Basic Economy E Fare Routes
Jan 23, 2015 | 9:36 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, Hertz Platinum, Sixt Diamond, LHW Aurelian, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,668
I dont even see that type of customer going for an E fare. Say its a family like you say....would they really want to forgo seat assignments? have the whole family (mom/dad/kids/etc) spread around the plane wherever there are open seats?
Jan 24, 2015 | 9:54 am
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,805
Lots of people don't think that far ahead...They just see the lower price x 4-6 tickets and buy it, then complain on Facebook and Yahoo answers later about the evil airlines and their fees.
Jan 24, 2015 | 10:22 am
#18
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA & Bangkok (Home)/Lawrenceville & Switzerland (Boarding School)/Baltimore, MD (College)
Programs: DL DM, AL MVPG 75K, SQ Gold, BA Silver, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriot Plat, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 599
I think these type of families think that buying a ticket means they are getting a seat. Not knowing the restrictions on E class, they reasonably assume that they will be allowed to sit next to their children by the GA or FA. Plus, I have been buying really good fares for myself my mom and two young siblings, and most of the time on AF we can't choose our seats. But $350 from Milan to Singapore to LA is a good deal to me, so I put up with it.
Jan 24, 2015 | 10:26 am
#19
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: San Francisco, CA & Bangkok (Home)/Lawrenceville & Switzerland (Boarding School)/Baltimore, MD (College)
Programs: DL DM, AL MVPG 75K, SQ Gold, BA Silver, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriot Plat, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 599
Question to all those who travel for work and must buy the cheapest fare- So I am a college student, so obviously not knowledgable about travel for work. Would you be able to talk to your boss/company/head of travel department and explain the pitfalls of E and how its only ~$20 cheaper and get permission to book higher class? I think that policy would be a deal breaker, if my job required a lot of travel.
Jan 24, 2015 | 10:38 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,805
Question to all those who travel for work and must buy the cheapest fare- So I am a college student, so obviously not knowledgable about travel for work. Would you be able to talk to your boss/company/head of travel department and explain the pitfalls of E and how its only ~$20 cheaper and get permission to book higher class? I think that policy would be a deal breaker, if my job required a lot of travel.
I've found that there are lots of other reasons to not work at those types of places, but that's just me. There are also lots of pros about them for many people.
I would agree that corporate travel policies are absolutely a factor for jobs that require heavy travel. How big of a factor is up to the individual.
Jan 24, 2015 | 1:23 pm
#21
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, Hertz Platinum, Sixt Diamond, LHW Aurelian, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,668
I think these type of families think that buying a ticket means they are getting a seat. Not knowing the restrictions on E class, they reasonably assume that they will be allowed to sit next to their children by the GA or FA. Plus, I have been buying really good fares for myself my mom and two young siblings, and most of the time on AF we can't choose our seats. But $350 from Milan to Singapore to LA is a good deal to me, so I put up with it.
Jan 24, 2015 | 1:23 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Families fly Frontier, Spirit, and Allegiant every day - and pay for seat assignments or take their chances being separated. Families fly Southwest every day - and pay for early boarding in hopes they can sit together, or take their chances.
Jan 24, 2015 | 4:07 pm
#23
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
This, compounded by...
...not all employers allow the flexibility, nor do they let employees book their own travel.
I previously worked somewhere where all travel was required to be booked by the corporate travel department, who "knew best." This department was comprised of a bunch of very nice ladies who did not travel much themselves, and certainly not for work as they were always in the travel office booking things for others. Luckily, I didn't have to travel more than a few times a year for that job, but every time I did, I somehow ended up with some a 2-stop nightmare routing with a 3-hour layover and terminal transfer to a K5 flight, followed by a few nights at the Drury Inn. (Actually, the K5 flights were kind of fun.)
From the folks I keep in touch with, not much has changed there, and I can imagine that some of them will end up on E fares by no choosing of their own.
...not all employers allow the flexibility, nor do they let employees book their own travel.
I previously worked somewhere where all travel was required to be booked by the corporate travel department, who "knew best." This department was comprised of a bunch of very nice ladies who did not travel much themselves, and certainly not for work as they were always in the travel office booking things for others. Luckily, I didn't have to travel more than a few times a year for that job, but every time I did, I somehow ended up with some a 2-stop nightmare routing with a 3-hour layover and terminal transfer to a K5 flight, followed by a few nights at the Drury Inn. (Actually, the K5 flights were kind of fun.)
From the folks I keep in touch with, not much has changed there, and I can imagine that some of them will end up on E fares by no choosing of their own.
Jan 24, 2015 | 4:10 pm
#24
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
They buy E fares or refuse to pay to book seats on other fares and then at boarding expect others to give up good seats so that *everyone* in the entire family can sit together (in good EC seats, of course, with never an offer to trade whatever better seat assignments they might have).
Jan 25, 2015 | 9:19 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,805
Jan 25, 2015 | 11:32 pm
#26
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Salt Lake City
Programs: Delta, Hertz, Hilton, Marriott
Posts: 4,917
Looks like Delta has started their expansion of the Basic Economy E fares. As of this morning I am seeing E fares available for ATL/TUS which I haven't seen on this route before. Anyone seeing others? Might be helpful/interesting to start a wiki including the Basic Economy routes.
Also does anyone know of an easy way to exclude E fares from an ITA search?
Also does anyone know of an easy way to exclude E fares from an ITA search?
Jan 25, 2015 | 11:43 pm
#27
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 49
Looks like Delta has started their expansion of the Basic Economy E fares. As of this morning I am seeing E fares available for ATL/TUS which I haven't seen on this route before. Anyone seeing others? Might be helpful/interesting to start a wiki including the Basic Economy routes.
http://news.delta.com/basic-economy
Jan 27, 2015 | 10:02 am
#29
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
In other words, for a lot of travelers, the extra $20 for a non-E-fare will buy them very limited change rights, that they are very unlikely to use.
Jan 27, 2015 | 5:22 pm
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Michigan
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 860
Again, for a lot of pax, that's often not really relevant. If you aren't GM or above, same day change will cost at least $50, and may not be possible at all. Changing a ticket to a different day will cost you $200, which is often near, or even above, the value of the ticket itself.
In other words, for a lot of travelers, the extra $20 for a non-E-fare will buy them very limited change rights, that they are very unlikely to use.
In other words, for a lot of travelers, the extra $20 for a non-E-fare will buy them very limited change rights, that they are very unlikely to use.