FlyerTalk Forums - Is Basic Economy for the naive?

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- - Is Basic Economy for the naive? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-air-lines-skymiles/1776040-basic-economy-naive.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by davetravels (Post 28054904)

So, just to be clear, E fare pax can change to other non-preferred Y seats, but NOT Y+, right?

But, if a flight is light on elites you can still get Comfort if they run out of regular seats. I bought an E fare Detroit to Chicago (1 hour, can't be too bad) and ended up with the leg room and a Blue Moon.

I am Plat Medallion will explain why sometimes i choose E-fare if it is 20$ per one way, and thus 40$ round trip cheaper:
Flights of around one hour, no Luggage and on 2-2 configuration planes, on days where im sure I dont need Same day change.
You never get a middles seat, and 40$ extra for a banana and a bag of crisps... easy choice.

Additionally, If I want to credit to my Flying Blue Elite Plus account, I will be on the bottom of any upgrade list, and dont have free same day changes. This terminates any advantage of a main-cabin fare over Basic economy, am I wrong?

Nope. As a frequent travelers of its LGA to BOS short hops but having no status with DL, I have scored C+ seats with E fares quite often. Not being able to pick seats can work in your advantages.

I've only booked Basic Economy once, and that was because it was a relatively last minute one way fare and about $100 cheaper to do so. I had no status and was traveling alone with just a small carry on. Turns out I got an amazing gate agent who put me in an exit row, so I got zone 1 boarding after all. I wouldn't do it again unless it was a significant savings.

For Skyteam partner elites E fare is fine.. We dont get same day changes anyway unless you pay 75 bucks, you're on the bottom of every upgrade list so no chance on complimentary upgrade to first, maybe a incidental upgrade to middle seat eco+.

The Luggage you get anyway if you have the Elite plus status.
so for non DL Skyteam elites E is fine...

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielonn (Post 26867510)

I have often wondered if Basic Economy is an elusive booking class as I have not seen them on any bookings that I have made. I am not saying that it does not exist but perhaps its one of those hidden gems out there. I would love to hear people get upset when they found out they booked this Basic Economy without seat assignments and can't pay for Comfort+ or First Class etc. So far I have a SJC-YVR-SJC trip, SJC-LAX-SJC trip in September and one in Nov SJC-LAX-SJC to connect with a flight at LAX. All of them are booked in Comfort +.

My question is are you really saving money in Basic Economy with no seat assignment, no possible way to pay for an upgrade to W+ etc. For instance I was booked with my Father in Comfort Plus as part of a Voucher as the original trip that we were delayed on was booked in Comfort Plus and by the time we used the voucher the agent put us in Comfort + going by the original class we were booked in when it was Economy Comfort.

So we booked my Mother in regular Economy and about two weeks later Comfort+ was only a $5 difference. Had we booked in Basic Economy we would all perhaps be stuck in different rows. Luckily the RJ's only have 2x2 seats.

So if Basic Economy was only $10-$20 less I would much rather book into regular Economy and even into Comfort+. On a SJC-LAX-SJC flight the $20 difference between regular Economy and Comfort+ is not that bad. So if paying $175 vs $155 is not bad as sometimes I paid $176 on the same routing in regular Y.

To me it seems like Basic Economy is for the cheapest of the cheapest traveler who does not understand the restrictions and who is not part of FlyerTalk. If a flight from SFO-JFK was $190 in Basic Economy vs $290 in regular Y then of course I would book Basic Economy if my goal was to save $$$ and did not need Comfort Plus. But if Basic Economy was $202 and regular Y was $220 or $250 I would go with the regular Economy and if Comfort Plus was $300 I would consider it or even take the First Class offer.

My point is how do people really decide to book Basic Economy.I'll admit I have never seen this as a fare in my dealings with Delta. I can see Delta offloading this Basic Economy to punish those booking on third party websites and to only let those booking with Delta to get assigned seats, upgrade to Comfort+ and First/Business Class.

Honestly I think it would be great to punish those people using third party websites with a lower booking code, lower MQMs no upgrades etc. Sorry life is not fare if you wanted to pay the extra $$$ to book on Delta then welcome to those benefits for booking direct and with no agent fee using Delta's 1800 number won't cost you a dime. I would love to see airlines charge a booking fee for those using a third party website.

What are your thoughts?

While getting a VDB this morning overheard someone who booked BE for a 5:45AM flight and missed it. GA tried but could not do anything to help him, no standby, no rebook later, nothing. He said he had to be at his destination today and was told he needed to buy another ticket, at same day departure prices. This is the other risk with BE, if you are unavoidably delayed you lose the price of the ticket and have to buy a last minute fare. Just understand and accept the risks. Personally, I will never buy a BE, for the usually small amount of $ the downside is not worth the savings.

One issue of Basic Economy that I noticed on a flight today. Woman who had an infant in arms booked basic economy and was assigned a middle seat. She went around the plane with a sob story about how she needed and aisle seat for her baby. I'm sure traveling with a young child is difficult but I paid for main cabin partly because I'm particular about where I like to sit. Am I the a** for refusing to give up my seat?

Quote:

Originally Posted by willem176 (Post 29053236)

No, you are not. Unfortunately, there are a lot of inconsiderate people in this world who don't believe they make mistakes and then they expect others to basically give up their seats for them. If she needed an aisle seat so badly, she should have booked main cabin, plain and simple.

For fun, I priced Spirit to see how they stack up on a trip between Baltimore and northern California which I bought from DL for $273.00, already with an FCM option for $255.00 each way to sit in F, for a total of $783.00. My trip is BWI-SLC-SMF and return. There was a logical layover in SLC in each direction (less than 1 hour).

Spirit also flies out of BWI (they abandoned DCA a couple of years ago). Their competing trip is BWI-LAX-OAK. There is a 4 hour layover westbound and a 90 minute layover eastbound, which is a redeye that reaches BWI at 5 am.

Spirit's "bare fare" was about $427.00 RT. The price which was roughly equivalent to DL with the FCM was about $748.00; this included 1 carry-on (in addition to the free personal item) at $35.00 each, the "big front seat" ($66.00 BWI-LAX and $56.00 LAX-OAK, and the same return price), and $7 each way for a shortcut to the TSA (I'm not sure whether NK participates in pre-check). As Spirit is now in T5, I'm not sure whether I can use a combination of tunnels and busses to get over to the T3 SkyClub). Food and booze are not included; adult beverages are $7 each, so if I have, say, 4 in each direction, this is an extra $56.00. Add another $20 for snacks.

If you pay them $59.95, you get to join their "$9 Fare Club". You get discounts; if you fly them a couple of times, this might pay for itself.

I realize that I get frequent flyer benefits from the Big D that I wouldn't get on NK. But I think the foregoing comparison shows that Spirit is not the great deal that some make it out to be. Also, what happens during IRROPS? I think you are on your own with NK.

They have a $46.20 one way "bare fare" between BWI and FLL, where they run 3 non-stops each way per day. As I take one day trips to south Florida to attend the races and often don't take anything with me other than the racing form, I might try them once for the experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ND76 (Post 29057477)

They have a $46.20 one way "bare fare" between BWI and FLL, where they run 3 non-stops each way per day. As I take one day trips to south Florida to attend the races and often don't take anything with me other than the racing form, I might try them once for the experience.

I don't think you'll dislike them. I've flown numerous segments on Spirit and Frontier lately (and a few on Allegiant). Your seat doesn't recline but the good news is the seat in front of you doesn't recline either. A $46 fare to FLL may hook you. I just flew MCO-SAN on Frontier for $18.30 each way! Know that you'll pay for that drink, know that you'll pay for that snack. As long as you're aware, you'll be ok.

I just booked a Basic Economy fare on Delta. I am a United Platinum, but decided to make a weekend trip from DCA to New York and I prefer to fly into LGA. American is now a raging dumpster fire so I decided to go with Delta. I have no status on Delta. The aircraft is an E-170 and I'll only be traveling with a backpack. Basic Economy was $166 and the normal economy fare was $216, both cheap fares, but I could not see the benefit of paying $50 / 30% more essentially just to get an advance seat assignment on a 40 minute flight where there are no middle seats. Hopefully this does not backfire somehow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by uva185 (Post 29113900)

I agree. Delta's Basic Economy is still not terrible, in comparison to flying Spirit or Frontier. Legacy carrier effects essentially minimizes impact of flying options for flying Delta as you still get a decent seat, inflight entertainment, beverage/food, and miles. If Delta wants their flying public to rethink our flying strategies, Delta needs to do more. I expect Delta to further reduce benefit by restricting carry-ons to match those at United (except personal items), and further reducing elite status accruing benefits. As Delta first to introduce basic economy with reduced flying benefits, I expect they would do more. Maybe no sky club benefits in the future? Would they ever match those of Spirit or Frontier? Thankfully Delta hasn't got to 28 inch pitch yet so doubtful.

Jiburi

Quote:

Originally Posted by jiburi (Post 29114159)

I expect Delta to further reduce benefit by restricting carry-ons to match those at United (except personal items)

Do you really think DL would do that? It has been almost a year since UA and AA introduced their BE fares with carryon restrictions. I wonder who'll be the first to blink. AA/UA got a lot of complaints from customers about their BE fares and particularly, carryons... DL is at a competitive advantage here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jiburi (Post 29114159)

Why should they restrict carryons? Delta seems to be making plenty of profit to not have to do that currently. Let United do it and continue to get the bad press they really don't need. After all, UA not only prohibits Basic Economy pax from bringing a carry on that requires bin space, but if they get caught at the gate, they'll be coerced to pay the bag fee to gate check PLUS a $25 surcharge (more like a fine or penalty) for trying to get away with it.
Come fly the friendly skies indeed.