May 28, 2017, 11:20 am
Basic Economy Airport and Plane Experiences (First or Second Hand)
Jun 29, 2017, 10:45 am
#256
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Washington DC and Denver CO
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy Titanium/LT Gold
Posts: 379
Jun 29, 2017, 10:49 am
#257
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
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I think this is a bit of an overstatement. I think the vast majority of UA employees are doing their job. Some are exemplary, some are the opposite. It's the latter that make the news (and discussion boards). I'd guess 95%+ don't become topics of discussion.
Jun 29, 2017, 10:53 am
#258
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,406
While I understand this point of view, the DOT filing process is painless, and he may well get an apology e-cert from United in addition to the refund. Furthermore, the more complaints the DOT receives, the more likely UA is to fix this mess.
Jun 29, 2017, 11:09 am
#259
Moderator: Mileage Run, United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The City/Honolulu
Programs: UA 3MM; Hyatt Glob*****; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,473
United explicitly says at least twice during the booking process that you will not be seated with companions (it's possible you will, but YMMV based on seats left at the time of check in, and that's the wording UA uses). Once, you specifically need to check a box, then click ok that you accept the terms that include this. It's impossible to miss. Yes, if you are traveling with children, it's not the right fare option due to the seating issue. But yes, some folks will completely ignore the restrictions because they see a lower fare, then complain later.
Bet this person also shows up with a full size carry on expecting to board with it.
Bet this person also shows up with a full size carry on expecting to board with it.
I think the combination of the BE rollout and some of the recent news stories (some fair, some unfair) about customers bringing lawsuits against UA has probably emboldened a certain segment of the population...either thinking the rules will be broken for them or, likely a smaller group and not this woman, that they will get a nice payday.
I agree that BE should be disabled automatically when a child is entered (and an option to disable it for elites).
Jun 29, 2017, 11:14 am
#260
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,410
To be honest, I saw it as someone knowingly booking the cheap fare and expecting the requirements to be waived for them and their children. Out of curiosity I did a dummy booking for an adult with two small children and a big screen pops up and warns you not to book it if you have a group or small children and need to sit together. Surprisingly clear. I guess it is just someone trying to game the system.
I agree that BE should be disabled automatically when a child is entered (and an option to disable it for elites).
I agree that BE should be disabled automatically when a child is entered (and an option to disable it for elites).
Jun 29, 2017, 11:19 am
#261
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,735
I haven't looked over on Cruise Critic but I guarantee there are people advising parents to "just book the cheaper fare. Even if you don't get seats assigned together, someone will switch with you."
Jun 29, 2017, 12:26 pm
#262
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
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Jun 29, 2017, 12:56 pm
#263
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Washington DC and Denver CO
Programs: UA 1K, Bonvoy Titanium/LT Gold
Posts: 379
Edit: in that StackOverflow thread I found a snippet from a law passed on July 15, 2016 - "America's Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2015".. How could this affect BE?
(d) Family Seating.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall review and, if appropriate, establish a policy directing all air carriers to ensure that, if a family is traveling on a reservation with a child under the age of 13, that child is able to sit in a seat adjacent to the seat of an accompanying family member over the age of 13, to the maximum extent practicable, at no additional cost.
Last edited by tcp1; Jun 29, 2017 at 1:05 pm
Jun 29, 2017, 2:32 pm
#264
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One could interpret that ruling as "We have no contiguous seats on this flight but we do have contiguous seats on the next flight 6 hours from now". IMHO it is not practicable to force everyone else to play musical chairs so that someone else can save forty bucks. 
Jun 29, 2017, 2:38 pm
#265
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Eventually they'll figure out that the correct answer is to block the last two rows of the aircraft and have the GA assign families on BE tickets there.
Jun 29, 2017, 2:50 pm
#266
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Bay Area - East Bay
Programs: UA 1k, AS 75k, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 641
I imagine the thought process was something like "Gee, saying that 'people who have a BE ticket and are assigned to boarding group 5 can't have a carry-on' is an awfully complicated instruction. Why don't we just say 'people with boarding group 5,' that seems simple enough for our employees! No way this could possibly go wrong...."
Jun 29, 2017, 2:56 pm
#267
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BUR / LAX
Programs: UA MM/Gold; WN A-list; HH something depending; Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,552
Apologies if this has been answered, don't see it when I search the thread, but do BE passengers who luck into E+ also get complimentary meals as part of "Premium Transcontinental Economy Plus" or are the FAs supposed to sort out who deserves a meal and who doesn't? Or are they not selling BE on those flights?
Jun 29, 2017, 2:57 pm
#268
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SoCal (ONT), PVD/BOS, JAX, RSW
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Posts: 3,189
But then that will screw over people who did not purchase Y, yet are not allowed into Y+ (no elite status, late booking, etc...). If they do that, then they are kicking the can down the jetway.
Jun 29, 2017, 3:00 pm
#269
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,461
How so? It seems like a good idea to me. I think very few people willingly select those seats, so blocking them doesn't seem like it would curtail availability of better seats for the demographics you mention.
Jun 29, 2017, 3:22 pm
#270
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO/SJC/OAK
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This needs to be done, and then the seats can be unlocked if it becomes clear there won't be that many BE passengers. To alleviate for that loss of regular Y seats, open E+ to *Golds, so they move up and open up space for others. Additionally, a group of deserving people will finally get a chance to sit in E+, instead of non-rev standbys and BE customers as we're hearing is happening right now. 2 problems fixed at once.