United Airlines offers less value on a basic economy ticket than competitors do. They don’t allow basic economy passengers to bring a regular carry-on bag on, and they haven’t allowed basic economy passengers to check in online, wasting passengers’ time. Fortunately they’re relaxing the online check-in rule but they’re doing it in a strange and troubling way.
Most people don’t realize that basic economy restrictions aren’t the same across airlines and that United Airlines offers much worse value than competitors.
Usually you earn fewer miles for your trip (if any) and won’t get all of your money as a credit towards future travel if you have to change plans. If you want to select your seats you have to pay, versus being assigned a seat at check-in (though available fee-free seat selection is usually pretty limited for most customers anyway). And you board last.
However United takes their basic economy to extremes, and this was specifically a choice made by their CEO Scott Kirby when he came over to the airline from American.
- You aren’t permitted to bring a full-sized carry on bag on board. American Airlines (where Kirby came from) started there, but got rid of that restriction. That means you’re more likely not just to be inconvenienced, but also to have to pay to check a bag.
- And if you’re flying on a basic economy ticket without a checked bag, you’re not allowed to check in online or via the airline’s mobile app So all basic economy customers are forced to wait in the line of shame at the airport. Their travels are slowed down and what they save in airfare they pay in time.
@united now makes checking in for a flight harder – unless you spend more on a ticket or in checking a bag.
Adding additional discomfort to extract higher prices is a @united foundational principle. pic.twitter.com/ujuBTMEmdq
— alexander ooms (@axooms) January 19, 2024
This isn’t a new restriction. It’s been the case for seven years. The airline both inconveniences the customer and also has the restriction in place to see that the bags you’re bringing are small personal items only.
United is the only airline that restricts full-sized carry on bags on basic economy fares. American and Delta offer better value that United on their cheapest tickets. And of course Southwest Airlines doesn’t have basic economy, and includes two checked bags at no extra charge on all tickets.
United Airlines elites and co-brand credit card customers get earlier boarding as a benefit – even on basic economy tickets. And since carry on restrictions are enforced based on boarding group, those restrictions don’t apply to these customers. But for the vast majority of people with a choice between airlines for their itinerary, where price and schedule are similar, they’re probably choosing United out of ignorance that they’re getting less for their money.
Starting August 6th, United’s basic economy customers can use online check-in. But in order to do this they’ll need to provide a credit card to pre-authorize for $65 that the airline charges if you bring a carry-on bag to the gate.
- $40 checked bag fee
- $25 extra gate handling fee
Basic economy customers will need a credit card on file. Presumably they think if you’re flying Basic Economy United figures you’re poor and might not be good for the bag fee?
This is being called “customer friendly” and “a positive change.” And for some customers it’s better than the punitive policy is replaces, but it still feels problematic.
- Someone may buy an airline ticket for you. You aren’t required to have a credit card to fly.
- If you bring a bag and want to check it, you’re required to pay the fee for the bag. But if you aren’t bringing a bag, there’s no requirement to have the funds for a bag or even have a debit or credit card.
- United is requiring passengers to have $65 more than the cost of their ticket to check-in online. That sounds like a DOT complaint to me. Anyone without the funds available, not bringing a checked bag, is forced to stand in line to prove it.
Major airlines Delta, followed by United and American, launched basic economy fares supposedly meant for ‘competing against ultra low cost carriers’ like Spirit and Frontier. The idea was that they wanted to offer the same prices, to not lose on ticket sales, but had been offering better value. So they made their product worse to compete.
However these fares changed, so that they weren’t just offered where they compete with Spirit and Frontier, and also not just to get people to ‘buy up’ an extra $20 or $30 for their tickets, but to segment customers.
- Leisure travelers would buy basic economy fares, worry about their seat assignments later, and be stuck with non-refundable tickets or only partial credit if they had to change plans.
- Business travelers, spending other peoples’ money, would pay traditional fares. Where the airlines were employing this strategy, the price difference between basic economy and regular fares could be several hundred dollars (sometimes even $400).
Airlines used to use Saturday night stay and advance purchase requirements to separate price-sensitive leisure customers from higher fare business customers. They don’t want to sell tickets for less than someone is willing to pay. But often those advance purchase and Saturday stay requirements no longer worked, because low cost carriers didn’t impose those restrictions and eventually they fell away from the majors too. Basic economy became the new advance purchase restriction on the lowest fares, making the travel experience worse.
United says though that their basic economy revenue is driven by customers who usually book Frontier or Spirit. Outside of Frontier customers based in Denver, for whom United is a reasonable choice though Southwest might be better, this is a poor and ill-informed choice – even if they can preauthorize a $65 charge to use online check-in – because of the carry-on policy.
If you’re connecting, such that other airlines are reasonable options, most customers are better off flying Delta, American or Southwest when lowest-fares are equal and United’s lowest is basic economy.
What the hell? Checking in online is, I’m guessing, less hassle for the gate/ticket agents. Online is just moving electronic one’s and zero’s. Just when one thinks that an airline can’t do anything more stupid to customer service, something like this shows up.
You didn’t touch on the worst part of this – it’s much easier for a gate agent to just charge you and you find out afterwards. They think you’re being a pain? Just hit the button to charge them $65.
Are gate agents supposed to hand you a reciept when they carge you for your carry-on. When I check-in with an agent or at a kiosk and pay a checked bag fee they always had me a receipt without asking?
Passengers can force airlines to drop unreasonable policies by voting with their wallets. If United experiences a sudden and significant drop in bookings, they will be forced to reconsider the policy.
FYI – I flew United from SDF to EWR round-trip last weekend in Basic Economy and my full-size backpack was a “personal item.” Nobody cared about its size and nobody asked me to check it.
Not being to check in online is pretty goofy, especially for a non-refundable fare, but we experienced no issues whatsoever with printing boarding passes quickly and efficiently at both airports. Honestly the only annoying thing is getting reminders from United to check in when the fare doesn’t allow online check in, but whatever. I definitely am not gonna pay extra for online check in in the future though, that’s insanity.
Still another reason to never fly United (or Delta). In fact I drive to all my vacation destinations except overseas and on those trips I don’t fly a US domestic carrier because they all suck.
I know a mechanic at United, who confirmed that all United planes are being converted to pay toilets.
“Usually you earn fewer miles for your trip (if any) and won’t get all of your money as a credit towards future travel if you have to change plans. If you want to select your seats you have to pay, versus being assigned a seat at check-in (though available fee-free seat selection is usually pretty limited for most customers anyway). And you board last.”
If you pay less money, you get less stuff … that’s kind of how life works
Pay toilets are not coming to united.
Show proof or it’s just a lie.
Preauthorization, who cares. Is this all it takes to generate outrage in the victim class these days?
Personally, I think no full sized carryon in basic economy makes perfect sense. They are boarding last, so there will be very little overhead bin space remaining anyway. This avoids the very inefficient process of either preemptively gate checking when there’s space, or having passengers or FAs search up and down for space, give up, and gate check.
Basic economy is not for everyone, and united is simply trying to push people who shouldn’t be booking basic to instead book standard economy, and with good reason.
Remember: United breaks guitars! Look it up on YouTube
ELIJA: Jimmy’s comment about pay toilets was JOKE. I laughed out loud.
I find it interesting how two different blogs linked on Boarding Area can have such a different analysis of this change in United’s policy:
https://atxjetsetter.com/post/united-makes-customer-friendly-change-to-basic-economy-fares/
From “troubling” to “customer friendly”. The reader gets to choose.
Seems like it is a customer friendly policy if you ask me. They’re opening up BE to online check-in and the preauth is removing the need for a gate agent to stop what they’re doing and charge a customer for a bag. With the preauth in place, the charge is just pushed through if the customer shows up with a carryon that they didn’t pay for. If you want the added perks of online check-in and carryon bag, just buy a standard economy fare.
Remove the economy seats and install poles with a strap for take off and landings, call it “standing room only ” like the baseball stadiums. Put a credit card swiper on the standing room only bathrooms. Fees to be determined. Install a CC swiper on the complimentary snack service cart. Fees to be determined. Don’t forget the embarkation and disembarkation CC swiper at the aircraft door. Fees to be determined. Am I missing anything ? That should fatten up Kirbys salary and bonuses. Don’t forget his Golden Parachute. No pun of course !!!
I’ve had a Chase MP Visa for many years, and that “free bag” perq plus a few other things (always in Group 2 for boarding. etc.) have made it quite worthwhile. It may not be everyone’s choice, nor even possible, but I am grateful I am able…given how much more burdensome and bothersome traveling has become (I am a Senior…).
I don’t see it as a good policy, but let the market decide.
@jsm – i literally link to that post. in some sense it’s less bad (basic economy passengers will be allowed to use online checkin!) but it requires preauthorizing $65 to a credit card and giving a gate agent the power to institute the charge [good luck if/when that happens in error]
Yea but the fact that at least United offers free wifi as long as you are doing messaging only is worth its weight in gold.
Big deal over nothing. It is a preauthorisation meant to ease up gate agent collection time. Makes sense. Gary fears an error will be hard to undo. If a gate agent is in your record manually, the collection process is required. It takes effort and time they don’t have for that kind of record engagement. Making collections less debatable with the wrong people. If you are arguing about a bag fee at the gate, it needs to go to Customer Relations or we all wait on peoples poor decisions.
Let’s just wait to see how many passengers are charged a fee for cabin bags for which they shouldn’t be charged a fee. That’s what United is setting up to do to passengers and there is nothing customer-friendly about increasing the chances of overcharging the customers and making it the customers’ hassle to get the wrong charges removed.
United airlines has and always will suck.
United does a baldfaced bait and switch scam with those basic fares. The promote the “basic” fare as their lowest price on there website and promote the same online. (bait). When you go to pay they try to make it unpalatable to buy the “basic” making it clear that with the “basic” fare, you are treated like a second class citizen. They then provide you with an alternative at higher level of fare (switch). People should vote with their feet and go to another airline.
I don’t know why people get upset with the conditions of basic economy. I’ve looked at them several times and UA is very clear what you get and what you don’t. If you don’t like it buy up or go to another carrier. Enough with the winning and sniveling.
@Chris….please….
Don’t give US airlines any kind of ideas. We have all subsidized airline CEO’s yearly bonuses 2 years in advance. But, you did forget one thing….put CC reading machines on the seatbelts for a few to be determined
I don’t think you understand. United doesn’t want people to book basic economy. It’s supposed to be a pain in the ass. United offers it to compete, but they’d much prefer that people book the normal economy tickets.
“Enough with the winning and sniveling.”
While I think you mean “whining”, those two things are necessary for most people to make it through life.
United must be tone deaf and/or dumb: they should explain the authorization as saving the time and hassle of giving your credit card and waiting while the agent enacts the entire transaction versus the agent presses one button and it’s done. Win-win for everybody, including those waiting in line.
Extortion.
They sell you a cheap ticket then harass you for more money with threats to make your miserable journey even worse
I have said it before — once you buy the premise that airlines absolutely hate their customers, everything they do makes sense.
I will be waiting for a gate agent to charge everyone boarding the baggage fee. People will find out later. Most will get refunds but it will be a big hassle. It will follow the example set by gate agents gate checking all carry-ons to get the flight out faster. Retraining will take place afterwards.
I just flew United basic economy yesterday for the first time with this plan. I reorganized my packing and left a bunch of stuff home to fit inside a smaller bag that I measured and met the requirements online for a personal item. The attendants at the checkin counter agreed but when I got to the gate the attendants said it wasn’t allowed because it had wheels. It’s designed to go under the seat and made of soft fabric — and again, it was within the allowed measurements. I pointed out the website didn’t say anything about wheels but she responded that it has to be a purse or backpack. When I showed her it says “like” a purse or backpack she simply responded “no wheels” and charged me $40. The thing that really upset me was that I couldn’t even bring it in the plane after paying, even though there was plenty of room in the overhead bins and it could’ve gone under my seat. I plan to file for a refund of my baggage fee but waiting to see what happens on my return flight.
@Lisa Meschutt, the trouble is that you are dealing with United Airlines and their agents make up rules as they go to benefit their company. Lying is a necessary skill for their agents. Because my hard side roller carry-on is slightly too big for published allowable sizes, like many other hard side roller carry-ons, I have changed to a large backpack for a carry-on. It holds as much as the roller and can be compacted better with it’s compression straps. It is easier to carry down stairs allowing bypassing of the escalators in some cases. It does better on going over uneven ground out of the airport. It is lighter so more can be packed for the same weight. I would suggest a small backpack meeting size requirements for a personal item.
They are sucks!! Never fly again!! I hope tjey go bankruptcy !!
The comments that get me here are the ones that shill for billion dollar companies. No matter how predatory the pricing scheme is, they problem IS ALWAYS the squeaky wheel.
Don’t like the strictures, then fly business or use a bus. You’re riff raff anyway, we comfortable customers don’t feel sorry for you. I see these shills quietly rooting for economy to disappear altogether so they can sit on a plane by themselves and tell themselves how superior they are to everyone else.
They just lost my business. .
Have never flown United. Guess I never will.
I LOVE United for doing this.
Instead of clogging boarding with the bags of the cheapskates, they leave the bins for the people who pay the most.
Thanks for suggesting that the cheapskates go fly a different airline. That’s exactly United’s strategy, and it’s far better for us business customers if they travel on Spirit, American or whomever.
> Passengers can force airlines to drop unreasonable policies by voting with their wallets. If United experiences a sudden and significant drop in bookings, they will be forced to reconsider the policy.
Most idiotic comment of the day. Hasn’t worked for any of the drunk fees including all of the hotels. There’s only a few companies, and many customers so economics will teach you that one side is more powerful than the other and the market isn’t a “free market”
@Lisa Meschutt
Definitely a bag with wheels is neither like a purse nor like a backpack, lol.
Good for the gate agent that they enforced the rules as they’re written. United has definitely good people who care about the business working for them.
@Lisa Meschutt, if you want to carry your wheeled personal item bag in the future, you might consider getting a lightweight nylon bag of the right size to put it in. That way the gate agent will not see the wheels and may not make up policy out of whole cloth. I carry lightweight nylon bags in case of gate agent or flight attendant made up emergencies because I am always carrying lithium ion battery power banks that cannot go in the hold.
Unless I don’t have a choice, I fly Southwest. I don’t have to worry about baggage fees, but do pay extra for early bird boarding, because I prefer a window seat. I understand that they are going to assigned seating. I will have to see what the price differences will be then. If they change there policy on baggage, then I will relook at everything. The major reason that I have stayed away from United is that there customer service and attitude is lousy. At one time, I preferred Continental, but United ruined that when they merged.
@Jake,
There are backpacks that have wheels, you know that, right? If it meets the size requirements and can fit under the seat, there is ZERO reason why Lisa should have been charged. That’s utter BS. I can’t stand United. They’re the least customer friendly of all the major airlines. Their basic economy price is the same as Delta and American and yet the latter two do not charge for a carry-on. United kills the most dogs per year and their gate agents have the WORST attitudes of any airline. They all seem to hate their jobs and hate customers. I will choose Delta or Southwest all day. I’d rather fly Allegiant than United. At least their fares which require additional costs for everything similar to United’s basic economy are actually inexpensive. Allegiant, Spirit, and Frontier fares are consistently a third of what United is charging for Basic Economy.
The other problem with basic economy and cause for complaint is they claim they lowered the price to compete, but actually they just set Basic Economy at the rates that regular Economy used to be, and raised the prices of all other fare classes, then lied and said they were providing a discount.
I traveled as a part of my job, not the best part. I have since retired and bought an rv so I never have to get on a domestic flight again, hated airlines and airline employee’s.
I find nothing about United’s BE policies egregious. But Lisa’s treatment is wrong. I read United’s policy on their website. The FA was wrong (or United has given FAs enforcement rules inconsistent with their website). Come on United, how tough is it to go to her seat with her and confirm it fits under the seat? You expect this with an airline known to reward such behavior, but really UA?
All complaints about United derive from the fact that air travel (in United’s view) is an extractive industry. The customer is not being served. He is being mined. They want that nugget of gold and to the waste pile with the rest of it (you!).
I miss Continental so much right now.
Every Chinese and Indian airline I have flown is significantly better than any current US airline- even Delta.
lol, you people crack me up. There is a reason that the fare is deeply discounted. If you don’t like what you are getting, then pay for a full fare. Simple as that.
Nobody is forcing anyone to buy that fare.
Basic Economic was promised to compete with low cost carriers, yes. Democratizing air travel. But it turned into something else. It turned into a marketing ploy. I don’t have stats on this, but I suspect basic economy has helped the airline industry raise prices overall and has made it easier to pick away at what used to be the standard for flying. It’s not a United thing. It’s an industry thing. In 20 years, what you think is standard for business class won’t exist. It will be closer to premium economy.