Nov 15, 2016, 1:38 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Related thread: Basic Economy Airport and Plane Experiences (First or Second Hand)
If purchased on united.com you will have to accept a warning about choosing Basic Economy and there will be orange "Basic Economy" highlights everywhere during the booking process.
Link to UA's description of how these fares will work: Basic Economy.
Here are the key facts:
To avoid domestic BE fares ITA Matrix ~bc=N . Ignoring them on international flights is much trickier because they do not have a consistent pattern in the fare basis; it appears to change by market / region. (That said, as UA is lifting BE from legacy GDS systems, it may result in them disappearing from ITA Matrix anyway).
Google Flights -- select 1 Carry-on bag
NO UNUSED TICKET MAY BE USED TOWARD THE PURCHASE
OF A BASIC ECONOMY TICKET.
-------
NO RESIDUAL VALUE MAY BE USED TOWARD THE PURCHASE
OF A BASIC ECONOMY TICKET.
How is this different from buying up BE to regular economy?
related threads
New UA/*A TATL -LGT Economy fare - no free first bag, no changes/upgrades allowed
Benefit impact of restricted economy fares on UA Elites (Basic Econ, -LGT, Light Econ
Pre-announcement speculation thread (now closed) New "Budget Economy" fares
United's Basic Economy - Discussion, Q&A, ... {Archive}
If purchased on united.com you will have to accept a warning about choosing Basic Economy and there will be orange "Basic Economy" highlights everywhere during the booking process.
Link to UA's description of how these fares will work: Basic Economy.
Here are the key facts:
- No free seat assignments until check-in. Seats will be assigned by the system. Flyers (including elite) have the option to purchase regular economy and preferred economy (white seats with black triangle on seat map) seats after ticket purchase. E+ seats are not available for purchase until check-in. If you don’t purchase an advance seat assignment, your seat will be automatically assigned to you prior to boarding, and you won't be able to change your seat once it's been assigned.
- No guarantee of adjacent seats with companions
- No voluntary ticket changes after 24 hour purchase period including SDC (occasionally 1K's have successfully used Same Day Standby and received a confirmed seat without penalty)
- Carry on limited to one personal item unless the customer is a MP Premier member, primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card, or Star Alliance *G, or traveling on an international BE product
- Customers ineligible for carry-on who bring one to the gate will be charged a $25 convenience fee to gate-check in addition to standard baggage fees (source: @united twitter)
- Customers are not eligible for premium cabin upgrades either via CPU, mileage upgrade award or PlusPoints
- Customers will board in the last boarding group (currently Group 5) unless the customer is a MP Premier member, primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card, or Star Alliance *G, or traveling on an international BE product
- Companions on same PNR will have same boarding group and carry-on if one on the PNR has a waiver
- No combinability with regular economy fares or partner carriers. Interline travel is not permitted.
- Normal PQPs / RDMs based on fare and elite multipliers
- No PQFs
- Flight(s) do count towards the 4 flight minimum for UA-operated
- Full Lifetime mileage
- Domestic Basic Economy tickets will use booking code 'N'. International BE can be in any class.
- Online check-in only with paid checked bag, otherwise need to see a United representative to verify the onboard bag allowance and receive a boarding pass
- Canceling a basic economy ticket will receive a flight credit for the price of the ticket, minus a fee. For domestic flights, the fee is $49.50 for one-way tickets and $99 for roundtrip tickets. For international flights, the fee is $99.50 for one-way tickets and $199 for roundtrip tickets
To avoid domestic BE fares ITA Matrix ~bc=N . Ignoring them on international flights is much trickier because they do not have a consistent pattern in the fare basis; it appears to change by market / region. (That said, as UA is lifting BE from legacy GDS systems, it may result in them disappearing from ITA Matrix anyway).
Google Flights -- select 1 Carry-on bag
NO UNUSED TICKET MAY BE USED TOWARD THE PURCHASE
OF A BASIC ECONOMY TICKET.
-------
NO RESIDUAL VALUE MAY BE USED TOWARD THE PURCHASE
OF A BASIC ECONOMY TICKET.
How is this different from buying up BE to regular economy?
related threads
New UA/*A TATL -LGT Economy fare - no free first bag, no changes/upgrades allowed
Benefit impact of restricted economy fares on UA Elites (Basic Econ, -LGT, Light Econ
Pre-announcement speculation thread (now closed) New "Budget Economy" fares
United's Basic Economy - Discussion, Q&A, ... {Archive}
United's Basic Economy - Discussion, Q&A, ...Now cancellable for a fee
Apr 18, 2022, 9:03 am
#106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,410
It's a mostly archaic distinction and one of our resident TAs will probably be able to explain better than me.
The two common types are "special fare" and "normal fare". Normal fares are almost exclusively limited to J/Y/B classes and are commonly harmonized across alliances and often carriers as well. They also conventionally never expire, don't have many (if any restrictions), are refundable, etc. I believe the heritage is from being fares that were good for travel on basically any airline, with free changes and last-seat availability (when carriers settled up revenues by weighing stacks of tickets).
Anything even remotely discounted will be a "special fare".
As an example, your K fare is restricted in application and routing (in addition to other aspects):
But a normal fare on SFO-SIN basically requires UA-marketed flight across the Pacific and a very loose restriction on routing. Otherwise, anything is fair game as long as they interline with UA:
(Y1WY also permits unlimited transfers and unlimited free stopovers.)
The bar on UA857 is a special override for the US-China COVID stuff (flight is SFO-PVG).
The two common types are "special fare" and "normal fare". Normal fares are almost exclusively limited to J/Y/B classes and are commonly harmonized across alliances and often carriers as well. They also conventionally never expire, don't have many (if any restrictions), are refundable, etc. I believe the heritage is from being fares that were good for travel on basically any airline, with free changes and last-seat availability (when carriers settled up revenues by weighing stacks of tickets).
Anything even remotely discounted will be a "special fare".
As an example, your K fare is restricted in application and routing (in addition to other aspects):
Code:
V FARE BASIS BK FARE TRAVEL-TICKET AP MINMAX RTG
1 KHX00SO2 K‡R 698.00 ---- -/‡ ‡‡/ 6M PA01
PASSENGER TYPE-ADT AUTO PRICE-YES
FROM-SFO TO-SIN CXR-UA TVL-18APR22 RULE-2RNW IPRP/3
FARE BASIS-KHX00SO2 SPECIAL FARE DIS-E VENDOR-ATP
FARE TYPE-XPN RT-INSTANT PURCHASE NONREFUNDABLE-TYPE FARES
USD 698.00 0502 E30JAN21 D-INFINITY FC-KHX00SO2 FN-M4
SYSTEM DATES - CREATED 05APR22/1310 EXPIRES INFINITY
PUBLISHED RTG SFO-SIN/UA502 /TAR-TPRG EF-06APR22 DIS-INDEF
/VIA THE PACIFIC/
MAP CONSTRUCTED LEFT TO RIGHT AND RIGHT TO LEFT
1. SFO-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-HA/UA/WP-ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/
OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-GUM-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/
PR/SQ/UA/VN-HKG/SEL/SIN/TPE-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/
OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
2. SFO-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-HA/UA/WP-ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/
OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-GUM-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/
PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
3. SFO-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-HA/UA/WP-ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/
OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-NH/UA-SFO-OSA/TYO-NH/UA-OSA/TYO-3K/BR/CX/
GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-HKG/SEL/SIN/TPE-3K/
BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
4. SFO-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-HA/UA/WP-ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/
OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-NH/UA-SFO-OSA/TYO-NH/UA-OSA/TYO-3K/BR/CX/
GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
5. SFO-LAS-DEN/LAX/SEA/SFO/SJC-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-HA/UA/WP-
ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-GUM-3K/BR/CX/GA/
GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-HKG/SEL/SIN/TPE-3K/BR/
CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
6. SFO-LAS-DEN/LAX/SEA/SFO/SJC-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-HA/UA/WP-
ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-GUM-3K/BR/CX/GA/
GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
7. SFO-LAS-DEN/LAX/SEA/SFO/SJC-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-HA/UA/WP-
ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-NH/UA-SFO-OSA/
TYO-NH/UA-OSA/TYO-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/
SQ/UA/VN-HKG/SEL/SIN/TPE-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/
OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
8. SFO-LAS-DEN/LAX/SEA/SFO/SJC-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-HA/UA/WP-
ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-NH/UA-SFO-OSA/
TYO-NH/UA-OSA/TYO-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/
SQ/UA/VN-SIN
9. SFO-LAX/SFO-LAS-DEN/LAX/SEA/SFO/SJC-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-
HA/UA/WP-ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-GUM-3K/
BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-HKG/SEL/SIN/
TPE-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
10. SFO-LAX/SFO-LAS-DEN/LAX/SEA/SFO/SJC-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-
HA/UA/WP-ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-GUM-3K/
BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
11. SFO-LAX/SFO-LAS-DEN/LAX/SEA/SFO/SJC-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-
HA/UA/WP-ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-NH/UA-
SFO-OSA/TYO-NH/UA-OSA/TYO-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/
OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-HKG/SEL/SIN/TPE-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/
MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
12. SFO-LAX/SFO-LAS-DEN/LAX/SEA/SFO/SJC-HNL/ITO/KOA/LIH/OGG-
HA/UA/WP-ITO/JHM/KOA/LIH/LNY/MKK/OGG-HA/UA/WP-HNL-NH/UA-
SFO-OSA/TYO-NH/UA-OSA/TYO-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/
OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
13. SFO-OSA/TYO-NH/UA-OSA/TYO-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/
OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-HKG/SEL/SIN/TPE-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/
MI/NH/OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
14. SFO-OSA/TYO-NH/UA-OSA/TYO-3K/BR/CX/GA/GK/HX/KA/MH/MI/NH/
OD/OZ/PR/SQ/UA/VN-SIN
...
THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL VIA
TRANSPACIFIC SECTORS ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
UA FLIGHT 857.
AND
THE FARE COMPONENT MUST INCLUDE TRAVEL VIA TRANSPACIFIC
SECTORS ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY UA FLIGHT OPERATED BY NH
ANY UA FLIGHT OPERATED BY NQ
ANY UA FLIGHT OPERATED BY UA.
AND
IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN KOREA REP
OF SOUTH AND SINGAPORE
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY UA FLIGHT OPERATED BY UA
ANY UA FLIGHT OPERATED BY OZ
ANY OZ FLIGHT OPERATED BY OZ.
AND
IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL WITHIN KOREA REP
OF SOUTH
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY UA FLIGHT OPERATED BY UA
ANY UA FLIGHT OPERATED BY OZ
ANY OZ FLIGHT OPERATED BY OZ.
AND
IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN TYO/OSA
AND HKG
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST NOT BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY NH FLIGHT OPERATED BY ET.
AND
IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN TYO/OSA
AND BKK/SIN
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST NOT BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY NH FLIGHT OPERATED BY BR
ANY NH FLIGHT OPERATED BY SQ
ANY NH FLIGHT OPERATED BY TG.
AND
IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN TYO/OSA
AND TPE
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST NOT BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY NH FLIGHT OPERATED BY BR
ANY NH FLIGHT OPERATED BY SQ
ANY NH FLIGHT OPERATED BY TG.
AND
IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN TYO/OSA
AND JKT/DPS
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST NOT BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY NH FLIGHT OPERATED BY GA.
AND
IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN TYO/OSA
AND SGN/HAN
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY UA FLIGHT OPERATED BY NH
ANY NH FLIGHT OPERATED BY NH
ANY VN FLIGHT OPERATED BY VN.
Code:
V FARE BASIS BK FARE TRAVEL-TICKET AP MINMAX RTG
1 Y1WY Y‡X 3718.00 ---- - -/ - PA01
PASSENGER TYPE-ADT AUTO PRICE-YES
FROM-SFO TO-SIN CXR-UA TVL-18APR22 RULE-1URW IPRP/3
FARE BASIS-Y1WY NORMAL FARE DIS-N VENDOR-ATP
FARE TYPE-EU OW-ECONOMY UNRESTRICTED
USD 3718.00 MPM E10MAR22 D-INFINITY FC-Y1WY FN-
SYSTEM DATES - CREATED 09MAR22/2022 EXPIRES INFINITY
PUBLISHED RTG SFO-SIN/UA EF-10MAR22 DIS-INDEF
/VIA THE PACIFIC/ MPM 10130
MILEAGE SYSTEM APPLIES BETWEEN ORIGIN AND DESTINATION
MILEAGE SYSTEM APPLIES ORIGIN TO DESTINATION
TICKETED POINT DEDUCTION OF 800 MILES APPLIES
WHEN TRAVEL IS VIA HNL
PROVIDED ALL TRAVEL IS VIA UA
.
...
THE FARE COMPONENT MUST NOT INCLUDE TRAVEL VIA
TRANSPACIFIC SECTORS ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
UA FLIGHT 857.
AND
THE FARE COMPONENT MUST INCLUDE TRAVEL VIA TRANSPACIFIC
SECTORS ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY UA FLIGHT.
The bar on UA857 is a special override for the US-China COVID stuff (flight is SFO-PVG).
Apr 18, 2022, 2:11 pm
#107
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,851
I am taking the flights especially since my Marriott SNA cleared for an Executive Suite which makes this trip all the better.
All day I've been watching the seat map and while the flight remains J1 Y0, the seat map has slowly had quite a few seats open up including middle seats in E-. I was starting to get nervous as there was 1 E+ window, several E+ aisles and the exit row window available (the one with no seat in front of it). I almost bought the exit row for $60 but decided to wait.
At T-23:10 I checked the seat map again and the window in E+ just disappeared (was there 10 minutes prior). My thought process is that as soon as I start the check-in process I'll be auto-assigned seats and they stick until I talk to someone in the lounge or at the gate. Well, I started OLCI and after getting the big orange warning about being on a basic economy fare I saw my seat assignments: 8D (E+ window for the short trip to EWR) and 8F (that one E+ window) for the long haul across the Atlantic. Somehow UA decided to auto assign me the last E+ window. THANK YOU, UNITED!! On both planes there are quite a few E- seats open. The EWR-TATL flight has 5 E-, 11 "Preferred" E- and about 5 E+.
Interesting to note: during OLCI it tells me I can select an E+ seat for $35, similar to the poster above. However, I can only select an E+ seat on the 30 minute short hop to EWR. And it wants to charge me $35 even though I'm in an E+ seat already. For EWR-TATL, the seat map will only show me E- seats and offers no chance to buy an E+ seat even though there are 5 unassigned right now.
Bottom line...I couldn't be happier (unless I'm able to take a bump and get comp for it and then route via FRA/MUC - haha). Still no idea why I got assigned E+ given the empty seats in E-.
Note: after the auto-assignment happened Tuesday night, no other seats have been auto assigned from what I can tell. I also have not been assigned any seats for the return on Monday.
PS - this is my first ever 'teal' colored boarding pass from the app. I'm not sure if this is a new color for "Travel Ready" (never was in the past) or it's a combo of Basic Economy + TATL? I thought Basic Economy was orange colored for BPs.
Edit 2: I was finally offered a $35 fee to change my E+ seat on the EWR-TATL flight. I think the $35 offers are only valid once the 24 hour check-in opens for each flight. Since I'm already in the best available E+ seat for free I think I'll pass
-RM
All day I've been watching the seat map and while the flight remains J1 Y0, the seat map has slowly had quite a few seats open up including middle seats in E-. I was starting to get nervous as there was 1 E+ window, several E+ aisles and the exit row window available (the one with no seat in front of it). I almost bought the exit row for $60 but decided to wait.
At T-23:10 I checked the seat map again and the window in E+ just disappeared (was there 10 minutes prior). My thought process is that as soon as I start the check-in process I'll be auto-assigned seats and they stick until I talk to someone in the lounge or at the gate. Well, I started OLCI and after getting the big orange warning about being on a basic economy fare I saw my seat assignments: 8D (E+ window for the short trip to EWR) and 8F (that one E+ window) for the long haul across the Atlantic. Somehow UA decided to auto assign me the last E+ window. THANK YOU, UNITED!! On both planes there are quite a few E- seats open. The EWR-TATL flight has 5 E-, 11 "Preferred" E- and about 5 E+.
Interesting to note: during OLCI it tells me I can select an E+ seat for $35, similar to the poster above. However, I can only select an E+ seat on the 30 minute short hop to EWR. And it wants to charge me $35 even though I'm in an E+ seat already. For EWR-TATL, the seat map will only show me E- seats and offers no chance to buy an E+ seat even though there are 5 unassigned right now.
Bottom line...I couldn't be happier (unless I'm able to take a bump and get comp for it and then route via FRA/MUC - haha). Still no idea why I got assigned E+ given the empty seats in E-.
Note: after the auto-assignment happened Tuesday night, no other seats have been auto assigned from what I can tell. I also have not been assigned any seats for the return on Monday.
PS - this is my first ever 'teal' colored boarding pass from the app. I'm not sure if this is a new color for "Travel Ready" (never was in the past) or it's a combo of Basic Economy + TATL? I thought Basic Economy was orange colored for BPs.
Edit 2: I was finally offered a $35 fee to change my E+ seat on the EWR-TATL flight. I think the $35 offers are only valid once the 24 hour check-in opens for each flight. Since I'm already in the best available E+ seat for free I think I'll pass
-RM
Apr 19, 2022, 8:31 am
#108
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,344
Everything went a little sideways with the ticket, all my doing and mostly in my favor.
On Friday before I flew the outbound the same fare for my flights went down over $200. I tried to rebook the ticket including the outbound but it kept erroring out. Knowing I can't change basic economy tickets I then tried just to change the return (which was originally booked to a co-terminal further away than the one I wanted to fly to). During the change I selected a true economy flight and NOT basic economy. The new ticket was $4 cheaper than the one I had booked and the website made the change but I was not issued a credit. No big deal. I was now booked to the airport I preferred to get back to. During this process I was allowed to select any E+ seat on the return flights for free with zero mention of basic economy.
Friday's flights were already a mess because just about everything to EWR was delayed due to wind and a potential ground stop. I changed to an earlier flight to EWR (which itself was 2 hours delayed). The agent had no problem making the change but I was technically put on standby and then cleared almost immediately. Upon boarding EWR-TATL the agent denied me and said my ticket was out of sync. The second gate agent had to help me and it took her 5 minutes to fix the ticket. I'm still not sure what she did. But I'm sure my ticket was out of sync before I even changed my xxx-EWR flight. Anyway, ultimately made it to Europe.
On the return on Monday the website kept insisting I was on a basic economy ticket. I was asked to pay $35 to change E+ seats (no need, I had already booked excellent ones during my change on Friday). What I find so weird is an 8 hour TATL flight is $35 but it's also $35 for E+ on a 30 minute short hop ex-EWR. When I got to EWR I was able to use the app to standby for an earlier EWR-xxx flight and I cleared. I was #1 on the list so my status was helping. I never once appeared on any upgrade list - for either the flight I was originally booked on or the one I cleared standby on.
I'm not sure what to make of what happened to the ticket. You're not supposed to be able to change a BE ticket and I was able to. You're not supposed to be able to make any changes to the flights (I had one voluntary and one involuntary) and I was able to do both.
Is this is a situation of "once a basic economy ticket, always a basic economy ticket?"
-RM
On Friday before I flew the outbound the same fare for my flights went down over $200. I tried to rebook the ticket including the outbound but it kept erroring out. Knowing I can't change basic economy tickets I then tried just to change the return (which was originally booked to a co-terminal further away than the one I wanted to fly to). During the change I selected a true economy flight and NOT basic economy. The new ticket was $4 cheaper than the one I had booked and the website made the change but I was not issued a credit. No big deal. I was now booked to the airport I preferred to get back to. During this process I was allowed to select any E+ seat on the return flights for free with zero mention of basic economy.
Friday's flights were already a mess because just about everything to EWR was delayed due to wind and a potential ground stop. I changed to an earlier flight to EWR (which itself was 2 hours delayed). The agent had no problem making the change but I was technically put on standby and then cleared almost immediately. Upon boarding EWR-TATL the agent denied me and said my ticket was out of sync. The second gate agent had to help me and it took her 5 minutes to fix the ticket. I'm still not sure what she did. But I'm sure my ticket was out of sync before I even changed my xxx-EWR flight. Anyway, ultimately made it to Europe.
On the return on Monday the website kept insisting I was on a basic economy ticket. I was asked to pay $35 to change E+ seats (no need, I had already booked excellent ones during my change on Friday). What I find so weird is an 8 hour TATL flight is $35 but it's also $35 for E+ on a 30 minute short hop ex-EWR. When I got to EWR I was able to use the app to standby for an earlier EWR-xxx flight and I cleared. I was #1 on the list so my status was helping. I never once appeared on any upgrade list - for either the flight I was originally booked on or the one I cleared standby on.
I'm not sure what to make of what happened to the ticket. You're not supposed to be able to change a BE ticket and I was able to. You're not supposed to be able to make any changes to the flights (I had one voluntary and one involuntary) and I was able to do both.
Is this is a situation of "once a basic economy ticket, always a basic economy ticket?"
-RM
Apr 19, 2022, 12:10 pm
#110
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,844
Much has changed about BE changeability but there may be lingering issues.
Apr 20, 2022, 5:54 am
#111
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: UA Silver
Posts: 168
BE TICKET, FULL FLIGHT, CHECKED IN, NO SEAT ASSIGNMENT, BOARDING PASS SAYS SEE AGENT: I am on a BE ticket. I am checked in, have no sequence #, no seat assignment(as every seat is already taken). Trying to understand what happens here...do I hope someone oversleeps for my 7am flight...since I want to fly on this flight will they look for someone to bump? I am Silver but not sure that helps.
UPDATE- checkin+2hrs, now I have 25c. Not sure how but happy to have it. Thank you for posting the boarding priorities paperwastage.
UPDATE- checkin+2hrs, now I have 25c. Not sure how but happy to have it. Thank you for posting the boarding priorities paperwastage.
Last edited by detony; Apr 20, 2022 at 7:53 am Reason: UPDATE- checkin +2hrs.
Apr 20, 2022, 7:49 am
#112
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,380
BE TICKET, FULL FLIGHT, CHECKED IN, NO SEAT ASSIGNMENT, BOARDING PASS SAYS SEE AGENT: I am on a BE ticket. I am checked in, have no sequence #, no seat assignment(as every seat is already taken). Trying to understand what happens here...do I hope someone oversleeps for my 7am flight...since I want to fly on this flight will they look for someone to bump? I am Silver but not sure that helps.
https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/con...e.html#rule-25
Boarding Priorities - If a flight is Oversold, no one may be denied boarding against his/her will until UA or other carrier personnel first ask for volunteers who will give up their reservations willingly in exchange for compensation as determined by UA.
If there are not enough volunteers, other Passengers may be denied boarding involuntarily in accordance with UA’s boarding priority:.
Passengers who are Qualified Individuals with Disabilities and their Service Animal or travel assistant, unaccompanied minors under the age of 18 years, or minors between the ages of 5 to 14 years who use the unaccompanied minor service, and for Canada departures only, families traveling together, will be the last to be involuntarily denied boarding if it is determined by UA that such denial would constitute a hardship.
The priority of all other confirmed passengers may be determined based on a passenger’s fare class, itinerary, status of frequent flyer program membership, whether the passenger purchased the ticket under select UA corporate travel agreements, and the time in which the passenger presents him/herself for check-in without advanced seat assignment.
If there are not enough volunteers, other Passengers may be denied boarding involuntarily in accordance with UA’s boarding priority:.
Passengers who are Qualified Individuals with Disabilities and their Service Animal or travel assistant, unaccompanied minors under the age of 18 years, or minors between the ages of 5 to 14 years who use the unaccompanied minor service, and for Canada departures only, families traveling together, will be the last to be involuntarily denied boarding if it is determined by UA that such denial would constitute a hardship.
The priority of all other confirmed passengers may be determined based on a passenger’s fare class, itinerary, status of frequent flyer program membership, whether the passenger purchased the ticket under select UA corporate travel agreements, and the time in which the passenger presents him/herself for check-in without advanced seat assignment.
Apr 20, 2022, 8:08 am
#113
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA, UA, Hilton, Choice, Wyndham
Posts: 415
Basic economy: missing flight. What happens?
I've got relatives flying an international airline into LAX (no interlining / bundled onwards airfares. Must buy separate positioning flight on UA). By the time they land, there's 2 more flights to IAD. The first one is cheaper but leaves a very short time for customs/immigration/check-in/security.
What happens if I buy the earlier flight in basic economy and they miss it (e.g. not even make it to check-in)? Will UA definitely assign standby/seat on the 2nd flight? Or might the entire ticket be essentially thrown away? I am very confident that the 2nd flight (last LAX-IAD of the night) has space.
Thanks!
What happens if I buy the earlier flight in basic economy and they miss it (e.g. not even make it to check-in)? Will UA definitely assign standby/seat on the 2nd flight? Or might the entire ticket be essentially thrown away? I am very confident that the 2nd flight (last LAX-IAD of the night) has space.
Thanks!
Apr 20, 2022, 8:38 am
#114
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,410
The official rules are:
- If you cancel prior to departure, there is a change fee of USD 99.00 to apply the value of the coupon to another ticket, using currentfares.
- If the ticket is not canceled prior to departure, it is voided when you are offloaded and the value is forfeit.
Apr 21, 2022, 6:22 am
#116
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: England
Programs: BA, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, KLM Gold, AB Gold, Accor Plat, BW Diamond, Qantas Svr, Etihad Svr
Posts: 328
Premier 1k, Basic Economy. What can I expect
Hi, I am a Premier 1k due to work getting this for me. I am flying United in Basic DUB to NYC in May. Am I right in thinking I will get free bags? What are my chances of getting seated with my partner, or getting Economy Plus? Do I stand a chance of either? Thanks in advance.
Apr 21, 2022, 6:27 am
#117
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,040
Apr 21, 2022, 6:42 am
#119
Used to be MBS PremExec
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Saginaw, MI (MBS)
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Marriott Titanium w/Lifetime Plat, Hilton LIfetime ♢, National Exec, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,722
Here are the set-in-stone policies: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...c-economy.html
I would say NOT to expect anything but a middle, non-Economy Plus seat assigned at check-in, not near your traveling companion. Anything you get beyond that would be a blessing, but you can purchase Economy Plus seating. You do get your baggage allowance.
I would say NOT to expect anything but a middle, non-Economy Plus seat assigned at check-in, not near your traveling companion. Anything you get beyond that would be a blessing, but you can purchase Economy Plus seating. You do get your baggage allowance.
Apr 21, 2022, 7:13 am
#120
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
Yes, UA computer does have certain algorithms; the worst that you will get is the regular economy middle seat if the flight is nearly full. If the computer is in good mood, 😆, you may get a slightly better seat. In other word, expect the worst and be nicely surprised when you get a better seat.
If flight is empty and has a lot of E+ seats available, you can get an E+ seat (possibly with your partner) by nicely asking a gate agent. He/she may refuse the request. But the rate of success is very high due to 1K status.
Good luck.
If flight is empty and has a lot of E+ seats available, you can get an E+ seat (possibly with your partner) by nicely asking a gate agent. He/she may refuse the request. But the rate of success is very high due to 1K status.
Good luck.