommodating agent who helped me put the App on my phone.
The woman at the boarding gate spoke with the intensity of a drill sergeant. “We close the door 20 minutes before flight time. After that we don’t open the door for no one.” “Check your bag size. We charge $99 at the gate to stow your bag overhead. Again, please look at those boarding passes. If it doesn’t say ‘board first’ I will ask you to leave the line. Sit in your assigned seat. We are a full flight. Two hundred passengers. If you want to switch seats with someone, we charge for that.”
Planting myself in seat 16C (automatically assigned) felt like a major league accomplishment. I stowed my personal bag (provided by my wife Willow as recommended by Oprah Winfrey) in front of me. The fold down “table” at my seat was a third the size of my more familiar airline. Good mainly for a pair of glasses or a drink cup.
At this point, I’m feeling like I’m in a low-income country, or perhaps being evacuated from a natural disaster. This is a guy who loves Southwest Airlines and their friendly customer service.
Okay, so other passengers seemed matter of fact about all this. It wasn’t as cramped as I expected. I was impressed that the flight attendants actually served free cups of water.
Layover
I had a 7+ hour layover in Denver. But that gave me time to find out about my airline.
The first thing to note upon arrival at the Denver airport is that we walked down a ramp and across the tarmac to enter the terminal. Hmmm, interesting way to save money from those jet ramps we’ve become accustomed to. Okay.
Then I see a picture of a waterfall that says “America’s Greenest Airline” with a swept F logo. Oh yeah??? Green washing???
Does paying for unessential baggage really cut the carbon footprint that much? There was an option – which I took – when buying my ticket to offset my carbon footprint for a couple dollars… but that’s not very impressive.
Then, in the hallway, the last in a series of pictures telling a history of Frontier Airlines is this statement: “2022 – Frontier became the leader in the industry in fuel efficiency, thanks in part to adopting the ultra-efficient Pratt & Whitney GTF engines. To commemorate this milestone, special green liveries [graphic designs] were introduced featuring “America’s Green Airline” tagline and featuring bald eagles gracing the tails.”
Frontier’s sustainability webpage reports the purchase of 134 Airbus A320neo airliners. These planes are powered by those Pratt & Whitney GTF (geared turbo fan) engines. A video brags about a partnership between Frontier and Pratt & Whitney. This is a major industry advance.
Numerous airlines, including Frontier, have demonstrated Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from biological sources. These include as waste fat oils and greases (currently used), agricultural feedstock, sewage sludge and algae. SAFs are key to meeting industry carbon-neutral targets within a decade or two. But, for the present, we’re mostly flying on jet fuel. (For its part, United Airlines appears to be taking the lead in fueling with SAFs at domestic airports, such as O’Hare in Chicago.)
Recaro seats, used in Frontier planes, weigh 30 percent less than older seats.
Like an Appalachian Trail through hiker, Frontier counts every ounce. That App that frustrated me avoids paper boarding passes. The cockpit is paperless. There is no in-flight magazine – nor Wi-Fi entertainment. (I amused myself by writing in my journal.)
Frontier claims other airlines burn 31 to 55 percent more fuel, depending on the airline. I searched the Internet for corroborating information. In 2022, aviation analysts IBA found Frontier Airlines to the be the most efficient of North American Carriers in terms of Average CO2 per seat per mile. The International Air Transportation Association (IATA) evaluated Frontier similarly. Clearly, much of Frontier’s sustainable advantage comes from a newer and intentionally more efficient fleet of planes.
People who work for Frontier could be celebrating their roles as crew members of Spaceship Earth. Employees I met were pleasant. Online recruiting information emphasizes the opportunity for fast advancement with a growing airline. There was no mention of working for an eco-friendly company. Why not? Increasingly, energy efficiency and an eco-friendly business model are fueling a thriving company.
Arrival
Our plane arrived on schedule after midnight at the Portland, Oregon airport. Frontier’s gate was at the end of the concourse. I welcomed the walk. So yes, you really can fly minimalist… if you choose.
Am I still in love with Southwest Airlines? Sure. But, as a crewmember on Spaceship Earth myself, low cost won’t be the only reason I seriously consider another journey on Frontier Airlines.
Jon Biemer is registered as a professional Mechanical Engineer in the state of California and a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists. He is the author of Our Journey to Sustainability: How Everyday Heroes Make a Difference and Our Environmental Handprints: Recover the Land, Reverse Global Warming, Reclaim the Future. Both books can be purchased from on-line booksellers. His website is www.jonbiemer.com.
