Seat assignment foolishness
Nov 3, 2008, 10:07 am
#46
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,638
Maybe they need to sell Economy Plus as a separate class of service. Something along the lines of Virgin Atlantic's premium economy. Economy Plus is nothing but economy with a little more legroom. It's not a proper premium economy product and shouldn't be marketed as such. The way they're charging for seating in economy plus implies that it's a product independent of and separate from regular economy.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Nov 3, 2008 at 11:27 am Reason: off-topic
Nov 3, 2008, 11:08 am
#47
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 1,357
Maybe they need to sell Economy Plus as a separate class of service. Something along the lines of Virgin Atlantic's premium economy. Economy Plus is nothing but economy with a little more legroom. It's not a proper premium economy product and shouldn't be marketed as such. The way they're charging for seating in economy plus implies that it's a product independent of and separate from regular economy.
Amen! The fact that several airlines (VS, BA, others) have a fully differentiated, separately-purchaseable economy plus seating area indicates that it is economically viable. The fact that no other airline has copied UA's E+ scheme casts doubt on its utility. If anything, it seems that E+ causes more misunderstandings and bad will than it is worth. I vote for applying the VS/BA model to UA's E+.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Nov 3, 2008 at 11:28 am Reason: off-topic in quote
Nov 3, 2008, 11:36 am
#48
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: YYC
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Wirelessly posted (xx: BlackBerry8100/4.5.0.55 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100 UP.Browser/5.0.3.3)
I for one appreciate E+ with its few foibles. Remember that the OP has one of the few gripes about E+. Comparing E+ to other carrier's premium economy is a bad idea as they only offer it on international longhaul and it certainly is not a free perk for their elites.
I for one appreciate E+ with its few foibles. Remember that the OP has one of the few gripes about E+. Comparing E+ to other carrier's premium economy is a bad idea as they only offer it on international longhaul and it certainly is not a free perk for their elites.
Nov 3, 2008, 11:36 am
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles
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Posts: 12,752
I think UA should give full Y passengers 3P status for the trip. Other than the fact that current policy doesn't warrant it, it really makes sense from a passenger's perspective.
(Similarly, paid F passengers who are general members should have access to local call centers. I believe many foreign carriers ask for F and C passengers to press "1" when they call in).
(Similarly, paid F passengers who are general members should have access to local call centers. I believe many foreign carriers ask for F and C passengers to press "1" when they call in).
Nov 3, 2008, 11:38 am
#50
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Location: Los Angeles
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Maybe they need to sell Economy Plus as a separate class of service. Something along the lines of Virgin Atlantic's premium economy. Economy Plus is nothing but economy with a little more legroom. It's not a proper premium economy product and shouldn't be marketed as such. The way they're charging for seating in economy plus implies that it's a product independent of and separate from regular economy.
Nov 3, 2008, 11:58 am
#51
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Atlántida, Canelones, Uruguay (MVD) and rarely GNV
Programs: AV LifeMiles, CM ConnectMiles, BA Exec Club. Former:ex-ASGold, ex-UA1K, ex-COPlat, ex-NWGold.
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In addition to the US example upthread, if the OP had booked 1 week out on a NW flight, he would have likely been unable to assign any seat but been offered the option of a "Coach Choice" seat at check-in for some $10-30. As of 3 days ago, the same if he'd booked on Delta (where they're wailing and gnashing of teeth on the DL board about it.) And those seats wouldn't have any more legroom than any other coach seat, unlike UA's E+ (unless he managed to bag a DL or NW Exit Row Coach Choice seat.)
Bottom line is, as a non-status flyer, you don't have access to the E+ seats for free (or other airline's premium seats), and some of them have even been taken out of preassignment inventory to be sold at a premium (not UA).
UA doesn't give E+ to Full Fare anymore. UA doesn't give E+ to other *A airline elites anymore either. That policy is well over a year old. Your Travel Agent should have known this if you made him/her clear that this was important to you.
It's an unfortunate fact of life in the USA airline industry nowadays. Everybody is charging for something that used to be free. I'm sure the non-US-status passenger paying full fare is not happy about $2 water.
Bottom line is, as a non-status flyer, you don't have access to the E+ seats for free (or other airline's premium seats), and some of them have even been taken out of preassignment inventory to be sold at a premium (not UA).
UA doesn't give E+ to Full Fare anymore. UA doesn't give E+ to other *A airline elites anymore either. That policy is well over a year old. Your Travel Agent should have known this if you made him/her clear that this was important to you.
It's an unfortunate fact of life in the USA airline industry nowadays. Everybody is charging for something that used to be free. I'm sure the non-US-status passenger paying full fare is not happy about $2 water.
Nov 3, 2008, 12:21 pm
#52
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: California
Programs: AS,WN,UA,B6,hotels
Posts: 4,239
I am not following what the OP expected UA to do. All the seat assignments were assigned, thats why there was no seat assignment available. This happens regardless of what fare you purchase. So would UA be expected to bump someone out of their seat assignment? That would be ridiculous.
Has UA changed its practice of not even giving any seat assignment (E+ or E-) in this situation until you reach the gate?
On an airline with assigned seating, it is desirable to have a seat assignment (regardless of E+/E- issues), rather than going to the airport without a seat assignment, since those without seat assignments are more likely to be IDBed.
Nov 3, 2008, 3:04 pm
#53
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: IAD, DCA
Programs: UA-Plat, Marriott-Plat, AAI, AAII
Posts: 3,758
I think many of us who actually sit there for 10s of thousands of miles per year are quite happy with it just the way it is regardless of UA's other well-documented deficiencies.
Nov 3, 2008, 3:56 pm
#54
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 6,338
The only people I have seen equate UA's E+ with "Premium Economy" are people who think (or at least hope 
) E+ eligibility will get them Premium Economy (on NZ fr'instance) for free...
Otherwise everyone seems to understand that it is NOT a "Premium Econ" class of service... and it isn't even called that or marketed as such IME..... it is called "Economy Plus".. which IMO is an entirely reasonable name for a very useful concept....
My 2 cents...
...as to getting seats allocated? I've got a long haul C/J trip booked/confirmed on a good airline.. and for the return I can't (yet) get a seat allocation...
Do I sound worried?
) E+ eligibility will get them Premium Economy (on NZ fr'instance) for free...Otherwise everyone seems to understand that it is NOT a "Premium Econ" class of service... and it isn't even called that or marketed as such IME..... it is called "Economy Plus".. which IMO is an entirely reasonable name for a very useful concept....
My 2 cents...
...as to getting seats allocated? I've got a long haul C/J trip booked/confirmed on a good airline.. and for the return I can't (yet) get a seat allocation...
Do I sound worried?