Basic Economy and Delta Gold Skymiles AmEx
Jan 6, 2018, 12:32 pm
#31
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 22
So we just went ahead and booked our BE flight. There was some discussion from folks here the fare might go down, but I didn't want to chance that, esp in light of this "Fall Break" mentioned. I did get confirmation at the end that even with the BE fare, we still will get our first checked bag each free (due to booking with Delta AmEx). So the only downside is if one or more legs we can't sit together, but we will make due. It's just criminal though that we have to face possibly not sitting together, whilst still paying as much as we did on prior trips before we were subject to BE. I think the airlines need more regulation to curb these kinds of egregious forms of fiscal abuse. Next thing you know they will charge you to sit in a seat at the waiting area of the terminals and put coin slots on the lavatory doors of the plane.
Last edited by QuiGonJohn; Jan 6, 2018 at 12:59 pm
Jan 6, 2018, 1:13 pm
#32
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
A bit of an odd reaction to be fully aware of the downsides of BE, book it nonetheless, and then be critical that DL offers the product.
Air carriers only offer these products because consumers purchase them. You did.
DL pioneered BE for US domestic and it has been so successful that DL expanded the routes on which it is offered and it is now offered by UA and AA as well. What does that tell you about consumer behavior and why these fares are expanding not contracting.
Air carriers only offer these products because consumers purchase them. You did.
DL pioneered BE for US domestic and it has been so successful that DL expanded the routes on which it is offered and it is now offered by UA and AA as well. What does that tell you about consumer behavior and why these fares are expanding not contracting.
Jan 6, 2018, 2:17 pm
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,043
Fares are dynamic. You are looking at a relatively short time windows when comparing fares. Go back 5 or 10 years and I bet the fares on this route (when inflation adjusted) were significantly higher, and that main cabin fare would have looked quite reasonable. Two or three years from now, if BIS gets an LCC, the main cabin could very well be less than the current BE fares. Back when DL started playing with BE fares in 2012 on the DTW-Florida routes there was no B6 on BOS-DTW, there was no AS on SEA-DTW and there was no WN on DAL-DTW and fares on these routes were much higher than the current main cabin fares (particularly if you did not have a roundtrip with a Saturday night stay). Your talk "extortion" and "criminality" is just plain silly. ULCC's and LCC's are growing at 10 - 15% annual clips which the legacies are only at 1 - 2%. There has been and continues to be considerable downward fare pressure as these trends continue.
Jan 6, 2018, 4:24 pm
#36
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,373
Also, I posted this in another thread, but the non-preferred seats become available for BE fares 24 hours before each leg individually. Once you get an “assigned at gate” boarding pass you can’t use the seat map anymore (even if seats open up), so it’s best to avoid checking in until all segments are within 24h. As others have mentioned, you can select seats in My Trips at T-24 without checking in.
Jan 6, 2018, 7:11 pm
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,788
So we just went ahead and booked our BE flight. ... I did get confirmation at the end that even with the BE fare, we still will get our first checked bag each free (due to booking with Delta AmEx). So the only downside is if one or more legs we can't sit together, but we will make due.
It is interesting but also funny because the different carriers have different ideas of what BE is. Delta allows a full size carry on, which AA/UA don't. When booking BE on Delta, as far as onboard service goes, you're only giving up seat assignments and upgrades. Flying BE on AA/UA is much more of an inconvenience.
Jan 6, 2018, 7:22 pm
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 22
So what do you suggest? Paying the higher Main Cabin fare is encouraging it as well. That leaves drive or do not take the trip, neither really an option in our case. So we pay the lower fare (akin to what we always paid), but now with less service/more restrictions. Perhaps the answer is going after big airlines corporate people, CEO, board members with radical activism.
I missed this. I will try to pick our first leg seats at T-24, then the same for the second leg, then checkin. If it won't let me pick any seats on one or both, should I checkin or just wait until the gate?
What's funny is your apparent between the lines statement that because other airlines are worse we should be happy about or grateful for what Delta is doing. All of these airlines need to be attacked.
It is interesting but also funny because the different carriers have different ideas of what BE is. Delta allows a full size carry on, which AA/UA don't. When booking BE on Delta, as far as onboard service goes, you're only giving up seat assignments and upgrades. Flying BE on AA/UA is much more of an inconvenience.
Last edited by QuiGonJohn; Jan 7, 2018 at 6:09 am
Jan 6, 2018, 7:29 pm
#39
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
There are always alternatives, just less convenient ones. You are rewarding Delta by choosing them vs. the alternatives.
BIS has 4 other airlines servicing it. You chose Delta to save money. Protesting your treatment is hypocritical, if you care that much, don't reward Delta.
Vote with your wallet. Fly another airline, drive to another airport (lord knows there are plenty within driving distance of FLL), or don't go. One thing is for certain.... complaining on the Internet while giving Delta $$ is not going to change anything.
Last edited by CPMaverick; Jan 6, 2018 at 7:43 pm
Jan 6, 2018, 8:08 pm
#41
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
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Jan 6, 2018, 9:40 pm
#43
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
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Posts: 50,262
Comparing what a ticket today (or in the future) in one fare bucket costs to what a ticket with better bells and whistles used to cost is folly and only serves to sell blood pressure medication.
Y tickets used to include full hot meals and everybody got at least one bag included. Not anymore.
So long as there is a market, there will be sellers. You are that market.
Y tickets used to include full hot meals and everybody got at least one bag included. Not anymore.
So long as there is a market, there will be sellers. You are that market.
Jan 6, 2018, 10:58 pm
#44
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,373
In my opinion, there’s no advantage to checking in early in this situation because it would eliminate the option of selecting seats from the map if they open up in the following hours (though in my experience, you might see one appear here or there but a group together is unlikely).
Although nothing is guaranteed, I think with >1 passenger on the same PNR you have a decent shot at getting seated together either automatically or by asking the gate agent. Try to get to the gate an hour before departure so you can make the request before the agent has already processed the list.
Jan 6, 2018, 11:12 pm
#45
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
At the least, if one of you can get an aisle or window, it improves your chances of swapping once on the plane. If you are both in middle seats, nobody is going to want to switch.