<p>During our recent trip from Kona to LAX, United check-in staff told us we could have seats assigned at check-in (two hours in advance of boarding) only if we paid $120 to upgrade to “economy plus”. Rather than paying $120, we decided to take our chances with seat assignments at the gate; 20 other couples also opted for gate assignment and all of us received separated seats scattered through the aircraft.</p>
<p>Has anyone else had this experience? </p>
<p>United is really getting creative with cash flow enhancing schemes.</p>
<p>Let’s can the sarcasm. I know airplane fuel has gone up over 80%, but to change the rules in the middle of the game is not right. To me, when you bought the tickets and were assigned the seats, that is a contract. Only due to some extenuating circumstances such as an act of God should this be changed, or a passenger who is disabled needing a certain seat. I would be furious if it happened to me, and the letters would start.</p>
<p>United’s not the only airline doing this. I’ve been on at least two other airlines that have done this lately. Next up, sedatives and metal racks.</p>
<p>Southwest charges this upfont. Want better seats - pay more for your ticket. Northwest tells you that most isle and window seats can only be assigned for a fee no earlier than x hours before the departure. Alaska lets you choose seats from a seat map, but there is a little disclaimer that they can be taken away at Alaska’s discretion. If United did not disclaim this upfront, that’s racketeering.</p>
<p>Southwest only charges if you want to be A #1-15, I believe. After that it’s fair game, and there are definitely more than 15 good seats on most large planes. I fly Southwest all the time, and I have yet to be in a middle seat, in the back of the plane, or in any other undesirable seat, as long as I’ve checked in online the day before my flight.</p>
<p>I was profiled by United recently because I bought a one way ticket. I was put in a blower, wiped, swiped and examined by all kinds of weird equipment. </p>
<p>Me, a middle aged mom, and a bunch of young Mexican men smashed in a room together. It was interesting and scary.</p>
<p>United is also returning to requiring minimum nights of stay, or a Saturday night stay for their cheaper fares. I also heard most of the airlines were trying to charge more for aisle and window seats. This is getting totally ridiculous.</p>
<p>Like Southwest says on their website: Bags fly free.</p>
<p>I am embarassed to live in the city that United calls their hub.</p>
<p>No, it’s not. You don’t have to fly. You want to fly-get with the program. My wife has been selected several times for an extra exam. Why–just random chance.</p>
<p>This is why there is a choice in airlines and probably these types of rules are indeed posted on their website somewhere. A previous poster mentioned that Southwest also does this–it is obviously something that is not a big secret. Indeed, one cannot drive overseas; however, there are choices in airlines and reading the fine print can make or break a trip.</p>
<p>I don’t fly much, but I flew Alaska/Horizon to CA recently and was able to select my seats online, I thought that was how all the airlines did it.</p>
<p>We have had good luck with Horizon. My husband loves that you get free beer.
The last time my husband flew it was on United and a coast to coast roundtrip with only 2 days between. He was happy to pay the extra on United for the Economy Plus seat. It made a huge difference versus being so stuffed in the back. Though generally I prefer to book another airline out of our airport.</p>
<p>Recently booked online a rountrip on AirTran (Atlanta). I was prompted to pay an extra 12 yankee dollars each way for the privilege of selecting my seat. Said no and got a window seat each way anyway upon check-in.</p>
<p>I thought AirTran was only $6 each way, but whatever. It’s worth it to me to get an aisle seat, as I am very claustrophic, and flying in and of itself is difficult for me. However, I think $120 to chose a seat is highway robbery - or, um, no - too much.</p>
<p>Ironically, my last Air Tran trip, where I paid for my seat - when I boarded, my seat and the two next to it were filled. I was prepared to argue, since I’d paid extra - It turned out that the folks who had been assigned seats on check-in had been assigned seats that were already taken. The flight attendants had to scramble to straighten it out, but they only moved the ones who’d been assigned at check-in, not those who’d chosen and paid online.</p>
<p>Lots of mess going on with air travel these days. Charge for bags. Charge for seats. Meals and extras taken away. Such a broad range of ticket prices for the same thing - depending upon where and when you buy. Hope things get streamlined soon. May the best airline win.</p>
<p>I’m with barrons. It’s part of the deal…my 74 year old mom sets off the detector all the time with her new knees. Even with a card from her ortho, they almost always extra screen her. She just laughs and allows extra time.</p>
<p>No #12. I was told by multiple employees who were involved in the search that I was “profiled”. Their words, not mine. Definitely illegal search and seizure and violation of free speech. My husband was furious and didn’t feel it had anything to do with random chance.</p>