Frontier Airlines is doubling down on its ultra-low-cost DNA.
At the Barclays Industrial Select Conference earlier this year, the Denver-based carrier made headlines when CEO Barry Biffle suggested a future where jet bridges all but disappear from Frontier's operation.
Instead, the airline wants passengers boarding the old-fashioned way - by stairs, from both the front and rear of the aircraft.
For Biffle, this isn't just nostalgia. It's about speed, efficiency, and squeezing more flying hours out of each plane.
And it could mark a major shift in how U.S. airports handle boarding in the years ahead.
Frontier's Big Shift Away From Jet Bridges
Biffle didn't mince words when speaking to investors and analysts: jet bridges, he said, are "the kiss of death" when it comes to quick turnarounds.
Frontier has already opened a dedicated 14-gate ground boarding facility at Denver International Airport - the largest of its kind in the U.S. and the airline now wants to take that concept nationwide.
The goal?
To move as close as possible to 100% ground boarding across the network.
It's a bold vision for an American carrier, one that echoes the playbook of European low cost giants like Ryanair and Wizz Air, whic rarely use jet bridges