Blocking the middle seat in a row is a staple of the European business class travel market. Now a similar offering will fly in North America, as Frontier Airlines introduces UpFront Plus.
Frontier is all about choice and giving consumers the flexibility to customize their travel to suit their individual needs and preferences. UpFront Plus is a great option for those who want expanded personal space and extra comfort.
– Barry Biffle, CEO, Frontier Airlines
A step up from the company’s “Premium” seating option, UpFront Plus offers a blocked middle seat, in addition to extra legroom on board. After an introductory pricing launch of $49, the extra space appears priced at just over $100/segment to start.
The UpFront Plus offering will be made available in the first two rows of each Frontier aircraft for a total of eight seats on board. It comes at the expense of reducing the saleable seats on board by 4.
Presumably the company has run the numbers and figures the incremental ancillary seating fee is worth more than selling those few seats. Doubly so if passengers typically did not pay for the middle seats in the first rows anyways, meaning they were more commonly assigned for free rather than as a paid choice by travelers.
While the optional extra space may be welcomed by some travelers, others might be less happy about the shift. Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Elite members in the Frontier Miles loyalty program have access to the Premium seats on board at no extra charge, either at booking or during the check-in process, depending on their status level.
Converting the front two rows from Premium to UpFront Plus takes away a notable chunk of “Premium” seats for those travelers to select.
Also worth noting that, like most other airlines, Frontier already offers an option to purchase two seats on board and requires it for passengers of size. Passengers choosing this option pay for both tickets but only one seat assignment fee. It does not, however, include seats in the first two rows of the plane. It also can only be managed by a customer support representative. They should waive the $35 support fee for the agent-based booking process, however.
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