I agree with @doschicos. Now that I flew basic economy once, it is not bad at all. You sit behind and it will be bad if you get bumped off. Otherwise, it isn’t all that different from what they used to offer for coach class. It used to be that you couldn’t change your flights with coach class, we didn’t get to choose seats much, either. I rarely change my plans or try to get an upgrade. For someone like me, I would be paying for someone else’s convenience if I get regular economy. I am thinking I should fly basic economy more often. It was more than 30% discount when I flew.
Flying sucks. It has become so anti customer. All these “cheap” seats and extra fees do is complicate the simple. These stupid bag fees just encourage people to carry a bunch of crap thru security, which just clogs security up. Then when they get to the gate they force you to check you bag “for free” because there is no room. The “basic economy” seats are so small they suck. We just flew one and the seat back was maybe 6 inches from my face when the guy in front reclined.
SFO to ORD – with all those miles I’d fly first class. It’s too long of a flight to mess around.
I don’t think United is stupid at all. They know that a lot of people won’t like the arrangement and will upgrade.
I mastered the fine art of getting bumped from flights in law school, and financed over 2 years of travel home for free by doing so. Now I don’t accept the offers, but different travellers want different things at various life stages. Choice is a good thing.
I like United, and airports in general. Am I weird?
@roycroftmom , did you ever have to take a flight you didn’t really want to take because you did not get bumped as planned? 
Fare differences for different classes of service seems pretty reasonable to me. You get what you’re willing to pay for, at the end of the day. Save money or don’t, it’s up to you.
IMHO it mostly hurts/affects non-frequent fliers, which is unfortunate. I have status on AA so I get free upgrades to the premium seats regardless of ticket, but only 24 hours before boarding because I’m the lowest status. I recently flew economy on UA and they wouldn’t even assign me a seat until 24 hours before boarding - maybe I had the same basic economy fare as OP? Anyway, it’s a powerful incentive to not fly carriers other than the one you have status with.
But what I always say about status is this: the good news is you have status. The bad news is you flew enough to have status. So count your blessings either way.
@sorghum Not weird on the airport thing. Airports have been undergoing a renaissance in food/restaurants the past 10 years or so, to the point that I like to wander around a bit and check out the various offerings when I’m in a new airport.
There’s a couple places at my home airport that I like to hit when I land and get to-go stuff to eat at home because I like them and their non-airport locations are too far to drive normally. They get a good laugh when they ask the usual “where you headed” and I tell them I just landed.
I don’t mind getting bumped voluntarily! DH and I scored $1,080 in vouchers in February for getting delayed 3 1/2 hours! That will pay for our trip to Wisconsin in June for the memorial service for my MIL. It’s getting bumped when we have made reservations that makes me angry. And that was before Basic Economy.
Re: Southwest: I’ve found that their fares haven’t been very competitive lately. Anyone else see this?
If you are bumped, “involuntarily denied boarding” IVD, don’t accept a voucher! You are entitled to plain old money with no strings attached. Know your rights:
https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/fly-rights
There are more details in the article.
Profitability also means that they are hiring workers and paying corporate taxes. Win-win.
@sorghum - I think the affinity for airports falls depending on how frequently one flies.
I have elite status on one of the Asian carriers. Lounge access, frequent upgrades, stops or transit at several of the world’s finest newer airports with extensive shopping, good restaurants and even a movie theater at one airport. Frankly, it has all lost its charm! I must say though that my typical stops beat any US airport I have encountered.
I am reminded of Steffi Graf, who said after 20 years of nonstop hotels, flights, and airports, she still enjoyed every minute of it.
I can usually find equivalent fares on other airlines for the routes we travel. It’s been this way for a few years now for us. Their credit card racks up miles nicely though and their no-drama cancellation policy is the best in the business.
I’m living near a smaller airport now where my choices are mostly limited to American and United (unless I want to drive an extra hour or two to get to the bigger airports). I definitely like American’s low-end options better than United and I love love love my friendly, low stress little airport.
Southwest fares are the most transparent in the business (2 checked bags free, one carry on, one personal item on every fare) and their change policy is pure gold. My preferred airline.
Just flew business class from South America on American. I thought I would need to file for a restraining order against the flight attendant, she was openly hostile to the whole front cabin. Not sure what was going on in her life, but she was not to be approached under any circumstances. Odd, but it worked for her.
I am the official travel agent for our family and I haven’t found southwest fares to be competitive for the last few years. Yes, if you book way ahead of time, you can sometimes get a good deal. The biggest advantage with southwest is the fact that you can change your flight and they allow checkin bags.
We have lifetime gold on United. Similar privileges on AA and Delta as well - so checking in bags is never an issue for us. Or taking a full size carryon on United basic economy.
We flew United basic economy last month. Checked in our roller boards because it suited us to. Both times we checked in online and were assigned seats automatically. Perhaps because of the gold status? Couldn’t get the premium economy seats (no exit row seating) but that was known ahead of time.
On the other hand, I flew AA a couple months ago using basic economy again. I don’t have privileges on AA, H does. I didn’t get a seat assignment until it was a couple minutes before boarding. Very weird. And had to board in the very last group - group 9. The flight was full - so they checked in the carryon luggage for whoever that wanted to. On the way back, I was able to get a seat using the kiosk at the airport - given that this was a red-eye, I opted to pay 12$ and get a window seat.
I like airports and enjoy flying as a passenger, mostly. But I usually park in the employee parking lot, go through security in 30 seconds with KCM, Delta lounge for free food, then sit in first class, drink wine and watch movies. Most of the time. Every now and then I get a different passenger experience. Go through full security, wander around an airport with crappy coffee and no lounge, no priority boarding, assigned a center seat in the back with no leg room or overhead bag space left, no entertainment system, cranky passengers and flight attendants…and I think, this really stinks! How does anyone travel this way?
Not everyone who is boarding early is claiming a disability. I used to wonder who these people were in the big crowd that were boarding early. They look healthy, are they faking a disability? Then I took a SW flight a month ago. It was supposed to be a direct flight, with a stop in Dallas, same airplane, we were supposed to remain on board. After we landed, the flight attendant told those of us continuing on that now we were going to change airplanes. Dang it, thought I was going to lose my great mega legroom seat. We were told that we should wait right at the entry to the gate, and board just after people with disabilities who required early boarding. The people with the business select tickets who were first in line were giving us the snake eye, and the flight attendant on board said disbelievingly, “Are these still the people with disabilities?” Nope. It’s a weird system they have.
I too haven’t found SW to be as competitive as they used to be. They used to be our only option but since moving, our closest airport is ORD. We can typically find cheaper fares on the legacy carriers and it’s more convenient for us to not have to drive to Midway or Milwaukee.