Change BE seat on TATL flight *after* check in?
 

Hi -

I've got a flight coming up via FRA, and my ticket is BE. I know that if I do nothing, a seat will be assigned to me at check in time. Right now, coach is only about 30% full, so I'm wondering if I'll have the option (either via the app or at the gate) to change my assigned seat (post checkin but pre boarding) to something in a less crowded row (non E+, I know). Or, should I purchase a window or aisle now for between $31 and $36. On a recent non BE domestic ticket, I was able to change my seat several times after check in (via the app) to be in an empty row, but I'm not sure how the app will behave on this new flight given that it's a BE fare.

Thanks for any guidance!

If Coach is now booked at about 30%, I would politely ask the gate agent for a change (look at the app for a specific seat that you like) and suggest that one. I didn’t see your status but if you’re a premier member of course ask for a E+ seat.. Best of luck and keep us posted.

PS: There will not be any free changes available via the app post check in

Thanks - knowing that the app will not offer free changes is exactly what I was hoping to find out. My plan now is to wait until just before check in and then pay for a seat in an empty row.

Hello, I hold non-UA *G status and I am considering booking a BE fare for 2 of us (my friend has no status) on the same PNR. Would we both be in BG2, and would each of us be entitled to 1 free checked bag and 1 full-sized carry-on? Thanks!

The UA site refers to companions of UA elites, but no mention about companions of *G:
"[...] you're not allowed a full-sized carry-on bag unless you're a MileagePlus Premier member or companion traveling on the same reservation, the primary cardmember of a qualifying MileagePlus credit card or a Star Alliance™ Gold member [...]"

What's the general consensus on getting E+ for 'free' with a BE ticket on a TATL routing? I'm considering my first ever BE ticket because I won't be using PlusPoints for this and I won't even be checking a bag or bringing anything larger than a backpack for the quick trip.

As a 1K, what are the chances of being auto assigned an E+ seat? My outbound is pretty full in the back except for E+ and the return is wide open. Do they auto assign seats at check-in or maybe based on status or just completely randomly?

I've scrolled back up a few pages in this thread and Flying Machine seems to have luck getting E+ automatically or having it manually changed the one time they didn't. Is that the general rule of thumb for other higher elites?

The price difference is $150. I'm also trying to decide if $150 is enough for me to guarantee E+ and know what seat I'm going to fly in given every other regular economy perk won't apply to me.

Thanks,
-RM

My outbound is pretty full in the back except for E+ and the return is wide open.

I think you’ll have pretty good luck with getting E+ especially on your outbound. GAs as I stated before have been pretty accommodating to me as a Platinum. As a 1K I feel the advantage is yours.. Best of luck and keep us informed

PS: is the overall ticket cost to go from BE to regular economy only $150 RT? If so, Are the PQPs valuable to you or RDMs? Something to consider

The entire ticket is $150 more to book regular economy both ways. I basically get to pre-select and guarantee an E+ seat if I pay the $150. I'm going way over 1K thresholds again this year so the PQP isn't super valuable to me.

-RM

Interesting toss up decision for $150.. it was way more the times I chose BE TATL.. if you like the security perhaps it’s worth it.. I’m a gambler and like the unknown 😀

Curious to know if you made a decision and how it worked out

I cancelled my BE ticket and bought regular economy. I'm still not sure how it would have worked out because two days before my flight all non E+ seats on IAD-Europe got filled. With BE pax? With other pax? I have no idea. Then right before check-in opened a few of them opened up so if UA assigns BE seats about 48 hours ahead of time then I might have been given E+. If not then I was likely getting stuck in E- and having to ask a GA to move me. No guarantee they would have done that.

On the return I was able to book myself in a middle E+ seat and get that whole row to myself to lie down a bit. Poor mans business class worked well for me. And the offer to upgrade to J was only $799. Not sure if I would have gotten an offer in BE but I didn't pay it for an afternoon flight back to IAD. I also didn't have confidence that the European station would have moved me to E+ based on status because it's not staffed by UA employees.

-RM

I have some family members booked on a TATL in K class, which is normal economy class per the United chart at https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...are-class.html

But when I look at their booking on united.com it says Basic Economy. Is that a web error?

Another weird thing on the web, it says they can check 6 bags each for free. One of them is UA Gold, but still that can't be right?

FLIGHT INFO
Basic Economy
Flight UA 56
Duration 8h 10m
Aircraft Boeing 777-300ER
Fare Class United Economy (K)
Meal
Lunch
Seats
Select seat
Bags
6 free bags

There is no specific BE TATL fare class, that is only domestic. TATL BE can be any of the lower fare classes. So a BE ticket could have a K fare class

Ignore, that has been a problem for some time
Online Itinerary Now Shows Checked Bags Under Seat Number (buggy?)

I figured it was some kind of web error. But that link I posted says nothing about domestic.

Notice the link does not mention a specific Basic Economy fare class for after 1 Jan 2019

Look again. It does mention Basic Economy after 2019, The link does mention M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G are not Basic Economy after 1 Jan 2019. Which is seems to be an error on United's part.