Is Green Class Really An Upgrade?
Jennifer Billock August 28, 2019
Frontier Airlines is trying something new: Green Class. Now, passengers will be able to enjoy environmentally sustainable amenities on each flight, including compostable service items and seating designed to be more eco-friendly.
Frontier has a new offering: Green Class. It’s an “upgrade” that Frontier says will be available on all Frontier planes. And, this upgrade includes:
- Tray tables custom-built for modern technology
- Guaranteed overhead storage for carry-ons
- WIFI Free environment with freedom from your inbox
- Planet-Priority seating with Personal Space Protection (no reclining seats)
- Eco-friendly service items (no straws!)
- Personalized entertainment choices with latest technology (brought by you)
- Broad selection of food (also brought by you)
- Peace of mind that you’ve made a thoughtful and responsible choice
“Frontier is proud to introduce a new class of service for all of our customers, Green Class,” Frontier CEO Barry Biffle said in a statement. “Consumers are now looking for choices that align with the values they hold, and I am proud that Frontier is able to provide that choice for our valued passengers and empower them to make air travel a part of their personal sustainable choices.”
However, while some of those offerings are certainly greener—getting rid of straws can only be good for the environment, “WIFI Free environment with freedom from your inbox” is a liberty we can’t imagine many passengers have asked for. But, if eco-friendliness is at the top of your priority list, Frontier isn’t a bad airline to fly.
Frontier already has the most fuel-efficient aircraft fleet in the industry, and is aiming to become “America’s Greenest Airline.” With the largest amount of A320neo aircrafts in any U.S. airline’s fleet, it’s already nearly 40% more fuel efficient than any other airline.
[Featured Image: Frontier Airlines]
If a Frontier airplanes crash will my family be charged a green fee? After all, what is more green than death?
nobody forces one to use WiFi, so I don't get the 'green' ness of not having WiFi. And one person using WiFi poses absolutely no disturbance to fellow passengers. A WiFi antenna in the back of the plane would have no problem reaching the front row and all seats in between, and vice versa. so I'm wondering how they will offer a "WiFi free" zone.
This is a joke, right? All of these are cost-cutting masquerading as environmental consciousness: No WiFi = cost savings No entertainment = cost savings No food = cost savings Non-reclining seats with sustainable tray tables = most likely cost savings, or at worst a wash Guaranteed bin space - how on earth do they guarantee that, when there isn’t enough bin space for everyone to bring the maximum carry-on allowed? At least this is just a marketing pitch rather than an actual class of service that they charge extra for, as was my initial assumption from the headline.
I wonder. Did Frontier upgrade all seats or just the last few rows of their aircrafts?
I would be one of those few pax who ask for a WiFi-free environment. I miss the days when my flights were times to relax, work offline on pending deliverables, or mentally prepare for the meeting I'm flying to with out the expectation to be responding to emails/IMs or otherwise be "available." I personally rue the day that WiFi made it into the air - my job isn't saving lives so it can be put on hold a few hours.