Frontier Plans First-Class Seats And Starlink Wi-Fi As Bill Franke Sees Shift In U.S. Budget Flying

According to CNBC, Frontier Airlines plans to roll out first-class seats next year on its Airbus fleet and has joined airlines adding SpaceX's Starlink Wi-Fi as it seeks to return to steady profitability. Frontier chairman Bill Franke said the carrier is not aiming for a Singapore Airlines-style first class, but wants to give consumers an option. Franke said the ultra-low-cost model has been pressured by higher pilot salaries, maintenance costs and operating expenses, while premium travel has grown. He also said larger rivals such as United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have copied parts of the budget-carrier model, including fees and stripped-down fares, and that Frontier is considering adjustments to its business model in the U.S. market. Frontier CEO Jimmy Dempsey said on a July 29 earnings call that the airline is on the right trajectory to return to sustainable profitability, while August airfares were up more than 23% from a year earlier, according to federal data released Sept. 11.