Frontier Airlines, a low-cost US carrier, has scrapped telephone customer service in favor of digital channels. The carrier will no longer deploy customer service representatives to handle the influx of calls via telephone. With the removal of the airline call center, passengers seeking help can communicate with the carrier through digital means only.
Transition to digital-only communications
Starting last week, the Denver-headquartered Frontier Airlines has shifted to digital-only communications, scrapping the telephone customer service. This means customers looking to make itinerary changes and get real-time flight information should contact the airline via online, mobile, and text support. Frontier Airlines will no longer put its live agents on schedule to provide customer support over the phone. The move comes in response to the customers’ preference to communicate with the carrier via digital channels.
Frontier passengers can use a website chatbot, social media channels, and even WhatsApp to receive customer support from the carrier. The chatbot on Flyfrontier.com is an easy-to-use messaging platform that provides real-time answers to customer queries. Customers can make amendments, book or track flights, and receive flight information using the chatbot. If the customer wants support from a live agent, it is possible with the help of Frontier’s live chat tool. Frontier Airlines offers 24/7 live chat options to allow passengers to speak with a live customer service representative.
The digital change-why?
The ultra-low-cost Frontier Airlines claims digital platforms have become the preferred means of communication for most customers. With digital channels soaring upwards, Frontier Airlines’ transition to fully-digital communications will enable customers to get information as swiftly and efficiently as possible.
Customers can use the carrier’s conversational app to manage travel matters, eliminating time-wasting phone calls. They have a wide variety of options to contact, including the website, mobile app, social media channels, email, etc.
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Thanks to AI capitalization, it is possible for a chat agent to handle three or more inquiries at once, unlike the previous service requiring hours of phone calls for human agents. Jack Filene, Frontier’s senior vice-president of customers, stated, “Think about the most obscure question a customer might ask that would take a call center agent many minutes to research and find an answer to. The chatbot can answer that very quickly. “
Frontier’s now-defunct customer service phone number no longer offers phone support but greets dialing customers with an automatic message. It guides customers in contacting the airline and finding what they need at Flyfrontier.com or its mobile app.
Reducing labor costs
Famed for its cost-cutting measures, Frontier Airlines seeks to reduce labor costs by introducing an all-digital communication platform. According to Filene, dropping the customer service line will lower the costs for human capital and ramp up transactions. In the last quarter, i.e., Q3 2022, Frontier Airlines made the second-largest expenditure in employee wages, accounting for $182 million. Out of $906 million in operating revenue, the ultra-low-cost carrier managed to collect $31 million in profit in the third quarter of this year. Jet fuel was the biggest expense, as the airline spent $306 million on airline fuel.
Eliminating telephone call service in favor of online tools helps lower passenger wait times. Frontier Airlines can increase the number of customers it can help and lower its response and resolution times. As the pandemic wore on, the roaring return of passenger demand also brought cancellations, delays, and other flight problems. Shortage of labor, flight turmoil, and the resulting high call volume overshadowed the carrier’s tactics to keep passenger wait times down, leading to increased passenger frustration.
Other airlines without telephone service
With customer telephone lines no longer in operation, Frontier Airlines becomes the largest carrier in the United States without a phone support service. On the contrary, its low-cost competitors Spirit Airlines and Allegiant Airlines still offer telephone assistance services and have call centers to handle customer requests.
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Besides Frontier Airlines, David Neeleman-founded Breeze Airways doesn’t use call centers for customer service. Instead, it offers online tools like email, Messenger, or a website to make bookings, amend travel plans, etc.
About Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines is a renowned player in US low-cost market, headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Founded on February 8, 1994, the carrier has grown its presence to over 100 national and 31 international destinations. It touts a fleet of 116 aircraft and employs more than 5000 staff.
