Any rumors of UA bringing back carry-on for BE?
Nov 19, 2018, 9:11 am
#1
Formerly known as caveruner17
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
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Posts: 432
Any rumors of UA bringing back carry-on for BE?
DL allows BE fares to have a regular sized carry on. AA took that away, then brought it back. UA took it away and still hasn't brought it back.
Frankly, I haven't booked UA since that change. NK/F9 are almost always cheaper than UA and if UA is pricing the same as AA or DL, I'm flying them.
Any talk of them allowing carry-on's again for BE fares?
Frankly, I haven't booked UA since that change. NK/F9 are almost always cheaper than UA and if UA is pricing the same as AA or DL, I'm flying them.
Any talk of them allowing carry-on's again for BE fares?
Nov 19, 2018, 9:21 am
#2
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Don’t have the link with me, but in a WSJ article last week talking about BE in general on all the carriers, including Alaska’s take on it, quoted someone from UA saying they have no plans to change the carry on restriction (though the article also refers to it as restricted from using the overhead bin, which technically isn’t true, as the rule only allows a smaller article, which technically, room permitting, could be put in the overhead).
The arricle also also talks about what many folks on here also speculated: that BE and the restrictions it comes with is meant to get people to pay up to the regular fare.
IME, I don’t personally think it will change, and honestly, I don’t think it has to. If you want a bargain basement fare, then feel free to buy it, but understand it’s bargain basement because it comes with restrictions, somewhat different than the restrictions on Spirit, Frontier, etc., but similar. If you want the full benefits of a regular fare, then forget about BE and just purchase a regular fare. If you like DL or AAa version of BE, then go for it. I don’t think UA is concerned about losing too many BE fares, as if you go to someone else, they can sell that seat to someone else who might be willing to pay the regular fare.
The arricle also also talks about what many folks on here also speculated: that BE and the restrictions it comes with is meant to get people to pay up to the regular fare.
IME, I don’t personally think it will change, and honestly, I don’t think it has to. If you want a bargain basement fare, then feel free to buy it, but understand it’s bargain basement because it comes with restrictions, somewhat different than the restrictions on Spirit, Frontier, etc., but similar. If you want the full benefits of a regular fare, then forget about BE and just purchase a regular fare. If you like DL or AAa version of BE, then go for it. I don’t think UA is concerned about losing too many BE fares, as if you go to someone else, they can sell that seat to someone else who might be willing to pay the regular fare.
Nov 19, 2018, 9:33 am
#3
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
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Agree it seems unlikely. BE aren't the customers UA really wants to attract - i.e., the ones that are looking for the lowest fare possible regardless, although they're happy to take their money. The fares are designed to appear to be competitive in search engines more than to drive sales.
Unless they realize they can't fill planes without offering a carry-on, seems like they'll stick with it.
Unless they realize they can't fill planes without offering a carry-on, seems like they'll stick with it.
Nov 19, 2018, 9:39 am
#4
Formerly known as caveruner17
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: ORD
Posts: 432
If you want the full benefits of a regular fare, then forget about BE and just purchase a regular fare. If you like DL or AAa version of BE, then go for it. I don’t think UA is concerned about losing too many BE fares, as if you go to someone else, they can sell that seat to someone else who might be willing to pay the regular fare.
My most recent trip this weekend cost around $130 for each ticket (so $260 RT). AA, WN and UA offered the same price, AA and UA were BE. What's the incentive for me to fly UA when they're going to cost $20-25 more than AA or WN, per flight?
NK and F9 both offered around $90-110 fares, so when you added in the checked luggage, it brought it to the AA/WN/UA fares. If UA was matching ULCC fares with BE, then I'd understand.
Surprised they haven't seen more people booking away, I guess based on what you said. Captive audience?
Nov 19, 2018, 10:00 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
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Makes no sense to me why UA won't match AA/DL/AS with this. UA might lose some competition on this, and UA should be working to keep its customers after what happened last year and all the negative PR fallout. My two cents.
Nov 19, 2018, 10:20 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
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DL allows BE fares to have a regular sized carry on. AA took that away, then brought it back. UA took it away and still hasn't brought it back.
Frankly, I haven't booked UA since that change. NK/F9 are almost always cheaper than UA and if UA is pricing the same as AA or DL, I'm flying them.
Any talk of them allowing carry-on's again for BE fares?
Frankly, I haven't booked UA since that change. NK/F9 are almost always cheaper than UA and if UA is pricing the same as AA or DL, I'm flying them.
Any talk of them allowing carry-on's again for BE fares?
And, if you are strictly a price shopper, you aren't a target flier of UA - or, DL or AA or SWA. You are more a target of Frontier or Spirit.
Nov 19, 2018, 10:23 am
#7
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I'm not necessarily defending this policy -- it seems short-term focused. I'm just explaining it. UA feels there are enough customers to go around, particularly at fares they consider to be low.
Nov 19, 2018, 10:31 am
#8
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United Admits They’re Losing Business Because of Basic Economy, Will Keep At It
by Gary Leff on July 19, 2017https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...omy-will-keep/
Nov 19, 2018, 11:04 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2012
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Posts: 3,477
I have never looked at BE fares. I like to be able to choose my aisle seat in the Exit Row or in the bulkhead when I book my flights. I book my flights long enough in advance that those seats are available. All for work so no problem. However, if I would suggest to my wife to book a BE seat and she ends up in a middle seat at the back of the plane I would hear about it for the next 20 years.....
Nov 19, 2018, 11:47 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2014
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Considering in their latest earnings reports United did phenominal, why would they? I mean more people are buying up according to their last report.
Nov 19, 2018, 12:03 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
Do you have any evidence for that, or do you mean "I'm not the target demographic of this product"?
Nov 19, 2018, 12:04 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: USA
Programs: UA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,189
I see no reason for UA to change. BE is a teaser fare as was stated above. You may say you flew 7 flights on other airlines but my experience is that someone else is picking up the UA fares because the cabins are nearly always full. UA has no incentive to change their formula to promote more BE or reduce fees if they're selling near-theoretical max capacity for the flight. If they were looking to pick up more cash, BE is hardly the place to do it.
Nov 19, 2018, 12:09 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,123
Agree it seems unlikely. BE aren't the customers UA really wants to attract - i.e., the ones that are looking for the lowest fare possible regardless, although they're happy to take their money. The fares are designed to appear to be competitive in search engines more than to drive sales.
Unless they realize they can't fill planes without offering a carry-on, seems like they'll stick with it.
Unless they realize they can't fill planes without offering a carry-on, seems like they'll stick with it.
Budget travelers are not the customers UA wants to attract, but those cheap seats are sold for a reason, they are crucial to profitably . I dont think they will be content on ceding this traffic to HA/AS/DL/AA/B6/WN, or charging $25 less for the long term.
No free carry on probably works fine in markets that they are not directly competing with the other non ULCCs. Maybe they ran the numbers and the extra revenue in those markets compensates for the lost revenue in the others.
Nov 19, 2018, 12:24 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2006
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I disagree, I doubt there is much or any profit on the BE seats. It does make Load Factor and RASM look better when announcing earnings (which from a perception basis is important) - but I'm not sure much of that fare goes to the bottom line.
Nov 19, 2018, 12:28 pm
#15
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UA's earnings are doing just fine, unless it is falsifying its quarterly reporting. So, I'm not sure that anybody at UA is worried about losing net revenue (not customers, but net revenue) to BE fares and their restrictions.
One can mess around with this all one wants, but it's ultimately geometry. Take care of BE passengers and it comes at the cost of annoying an HVC on a tight connection who can't find space for his bag. There is only so much space in the OH, so it's really a question of who gets it, not whether BE is a great deal.
One can mess around with this all one wants, but it's ultimately geometry. Take care of BE passengers and it comes at the cost of annoying an HVC on a tight connection who can't find space for his bag. There is only so much space in the OH, so it's really a question of who gets it, not whether BE is a great deal.