BE AWARE - new UA Basic Economy Fares

Can’t understand the logic of one buying a BE ticket for an international flight! Two flights to Europe in the past 3-4 months, with both being oversold. Who do you think will get bumped if they have no volunteers for a bump?

So, to fill out the missing data portion of your story -- were there any involuntary denied boardings? Or were there enough volunteers?

If you wish to contribute data points, please feel free.

Also, note that the rate for IDB is in the hundredths (if not thousandths) of a percent of travelers. Probably the most overblown concern among infrequent flyers. Check the DOT stats to see for yourself.

Flyer talker;

1. There were no BE tickets sold for the PHL-ATH flight, so comparable actions couldn’t be made.

2. They were still looking for “volunteers “ when we boarded in BC . So don’t know what finally transpired.

No prior seat selection! Someone has to set in those middle seats in the rear of the plane on those 3-4-3 or 3-5-3 configurations!

Just curious what airline and airplane is the 3-5-3 configuration on? I know AB is offering it on the A380, but I didn't think anyone was using it yet.

I was thinking Qantas and the 380s. The US carriers aren’t doing them yet. The AA 772 is 2-5-2.

I would say the odds of any flyer on a BE ticket getting any of those 2s would be about zero.

I was thinking Qantas and the 380s.

https://www.qantas.com/content/dam/qantas/pdfs/qantas-experience/at-the-airport/seat-maps/qantas-A380-14F64J35PY371Y.pdf

 

Interesting thought, will parents be allowed to buy regular Economy tickets and then buy BE for their small children? I could see wars ahead on seat assignments, if so!

No. If the flights/routing allowed, and the ages of the children required them to fly as unaccompanied minors, the parents would have to pay the UM fee.

This would probably eat up any "savings."

Interesting thought, will parents be allowed to buy regular Economy tickets and then buy BE for their small children? I could see wars ahead on seat assignments, if so!

No. If the flights/routing allowed, and the ages of the children required them to fly as unaccompanied minors, the parents would have to pay the UM fee.

Actually, they probably could. The rule is usually that parents must be ticketed in the same cabin as minors, in this case they would be, albeit with different types of tickets. Either the parents can buy their tickets, then call to book the kids in BE; I've done this when buying a revenue ticket for myself and an award ticket on the same flight for my kids. Once the agent can confirm that I AM on the flight, they can ticket the kids without charging the UAM fee. Alternatively, the parents could book one parent and one child in economy, and then book the other parent and other child in BE and switch seats around onboard so that both kids are in the BE seats.

That answers "can" they? Next is "should" they? Depends entirely on the ages, familiarity with air travel, and general behavior of the kids.

I was thinking more of the scenario where Mom and Pop had reserved seats, say A&B on a 3-4-3, and the young child didn’t have a seat assignment on his BE ticket. You have seat C, an aisle seat. If they check in early, will the agent (a) give the child your C seat and send you to a rear middle seat? Or (b) will they make the parent go to the rear with the child? Or © will a parent have to take the BE seating and the child gets their seat?

Just believe if the parents game the system and (a) becomes the answer you’ll see war!

Just believe if the parents game the system and (a) becomes the answer you’ll see war!

BUU;

Only in the most extreme circumstances.

If the airlines are indeed going to introduce BE tickets on international routes similar to domestic policy, in lieu of just changing baggage allowances, then they must strategize how they will approach this issue. People will game it in a heartbeat if they fill they can get away with it.

If the airlines are indeed going to introduce BE tickets on international routes similar to domestic policy, in lieu of just changing baggage allowances, then they must strategize how they will approach this issue. People will game it in a heartbeat if they fill they can get away with it.

As some of the more "creative" comments on this forum have demonstrated.

Only in the most extreme circumstances.

If the airlines are indeed going to introduce BE tickets on international routes similar to domestic policy, in lieu of just changing baggage allowances, then they must strategize how they will approach this issue. People will game it in a heartbeat if they fill they can get away with it.

I was thinking more of the scenario where Mom and Pop had reserved seats, say A&B on a 3-4-3, and the young child didn’t have a seat assignment on his BE ticket. You have seat C, an aisle seat. If they check in early, will the agent (a) give the child your C seat and send you to a rear middle seat? Or (b) will they make the parent go to the rear with the child? Or © will a parent have to take the BE seating and the child gets their seat?

The gate agent will likely say option C. If the parents insist the kid can't sit alone, one parent and the kid take the assigned A & B seats, and the other parent takes the mystery seat in BE, wherever that may end up being.

We tend to avoid United whenever possible. We may buy a UA ticket to an international gateway but we always try for a code share operated by another airline. Paying for bags is not an issue for us since we always do carry on.

Heard a nice story from a friend recently returned (last week) from FLL for a cruise. They got to FLL. Their bags came out. One had a tear in it and two wheels were broken off. He went to Delta baggage office to report the damage. He told the Delta clerk that he was boarding a cruise the next day.

The Delta clerk said just a minute. Went to the back and came back with a brand new suitcase. Handed it my friend, indicated a table where he could switch the contents of his damaged bag. He was out of there in fifteen minutes with a new (and better quality) bag. Never heard of this before on any airline.

Heard a nice story from a friend recently returned (last week) from FLL for a cruise. They got to FLL. Their bags came out. One had a tear in it and two wheels were broken off. He went to Delta baggage office to report the damage. He told the Delta clerk that he was boarding a cruise the next day.

 

The Delta clerk said just a minute. Went to the back and came back with a brand new suitcase.

The DL baggage people at FLL are really good, in my experience. One gal there in particular, Deb. Q., is just awesome! Actually, the DL Sky Club folks and the DL gate agents (generally speaking) are also a cut above at FLL. Delta must have a really good station manager there!

The DL baggage people at FLL are really good, in my experience. One gal there in particular, Deb. Q., is just awesome! Actually, the DL Sky Club folks and the DL gate agents (generally speaking) are also a cut above at FLL. Delta must have a really good station manager there!

Good station in my experience. The staff there have seen it all. Talking to one GA, they told me how for arrivals, they don't send the full compliment of wheelchairs down the jetway on arrivals from LGA/JFK. Lots of "Lourdes" flights, with pax who needed the wheelchairs in NYC miraculously walk off the plane with no assistance in Florida. But wheelchairs are in high demand when heading north again.

FWIW, just about all stations have replacement bags stashed away for when the airline REALLY mangles some luggage. Minor damage doesn't cut it, but when it's clear the airline made the luggage unusable, they give you either a loaner or a new one on the spot.

 

FWIW, just about all stations have replacement bags stashed away for when the airline REALLY mangles some luggage. Minor damage doesn't cut it, but when it's clear the airline made the luggage unusable, they give you either a loaner or a new one on the spot.

Last time that happened -- UA gave me a box to put my clothes in with a handle. Smisek days and was an over entitled 1K. They did not have any Tumi's in the back :)

For me I will avoid Basic Economy as its too restrictive and I want to know my seat assignment is a good one in advance. That $30 or so savings is minor. For me Delta Comfort+ is worth the cost for me on domestic flights.

If I were flying United I would just sign up for their credit card to have my bag fee waived and be done with it. I wonder if you had the Credit Card would they waive the bag fee and then you just carry on a backpack in Basic Economy or does that not even work?

 

If I were flying United I would just sign up for their credit card to have my bag fee waived and be done with it.

I assume you know there is a cost involved with signing up for an airline credit card. If you fly often enough that the fee is worth it in terms of free bags that's fine. But for a once a year flyer it might not make sense.

I assume you know there is a cost involved with signing up for an airline credit card. If you fly often enough that the fee is worth it in terms of free bags that's fine. But for a once a year flyer it might not make sense.

The fee is waived the first year of the card. If you are only flying them within a year, it would be worth it, as long as you remember to cancel before the fee kicks in.