United’s introduction of basic economy fares are simply not good news for casual travelers and frequent flyers alike. At face value, the airlines want to convince consumers that basic economy fares are good for travelers because they allow the legacy, full-service, airlines to compete with low and ultra-low cost carriers. Sadly, that’s simply not true. Basic economy fares simply mean the airlines can charge the same price and take away benefits. If a customer still wants those benefits, they’ll have to “buy-out” (pay more) for the standard economy fare. In the end the consumer loses no matter which way you look at it.
Booking A Basic Economy Fare
If you’re not familiar with Basic Economy fares you may end up getting sucked into one. When you go to United to select a flight you may find the basic economy fare is slightly to significantly less than a standard United Economy ticket. As you review the limitations of a basic economy fare you might even decide to purchase one. If you do end up purchasing a basic economy fare it’s important to fully understand what you’re getting yourself into. Obviously you’ve already accepted that you won’t have a pre-assigned seat, but that’s just the start.
Flying On A Basic Economy Fare
On top of all of the lost benefits, traveling is simply different when flying on a basic economy fare. If you decide to actually purchase one of these fares you better get to the airport early. See, if you purchase a basic economy fare you’ll have to check your carry-on bag unless you have elite status or are the primary cardholder of an eligible United MileagePlus rewards credit card. In order to check a bag you have to do so a full 45 minutes before your scheduled departure. That means you must arrive at the airport a minimum of 45 minutes prior to your departure time. If you don’t, you won’t be able to fly. If you end up missing your flight, the severe fare restrictions may prevent you from flying at all.
A friend of mine recently needed to fly from Chicago to Raleigh. United flies twice daily between the two cities. She arrived at the airport just under an hour before her scheduled departure time. When she finally made it to the check-in counter the agent informed my friend that she was too late and couldn’t check her bag. Even worse, since she had a basic economy fare (and no elite status or credit card) she couldn’t carry her bag on. At that point the check-in agent told my friend that she’d have to miss her flight and come back the following day. It appears the check-in agent must have been in a good mood because she gave my friend a confirmed seat on the same flight a day later. I’m guessing not everyone would be so lucky.
Final Thoughts
United basic economy fares have been in the news a lot recently, but I’ve avoided writing about them until I became more familiar with them. I don’t typically fly United and, after the year they’ve had, don’t plan on flying them anytime soon. It wasn’t until I heard my friends story that I looked into United new, “cheaper” fares and couldn’t believe how bad they are. I can’t believe United tries to pretend these fares are good for anyone. I hope this story helps others avoid making a similar mistake as my friend. If you purchase a basic economy fare and need to check a bag, make sure to arrive at the airport at least an hour before your flight. If not, you may not make it to where you want to go, at all.
