New "Budget Economy" fares

Old Jul 23, 2016, 3:02 am
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New "Budget Economy" fares

UA appears to be testing functionality for its new "Budget Economy" fares. Saw a pop-up on .bomb asking whether indeed I wanted to confirm the "Budget Economy" option, which noted that it would NOT provide for seat selection (until 24h check-in), E+, UPGs, and ability to change flights. Did not indicate that M+ miles wouldn't be earned, so am assuming that still will be the case. Appears solely to be beta-testing, but at least we now know their name for this no-frills fare.

Moderator Note -- an early mention of "Basic Economy" occurred in United "earnings initiatives" call - 21 June 2016

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 23, 2016 at 11:09 am Reason: Moderator note
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 7:37 am
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Originally Posted by seat38a
Great now I can just see the families with children buying this fare and then at the gate screaming and moaning that they can't sit together.
I think limiting more seat assignments until check-in actually helps get families seated together. Provided everyone is traveling on the same PNR, it should be easy to manually or automatically assign seats together from a larger open pool of unassigned seats. Personally, I think all non-elites should wait until check-in for seat assignments.

Moderator Note -- the discussion of the new DOT rule on Family Seating has been moved to http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...y-seating.html

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 23, 2016 at 10:59 am
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 7:53 am
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Originally Posted by fly18725
Personally, I think all non-elites should wait until check-in for seat assignments.
Please, no. And I say this as a UA elite for as long as I've been flying them.

Don't forget, if this were to happen for all airlines, that's how you will be treated when you fly them. If you want an airline without seat assignments, feel free to book WN and the ULCCs

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 23, 2016 at 10:45 am Reason: splitting post to seperate subjects
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 8:07 am
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Originally Posted by SFO_FT
UA appears to be testing functionality for its new "Budget Economy" fares. Saw a pop-up on .bomb asking whether indeed I wanted to confirm the "Budget Economy" option, which noted that it would NOT provide for seat selection (until 24h check-in), E+, UPGs, and ability to change flights. Did not indicate that M+ miles wouldn't be earned, so am assuming that still will be the case. Appears solely to be beta-testing, but at least we now know their name for this no-frills fare.
Is this any different than how DL handles their basic economy?
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 8:22 am
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I wonder whether award flights now will book into these "budget" fares? And if so, would it mean no E+ for premier members on award tickets?
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 8:28 am
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So United will offer a 'super' low cost fare but not give the purchaser the opportunity to add +30% to their fare by purchasing E+?

Isn't this pricing and denying upgrades and seat selection only an effort to 'encourage' the elite flyer to not buy the 'super' low cost fare? Didn't PQD work?

The reason low cost fares exist is because others on the plane are paying higher fares and buying perks such that the average earning per pax is above (closer to) break even. Putting more low cost fares on a plane just means there will be more higher fares on the plane; or the plane will earn less revenue/profit. If E+ is selling out on the planes this policy makes sense. If E+ is being given away in significant numbers, this restriction will lose money.
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 8:42 am
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Originally Posted by Michael D
So United will offer a 'super' low cost fare but not give the purchaser the opportunity to add +30% to their fare by purchasing E+?
Oh, I'm sure they will allow you to purchase up a seat assignment in the E+ section, as they do now if you are not eligible for it. It just you will not be able to get it without paying (in advance) even if you otherwise eligible for it.
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 8:51 am
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Originally Posted by fly18725
I think limiting more seat assignments until check-in actually helps get families seated together. Provided everyone is traveling on the same PNR, it should be easy to manually or automatically assign seats together from a larger open pool of unassigned seats. Personally, I think all non-elites should wait until check-in for seat assignments.
Why should someone NOT paying the ultra low fare be punished by not being allowed to select their seats at purchase? The idea with the budget fare is not to reward people for paying ultra low fares. They get whatever seats are left after everyone else has selected what they want.

My problem is with people who buy these fares knowing very well that they are taking a big risk that the family wont be sitting together, and then ..... and moan or feign ignorance and make it everyone else's problem. Drives me nuts when I plan ahead, pay extra whatever and then get hit with someone who wants to change now because they want to sit with their husband, wife etc etc etc..
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 8:57 am
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Originally Posted by SFO_FT
UA appears to be testing functionality for its new "Budget Economy" fares. Saw a pop-up on .bomb asking whether indeed I wanted to confirm the "Budget Economy" option, which noted that it would NOT provide for seat selection (until 24h check-in), E+, UPGs, and ability to change flights. Did not indicate that M+ miles wouldn't be earned, so am assuming that still will be the case. Appears solely to be beta-testing, but at least we now know their name for this no-frills fare.
Originally Posted by MD/DC Flyer
Oh, I'm sure they will allow you to purchase up a seat assignment in the E+ section, as they do now if you are not eligible for it. It just you will not be able to get it without paying (in advance) even if you otherwise eligible for it.
Did misunderstand the OP? They are just not going to let it be purchased until ≤24h of checkin? And will purchasers still get CPUs just no GPUs/RDUs?
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 8:58 am
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Originally Posted by smxflyer
Is this any different than how DL handles their basic economy?
As I understand it, they have been having the issue with families buying the fares and then crying and screaming that they have to sit together.
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 9:01 am
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Originally Posted by Michael D
Did misunderstand the OP? They are just not going to let it be purchased until ≤24h of checkin? And will purchasers still get CPUs just no GPUs/RDUs?
If United is copying Delta, then there would be no upgrade option, including paying for it. No elite override either. http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...t-options.html
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 9:58 am
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My concern is if the corporate booking engines will filter those things out. If not (because it picks the lowest fares), then we are in big trouble.
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 10:08 am
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Originally Posted by br2k
I wonder whether award flights now will book into these "budget" fares? And if so, would it mean no E+ for premier members on award tickets?
This is pure speculation, and like me, you probably have no proof that is what is going to happen, but I would be real doubtful that this will be the case.

UA wants to use these fares to fill seats that might otherwise go unsold at higher fares, so this will mostly be to leisure destinations. Expanding these to saver awards doesn't really fit into that strategy, IME.

Moderator Note -- the discussion of the new DOT rule on Family Seating has been moved to http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...y-seating.html

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 23, 2016 at 10:58 am Reason: Moderator Note
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Old Jul 23, 2016, 10:54 am
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The side discussion on the new DOT rule on Family Seating was been broken out as a separate topic, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...y-seating.html

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Old Jul 23, 2016, 11:18 am
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Originally Posted by Michael D
Did misunderstand the OP? They are just not going to let it be purchased until ≤24h of checkin? And will purchasers still get CPUs just no GPUs/RDUs?
Having not seeing the terms I am speculating here - but I assume what the OP had provided is things that one get now complimentary (as part of the ticket price or through status). I'm pretty sure United is smart enough when implementing this to allow add on purchases even if you get this fare.


If I was united it would be implemented exactly as buy up for E+ or first class implemented today when one does not have access to those seats.

Of course people who will purchase this fare will not be very sensitive to buy up options. So they might just implement some pilots and test various options around it before officially launching the service.
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