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.
Making a product more difficult to use and inaccessible is an indication that the company doesn’t want you to buy it. Flying these days has become positively dystopian.
I never fly United and this will be a backlash. You purchased an airline ticket and it is only a ticket. No guarantee you will even get on the plane, then you have to buy a seat. You pay for any “Extras”. So What does the costs of the ticket represents? I was used to buy seats but I stopped and decided where ever they put me is fine as long as I get to my destination safely. Sometimes I get the most costly seats for free!!!
I spent 14 years as a communication executive for an airline, And for the life of me I have no idea how to put lipstick on this pig. If I were flying New York to LA, I think I would rather drive then fly United Airlines if it were my only choice. Scott Kirby is a flawed human being, personally as well as professionally.
August 6 is Hiroshima Anniversary.
We fly United at leat twice a year basic economy to USA from Mexico, we have what we need at both ends so why bring a pull bag and pay up to $400 extra per person to put it up top that’s all you gain by going tourist…you still would have to pay for tickets and then seats and wait to board last too so we let them choose seats when we get there so they are free. My thohsa been why do we pay for a ticket and get NO SEATS…pay for your seat separate… What is the ticket for ??? to STAND in aisle? We are retired and $$ make a difference. Not ashamed to fly basic just sad sometimes the treatment. Just hoping United can keep the tires and wheels on for my flight home!
United has been a clown show for over a decade now. Haven’t flown them in over 30 years and would drive before using United.
UAL has some noteworthy distinctions:
1. The oldest fleet of US carriers. Their aircraft are filthy, worn out and tired, and seats that could rival the springs-up-your-butt greasy spoon diner.
2. The lowest qualification ratings for ATP pilots.
3. The expressed DEI policy that by the year 2030, 65% of its pilot hires are women, or people of color (as an aviation buff, I was never aware that skin color and/or gender were SKILLS required to pilot an aircraft).
Now add in that they treat their revenue stream (“customers”) like fecal matter, and Kirby is poised to take United down the path of domestic carriers like TWA, Pan Am, Continental, Eastern, etc. Couldn’t happen to a worse airline, nor soon enough.
I wish AA would stop allowing carry-ons for BE! Too many in groups 5+ have carry on luggage and don’t have a clue about traveling. Bring it on the plane, only to find out all overhead bin space has been taken.
Many businesses travelers don’t fly BE, I tried it, but didn’t appreciate the booking code (less miles), so I won’t do it. It’s usually those who rarely travel. So, they can either buy a regular ticket or stick to Frontier, SWA, and Spirit.
Airlines and most institutions have always had a “DEI policy.” It’s just there was no lame outrage-bait acronym for it during all those decades when “DEI” meant preferential hiring status for white men, discrimination for women and people of color.
Thevbootlicking comments defending United are funny. Imagine actually believing basic economy fares are “deeply discounted.” Basic economy fares have been jacked up way past where standard economy should be. Standard economy fares are now tantamount to first class fares. And premium economy or business class are now essentially for our redux Gilded Age fuedal overlords.
Americans are unique in not only licking the corporate boot, but liking it — and denigrating those who oppose companies taking public bailouts while offering subpar services. This is why American air companies are trash compared to international carriers. Americans are the only Western, developed people who enjoy being price gouged.
A true free market would end protectionism and force US carriers to compete with Emirates, Singapore Air, etc on domestic routes. That would force United et al to stop mistreating customers or go bankrupt. But we prefer the fake free market delusion that allows Kirby and his ilk to get away with their awful business practices.
The whole point of the check in check the author conveniently fails to mention is to avoid the whole mess that occurs when people try to take full size bags on they did not pay for and slow down the whole boarding process for everyone else while they argue with them or have to stop and pay.
I’m not sure I understand why there is complaining. The airlines are trying to make it worth their while to offer seats as cheap as the likes of Spirit Airlines, and everyone seems to be expecting them to keep the accommodations and service to be better than Spirit Airlines. Well, the reason why Spirit sucks is because that’s all they can profitably deliver at the price. United isn’t going to magically be able to deliver something better at the price.
Personally, I wish there was at least one domestic nationwide airline that only offered business class and charged more but not a ridiculous amount. They would have my undying loyalty for all eternity. I’d probably leave them money in my will. I too am sick of how miserable I am seeing passengers be.
But, if basic economy prices are your thing, you need to understand that the product is indeed going to be BASIC in enough ways that the airline will actually make a profit on those seats. People with money don’t invest in companies unless their investment will turn a good profit. Market economy and all that. Airlines aren’t magically exempt from this law of the Universe. United Airlines isn’t a charity dedicated to altruistically getting people from point A to point B.
Ceebetterchoice see Jake’s comments below. He wants those pesky and undeserving poor folk to fly Southwest because apparently he’s above them and inconvenienced.
There should be an extra charge for Kirby to sit in his office at work and for the briefcase too if he doesn’t pre-notify that he will take it to work.
As hard as it is to believe, United has actually gotten worse. I will never fly them.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: If you can get where you’re going by Southwest, do that. Misadventures are unavoidable, but I have never been treated like a POS, ever, not once. I was recently on a flight that could not proceed to the runway because a two year old melted down. The cabin crew hung in there for 15 minutes until the mother decided to deplane. No one had a beef about any aspect of the incident. Since SW’s decency is so persistent, it’s necessarily attributable to senior management. (Anon)
I guess United doesn’t realize that people don’t have to fly on their planes.
Some years back during the last downgrade of service on the airlines, a comedian noted that the next step would be standing room only flights. No seats, just stand and hang onto a strap. I guess that’s where we are headed now !!
continuing artful dodger’s comment… if indeed “they treat their revenue stream (customers) like fecal matter,” how on earth do you suppose they treat their employees?
@ ArtfulDodger — How dare women and brown people think they are smart enough to operate an aircraft. Next, they will want to POTUS. Oh, right, been there done that, TWICE. Soon to be again. Can’t wait!
Gary….I can’t believe you’re not picking on American!!
What happened???
You’ll have to double down on your next AA report!!!
United CEO Scott Kirby, who made nearly $18.6 million in 2023 after making about $9.8 million in 2022, a 90% increase.
You flyers on United not the best and brightest… boycott United…
Not sure why I bothered reading any of this since I refuse to fly United or Spirit.
It all comes down to CHOICE.
You don’t HAVE to buy the Basic Economy Tix !
This is why i will no longer fly with United Airlines.
Have a great day!
No one is required to fly any carrier that doesn’t respect their customers. Of course, some locations are served by only one or two options, but again, personal choice. If you sell me a ticket for a flight for $100, I’d expect to pay $100 for my flight, not $165. I see a real possibility of a class action lawsuit for deceptive business practices in United’s future. United will be bankrupted, many will lose jobs, but the CEO will walk away with a golden parachute. Of, by and for the elite, not the people.
One positive, it will cut down on the number of tightwads dragging in duffel bag-sized “carry-ons” that gobble up overhead bin space way too early. I travel pretty frequently and get tired of that. What happened the the metal baskets in front of the ticket counters and at the gates that show allowable carry on dimensions??
This differentiation of airlines into “legacy” and “discount” and “southwest” doesn’t exist in the minds of the average consumer. Different airlines include different things in their base airfares and you have to factor in what you need vs. what’s included and the price. You don’t get free carry-on bags on spirit or frontier either. You get free bags on southwest. United having a different baggage policy than other airlines is unremarkable… It’s a different airline.
Re: “ 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.”
Don’t all the passengers take off in the same plane? The BaseEcon traveler gets to the destination at the same time.
What Isn’t noted is that all the *other* passengers are slowed down by the requirement for BaseEcon w/o bags to queue in a line.
Not sure if Southwest really offers “Free Bags”. I’m convinced they bake it into their fare structure.
Fight me!
Plus, with United, if the flight attendant doesn’t like you, he’ll make up a story, and have you dragged off the plane in handcuffs
Everybody should buy their own airplane. You can legally fly it with a drivers license (It’s true). And you can buy a kit to make it. It goes together like a Childs tinker toy set. OK, it’s a little more complicated than that but their are lots of local clubs that will help you. Look up “EAA chapters in my local area”. OK, the trip going from LA to NYC will take a couple of days, but you can stop for a room, meal and potty when you want to and actually see beautiful America up close. I used to own my own airplane and fly it up and down the California coast. It’s not as dangerous or difficult as you probably think. A few lessons and your on your way.
United’s $65 charge for gate checking bags for a one-way domestic trip as a “basic economy” class passenger is a greedy shake-down by the airline. So I don’t like it and once they start with this don’t be surprised if it spreads to also encourage other cabin baggage enforcement by the airline too.
Beside grabbing more money out of more passengers, I guess this is United’s way to make sure so many passengers at the gate aren’t being told they have to go back to deal with the check-in desk land-side or abandon their bag when that basically means miss your flight, ditch your bag at the airport, or hope someone comes along with available cabin baggage allowance and takes it for you in a place where “see something, say something” and “don’t take luggage for strangers” is not just yesterday’s history. The latter is exactly what I have seen some SAS gate agents in Scandinavia tell some passengers to do when they show up with a small roller board cabin baggage item on tickets that includes “no free hand-baggage on your ticket”.
I guess United is now Off my list of preferred airlines. I will stick to Delta, Jet Blue and Southwest. American is another loser, along with Spirit and Frontier. Sadly, I am not a business traveler, long past retirement age, so I can not fly 1st or Business on the company dime. I also refuse to subscribe to the outrageous credit card fees for said airlines. Air travel, once again, is becoming a luxury for the elite class. The rest of us are treated like cattle.
Complain, complain! You get on, sit down, and shut up!
Shut up and drive!
@Rich foreman Everybody in the world should celebrate the atomic bombing of Japan. More allied troops survived because of it; massively fewer Japanese citizens/troops died because of it. The biggest win-win ever.
I stopped flying United when it, for all intents and purposes, bugged out of Miami. Residing in South Florida and visiting family in Chicago, United used to be my first choice in airlines, inasmuch as it had several non-stops daily. After it’s fateful merger with the the Frank Lorenzo messed-up Continental Airlines, United has been going downhill ever since. Add to declining esprit d’corp among United personnel on all levels, and CEO who appears to kowtow to hedge funders, it won’t be long before there is another Chapter 11 reorganization, if not Chapter 7 liquidation.
Calling checking in at the airport (standard practice for nearly a century) a “Line of Shame” is RIDICULOUS regardless of United Airlines policy (I don’t fly United, but 8 don’t always check in online either. Why is online “better”? Have you used some of these online sites? They suck. If I book first class with a decent carrier, I don’t wait more than a minute or two in line on average and I don’t bring carry on. I check my bags instead of holding up the boarding line! I sit comfortably in a lounge without pulling suitcases behind me. That’s the way airlines used to be for everyone. Now bargains passengers think they’re better because they hold up boarding trying to carry on giant suitcases in an overhead bin meant for shopping bags for items purchased while waiting for your flight? I think the author should be fired for that derogatory comment.
In order to buy a Basic Economy ticket on United, the rules are very clearly spelled out before you elect to.purchase. How does that make it an inconvience and show they don’t care about their customers? About 20% of their customers are willing to forgo the amenities of a regular ticket in order to save money. Literally, ALL their other fares are NOT Basic Economy. You don’t seem to think very highly of the level of intelligence of the flying public. Nobody is forcing them to buy that ticket.
We need legislation to stop all this abuse.
Say what you will about any of this. Artful Dodger says,
“The expressed DEI policy that by the year 2030, 65% of its pilot hires are women, or people of color (as an aviation buff, I was never aware that skin color and/or gender were SKILLS required to pilot an aircraft).”
OK – The thing is I looked it up and its 50%. No matter their stance on this issue, everyone should be mad at Artful Dodger for wasting our time.
Now excuse me I have a coronation to attend.
With planes and airports packed to the gills, airlines will continue to push the their revenue boundaries as far as possible. As much as we complain, the demand is still through the post-covid roof and airlines will continue to take advantage, as long as demand allows.
We just flew round-trip from Newark to Shannon on United January 22 and returned on August 2. It was a nonstop flight and we were not charged for carry-on bag. Not sure if your article above applies only to united domestic flights. We also checked in online through the app without a problem.
I haven’t flown united since they put that dog in the overhead and he died. I find that domestic airlines are the worst. I am not nickeled and dimed with international carriers. British airlines is my favorite. Expect to be treated badly by money grabbing domestic companies.
The overhead bin debacle is a classic tragedy of the commons.
This policy seems fair to me. I expect United had to deal with cranky passengers who refused to pay upon approaching the boarding gate.
When you go to a restaurant, you don’t expect dishes you didn’t order. If the table next to yours orders a nice bottle of wine, you have every right to order the same, but not to expect a bottle for free.
People who pay for Basic Economy are bargain shoppers, and may or may not be big spenders at United. And one should have fewer expectations when paying $100-$150 less. A few times a year — I bargain shop myself and fly an unfamiliar airline to avoid >$1K price differences (e.g. RyanAir, easyJet), but expect very little on those trips, or pay for perks like overhead bin or legroom.
As a United customer, I usually spend $8K-$13K per year, and I never have purchased Basic Economy. I expect to be able to put my modest backpack above and earn PQP normally.
If there were fewer roller suitcases, it might be reasonable to relax the carry-on upcharge for all passengers. Since an ever increasing percentage of budget travelers avoid checking bags such policies have become necessary due to extremely limited overhead capacity.
DK,
The presumption that ‘Americans are the only country to enjoy being price gouged’ is fundamentally flawed. We don’t enjoy it, but the CEOs and mega corps have bought the entire political system, and give us no choice. Also as a bonus, they’ve polluted our air, water and land so badly it’s fast becoming unfit for human habitation. But yeah ‘we’ aren’t happy about any of it, just largely powerless.
@Gene what a crazy response. Human beings can believe that race or gender should not play a role in hiring. But some simpletons want to take a stance against hiring by race/gender to mean a stance against some race or gender.
I remember years ago on a flight where everyone dressed up in nice clothes. Everything was a very clean and the stewardesses were calm and pleasant.
My latest flight was like riding in a Greyhound bus, beat up old seats with fellow passengers wearing sweats. A flight where you’re anxious about your fellow passengers.
On a couple of trips to Europe I dressed in all black for convenience and light packing.
A small carry-on and a purse.
Both trips I went with very wealthy people who would question the price of an Apple with street vendors. They would question the price of a cup of coffee while at a table and have water. America has been so blessed that we can offer plane rides to people on the fringes of financial stability.
Maybe it’s not the airlines maybe it’s us…..mj alpine or
I used to only fly SW because of their prices and 2 bags free. That helped financially when having kids in tow. Now the kids are grown and Im flying alone, I can spend a little more on myself and have some comfort. I’ve flown United sometimes, but never BE. I flew a step up in their Main Cabin. But the last flight I took on Delta bothered me. Flight from DC to HNL, I got the seats I wanted in their Main Cabin. But on the return flight, Delta changed the entire plane model and instead of sitting in the aisle seat I paid for, I got sandwiched in between 2 huge guys in the middle seats, and I was 2nd seat in. 3 of us had paid for specific seats and got dissed. On top of that, someone said if an attendant on United doesn’t like you, they try to rile you up and have you hauled off in handcuffs. That is a true statement for all the airlines. Its like the attendants want to exert power. This particular attendant for me on Delta was on the connecting flight to HNL from Salt Lake. The attendant was a gay guy. I have nothing against anyone but this guy didn’t like me, probably assumed I was racist (which I am not) or he just hated women, I don’t know, but he refused to offer drink or food for me and only asked all the men sitting around me if they needed anything
When I piped up and said something to his peer, this gay guy got all hypervigilant and yelled at me saying I said I wasn’t hungry. What I tried to tell him was that I couldn’t hear him (I shook my head and had pointed to my ear). About 5 min later his boss came up and asked me what I wanted to eat and I just said forget it, I’ll just sit there and starve.
Now Delta is better than most airlines. I have always been treated with respect and dignity flying with them and their staff are happy. But that HNL flight has me thinking twice about my next trip.
Lastly. DEI. I want to see employees hired based on merit, especially in highly specialized fields such as being an airline pilot, even airline attendants (not everyone can be one). Having someone at the controls who got there because they checked off a box on color and has only half the experience as the other candidates did is just a disaster waiting to happen. I want the most qualified pilot flying my plane, or operating on me, or running this country. If your the most ugliest, nastiest, meanest person on the planet, but have decades of experience and success behind the wheel, then I’d rather have that nasty person doing the job as opposed to one who makes people feel good but sadly doesn’t have a clue at what they’re doing to habe gotten the job. To me, the concept of DEI is just that, a concept. A theory of a system and way of life thats never been done before and we currently have a bunch of chickens running around with each clucking around saying they each know better how it should work. DEI doesn’t work. It isn’t gonna work. And we need to get back to merit based everything. I don’t care what race you are, or what you prefer in your bedroom, I want to know is can you do the job at hand and do you have the experience? If so, that’s fantastic! But if you’re applying for a job you know full well you are not qualified for but think you deserve it because of your race or sexual orientation, then you have no busniess getting that job. An airline pilots most important job is to get his or hers plane full of people to their destination safely. It’s not to be a token job to be able to say “look at me! I’m a gay black woman and I’m sitting in the cockpit and all I had to do was the bare min to get here!” on Instagram. That’s what the majority of us see DEI being abused as – A job getter for the unqualified people and their friends who refused to actually work hard to get that job and expect everything to be just handed to them because they feel they’re entitled to it.
Hotels make you pay a deposit to cover charges even if you have no plan to charge anything.
Precharging forna bag alleviates arguments at the gate.
Choosing the type of ticket you purchase is totally up to the individual.
Not sure anyone is pressured into making a choice…