The internet is never short on Frontier Airlines nightmare scenarios, and this TikTok creator just added another to the list. On Sep. 12, Jerrud (@jerrudtoks) went viral after posting a video from the airport gate itself, announcements blaring in the background, as he explained how he was just kicked off his flight without his checked luggage. The video has already pulled in more than 70,000 views.
Jerrud says the drama started before he even got on the plane. He’d booked his seat the night before, but when he went to check his bag due to a promotion that would provide compensation to check your bag instead of carry-on, Frontier staff told him something wild: He didn’t actually have a seat.
“I’m like, wait what are you talking about? I have a seat. I booked this flight,” he explained in the video. “And they’re like yeah, you don’t have a seat. Don’t worry though, the flight won’t be full.”
So, he waited it out while the entire plane boarded. Finally, a boarding pass in hand, he headed down the jet bridge. His bag was loaded, he found his row, and then, there’s a plot twist.
“There’s somebody in my seat. It’s actually a pilot,” Jerrud said. After discussion with the Frontier staff, they told him to wait in the back while they sorted it out. Another unlucky passenger who’d been told the same thing was also standing there. In the end, that guy got the seat. However, Jerrud was escorted right back off the plane.
No Flight, No Seat, But a Bag on Board
From there, things only got worse.
“I’m like dude, my bag’s on this plane. Like what are you going to do with my bag?” Jerrud told the gate agent. She tried to intercept it before departure but came back with the answer no traveler wants to hear: “They already put it on the plane.”
With no flights until the next day, Jerrud pulled up DOT regulations and tried calling customer service. After three dropped calls, he finally got through, only to be told they’d send him an email. “So yeah, they’re sending me an email, but I don’t know what that means,” he admitted.
He ended the video with a request: “Please like so this post is boosted. Thank you.”
So You Got Bumped…Now What?
Nobody books a flight thinking, “Can’t wait to get kicked off this plane.” But if it happens, you need to know your rights. The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires airlines to hand you a written notice breaking down what you’re owed when you’re involuntarily bumped.
Here’s the quick breakdown of your rights: if the airline gets you to your destination within an hour of your original arrival time, you’re out of luck. There’s no cash.
If it takes 1–2 hours (or up to 4 hours internationally), they owe you at least 200% of your one-way fare, which is capped at $1,075.
Miss your destination by more than 2 hours (4 hours internationally), or they don’t rebook you at all? That jumps to 400% of your one-way fare, up to $2,150.
In other words: If they boot you off, don’t just take the L. Make sure you get the bag, too.
Commenters Were Not Shocked
The comments lit up with people who weren’t surprised in the slightest, roasting Frontier’s reputation for being anything but reliable.
“Frontier is actually what people think Spirit is,” one person joked.
“Step one never book with frontier,” another warned.
Someone else even offered a workaround: “Never call. Message them on Facebook. They always answer, and I have always gotten a refund or voucher when I have had a problem.”
Then an airline employee jumped in to spill some behind-the-scenes tea: “As one of *the luggage people* at my airline, I can definitely get go your bag, and have to do it all the time for standby passengers,” they wrote. “If it was gate checked, it’s probably right at the front of the bin anyway. Super easy! We find it, we scan it off, and walk it up or get it rerouted to your new flight! Those agents were just being lazy [weary face emoji] sorry that happened! Hope you found your bag OK!”
Jerrud did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Frontier, however, did weigh in. A spokesperson told us, “I’ve confirmed with our Customer Care team that they are making contact with this individual and ensuring the refund process is expedited.”