United Splitting up Families (Basic Economy ticket)
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: SAN
Programs: Nothing, nowhere!
Posts: 23,307
I'm glad the mother and kids were able to sit together in the end.
It was stupid of United to sell a ticket that would inevitably cause problems on board however.
It was stupid of United to sell a ticket that would inevitably cause problems on board however.
#77
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,413
Fair point. "Fine print" was the OP's phrase.
#78
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: DC
Programs: MPGS, 1MM
Posts: 54
It seems like it wouldn't be that difficult for the airlines to add an affirmative check off to any purchase of multiple BE tickets saying "I recognize that...." and state the restrictions. After all, AA at least requires one to check a box agreeing to the terms and conditions of the ticket when purchasing it on site -- how much harder would it be to state what the key T&Cs are? It would seem likely to reduce the surprise many BE purchasers (seem to) feel at the airport.
Apart from that, though I would join those on the side of common decency. Once upon a time, I had young kids (admittedly in the pre BE days). Try as we might, sometimes there was no way to get seats together -- a family emergency, holiday tix even when booked months in advance and so on. Other people were always kind and moved around to help us get together. So I get that I owe that to the universe today and am almost always willing to move to help a family. Have I sometimes ended up stuck in a less desirable seat than I paid for and had a less comfortable flight as a result? Yes, of course. But sometimes it worth it, even if the person who you're helping out might be somewhat to blame for the situation in the first place. Just my two cents.
Apart from that, though I would join those on the side of common decency. Once upon a time, I had young kids (admittedly in the pre BE days). Try as we might, sometimes there was no way to get seats together -- a family emergency, holiday tix even when booked months in advance and so on. Other people were always kind and moved around to help us get together. So I get that I owe that to the universe today and am almost always willing to move to help a family. Have I sometimes ended up stuck in a less desirable seat than I paid for and had a less comfortable flight as a result? Yes, of course. But sometimes it worth it, even if the person who you're helping out might be somewhat to blame for the situation in the first place. Just my two cents.
#79
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 770
what you guys are failing to understand, is that no matter what UA puts in it's T/C's young children should NOT be seated apart from their parents, no matter what. imagine a different scenario. parents who dont care. now their crying 2 year old is sitting in a middle seat next to two random strangers and crying and trying to climb out of her seat. whos going to keep her in her seat? whos going to make sure her seat belt is on? is it the passengers next to her responsibility? the FA? the parents dont care; they got their headphones on and watching a movie. hey, its in the rules, right?
#80
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,466
It seems like it wouldn't be that difficult for the airlines to add an affirmative check off to any purchase of multiple BE tickets saying "I recognize that...." and state the restrictions. After all, AA at least requires one to check a box agreeing to the terms and conditions of the ticket when purchasing it on site -- how much harder would it be to state what the key T&Cs are? It would seem likely to reduce the surprise many BE purchasers (seem to) feel at the airport.
I'm no fan of BE fares, but people need to take responsibility for their decisions. Particularly the ones that are motivated by the desire to save a small amount of money.
#81
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: ORD
Posts: 435
If I were United I would see this as a customer service issue as opposed to one of law or regulation.
#82
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
It seems like it wouldn't be that difficult for the airlines to add an affirmative check off to any purchase of multiple BE tickets saying "I recognize that...." and state the restrictions. After all, AA at least requires one to check a box agreeing to the terms and conditions of the ticket when purchasing it on site -- how much harder would it be to state what the key T&Cs are? It would seem likely to reduce the surprise many BE purchasers (seem to) feel at the airport.
(1) People will click through anything and not read it.
(2) People buy tickets not directly from the airline (e.g. on Expedia), and those OTAs don't do as good of a job.
#83
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 93
Apart from the optics issue I mentioned -- do you really think your sister-in-law would have liked being told, "sorry, we won't offer you the $139 fare because you're traveling with a child, so pay $164 instead?" -- airlines don't necessarily have this information at the time of booking. And the last thing we want is for airlines to be able to go back and cancel reservations sometime after purchase due to a missing DOB.
Then why did the flight attendant have to put someone in a middle seat?
Then why did the flight attendant have to put someone in a middle seat?
I never said the flight attendant moved the gentleman. I believe they asked him directly and he, being a decent person, agreed. The real question is why the gate agent didn't move him (or anyone) elsewhere?
#84
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 129
Is this a serious question? Aside from extraordinary or operational reasons I really don’t think that a gate agent would involuntarily move a (likely) paying passenger to accomodate a passenger who paid for a ticket that did not include seat selection.
#85
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: SAN
Programs: Nothing, nowhere!
Posts: 23,307
1. Seat selection i.e. a paid for service that allows you to pick where you and your party sit on the plane.
2. Auto seat allocation of a party either together or apart.
I would accept service one as being paid for but expect some common sense from the airline with regards service two.
#86
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,656
#87
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Take responsibility for your own actions and this won't happen to you.
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: SAN
Programs: Nothing, nowhere!
Posts: 23,307
same applies.
Not everything is the responsibility of the consumer. The vendor has an obligation to be transparent. I don't think that happened in this case.
Not everything is the responsibility of the consumer. The vendor has an obligation to be transparent. I don't think that happened in this case.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Aug 28, 2018 at 11:46 am Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
#89
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 770
what you guys are failing to understand, is that no matter what UA puts in it's T/C's young children should NOT be seated apart from their parents, no matter what. imagine a different scenario. parents who dont care. now their crying 2 year old is sitting in a middle seat next to two random strangers and crying and trying to climb out of her seat. whos going to keep her in her seat? whos going to make sure her seat belt is on? is it the passengers next to her responsibility? the FA? the parents dont care; they got their headphones on and watching a movie. hey, its in the rules, right?
#90
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,656
Would she have liked it? No, of course not. But would she have purchased it without thinking twice? Yes, absolutely. This wasn't some attempt to game the airline or inconvenience someone else. This was sheer ignorance. And from what I can tell a very easily avoidable situation that should have been considered alongside BE fares.
I never said the flight attendant moved the gentleman. I believe they asked him directly and he, being a decent person, agreed. The real question is why the gate agent didn't move him (or anyone) elsewhere?
I never said the flight attendant moved the gentleman. I believe they asked him directly and he, being a decent person, agreed. The real question is why the gate agent didn't move him (or anyone) elsewhere?