Frontier Airlines will begin requiring that passengers wear a face covering over their nose and mouth at the airline’s ticket counters, gate areas and onboard Frontier aircraft, effective May 8, 2020. Face coverings have been required for Frontier flight crews since April 13.
“We want our passengers to feel comfortable when flying with us by protecting themselves and their fellow travelers as we all navigate the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Barry Biffle, CEO of Frontier Airlines. “This new measure is aligned with CDC recommendations and those of many municipalities within the U.S. that include wearing a face covering when out in public.”
The company will be communicating the new requirement through emails, on its website, during the check-in process and at the airport. Very young children, for whom a face covering is inadvisable, will be exempt from the policy.
In addition to the face covering requirement, earlier this month Frontier implemented a program that requires passengers to accept a health acknowledgment prior to completing check-in via the company’s website or mobile app. Passengers are required to certify that:
- Neither they nor anyone in their household has exhibited Covid-19 related symptoms in the last 14 days
- They will check their temperature before heading to the airport and not travel if they have a fever
- They will wash their hands/sanitize before boarding the flight
- Information on the airline’s face covering policy will be added to the health acknowledgment
Frontier also introduced a fogging disinfectant to its already stringent aircraft cleaning and sanitation protocols, which administers a safe, certified disinfecting solution proven to be effective against many viruses, including coronavirus. The fogging includes virtually every surface in the passenger cabin. Planes are wiped down every night with additional disinfectant, as well.
During flight, main cabin air is a mix of fresh air drawn from outside and air that has been passed through an air filtration system that features HEPA filters capable of capturing respiratory virus particles at more than 99.7% efficiency – similar to those used in hospital environments.
To support social distancing during flight, Frontier is blocking every other row on its aircraft departing on flights through the first week of May and is allowing customers to change seats once on board within their respective zones.
