pfpdx

Hey All,

Because the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...e-markets.html" Is fully consumed with strategy and prices, IMHO, I wanted to start a place to document how BE has actually worked out.

Looking for:

1. First-hand experiences, purchasing a BE fare and traveling on it.

2. Second-hand experiences, being on a flight that has BE and how the gate experience went. Did people complain? Was there more overhead bin space? Did United enforce the no large carry on rule? Was GA facing a huge line of people trying to move seats around? Did lots of people try and swap seats on the plane?

I realize some of these questions might be hard for the FT community to answer because we are more likely to have some status or CC that allows boarding early and are trying to sit in E+ or better. But perhaps there are some like me that stay off the plane as long as possible unless I am sitting up front.

pfpdx

No experiences at all? Not many FT out of MSP?

pushmyredbutton

I think the first BE fares take effect May 9th

jsloan

The first fares out of MSP took affect in mid-April. Other markets start on May 9.

jhayes_1780

I think FT is not the place your going to get much input on Basic Economy. Mainly as the bulk of us here are mileage junkies, or at the very least try to find ways to BETTER the flying experience.

Basic does the opposite on both counts

findark

I'll be in MSP this weekend but flying out on DL too late for UA bank. Maybe SFO runway construction will delay UA enough I'll see it

pfpdx

I agree that FT is not the market for taking basic. However, I expect FT flyers to be in the gate area or on planes with basic economy fares. Perhaps once it is more widespread on 5/9 there will be more reports.

I think for United, no news is good news.

As a random aside, is there a more automated way to grab two quotes for a post?

Answered my own question, pressing the little icon in bottom right allows one to accumulate quotes to use.

NikoLGA

You ain’t getting any content over here. I’d pay $15 bucks one way anyday over Basic Economy.

notquiteaff

OP is also asking for second hand experiences. In other words, people who didn't fly BE but were on a flight with BE service. Reasonable question to ask.

xliioper

There are a number of MSP based flyers on FT. However, as to be expected, they are predominately DL flyers.

NikoLGA

I jumped that, you�re right, that�s reasonable.

Unfortunately, the fear of losing bin space might make me hesitate when it comes to waiting until group 5 to observe the process.

emcampbe

thats true too, but a lot of FT flyers have some sort of elite status, meaning they'd most likely be boarding for before the last group where presumably they are doing the check for bags, etc. though I suppose they might be in an area to overhear conversations about seats (I.e., at check in or with the gate agent, family requests seating together, clearly having ignored the warning about buying BE and families not being able to sit together, etc.)

findark

What the thread is looking for, and I'm honestly somewhat surprised I haven't heard, is "I was waiting to board my flight to EWR today when at the next gate..."

mvoight

Why not just comment in the main BE thread?

Kevin AA

That is precisely what I was going to say!

I've flown out of small airports on AA, waiting for my flight, sitting right next to a UA gate that was boarding.