United Airlines is making a significant, consumer friendly change to its Basic Economy fares. The Chicago based carrier is the only one of the big three U.S. carriers that doesn’t allow passengers traveling on Basic Economy tickets to bring a carry-on bag. Elite status passengers, Star Alliance Gold members, and United credit card holders are exempt from this rule.
While the carry-on ban isn’t being lifted, a byproduct of it is. Currently, passengers traveling on a Basic Economy ticket have been unable to check-in online. This is due to the fact that the airline has used the in-person check in to confirm that Basic Economy passengers aren’t trying to bring a carry-on bag aboard before issuing them a boarding pass.
Beginning on August 6th, Basic Economy passengers will finally be able to check-in online or via the United app before arriving at the airport. While these passengers will no longer need an agent to verify that they aren’t bringing a carry-on bag to the gate, they will be required to put a credit card on file and agree to a $65 charge should they bring a full-size carry-on to the gate.
This fee isn’t anything new to travelers who have checked bags with the airline in the past. United has a $25 gate handling fee that goes along with the checked bag fee. This fee, in most cases, is $40.
While a gate checked bag is pretty easy to police, since you’re asking an agent to check a bag or it doesn’t fit in the sizer, I’m interested to see how the airline tries to police and enforce the carry-on bag penalty. I’m concerned that the enforcement of this will be arbitrary and lead to confrontations between airline staff and passengers.
One has to wonder why the airline keeps such a punitive policy around Basic Economy fares while American and Delta allow for a carry-on and personal item when traveling in the same fare class. I’ve never booked a Basic Economy fare and United’s policy is so strict that it almost ensures that I never will with them. Maybe that is the point as the airline attempts to get passengers to buy up to Economy and avoid the hassle.
For more information on the airline’s Basic Economy policy, visit United.com.
Summary
Beginning August 6th, United is improving its most punitive, Basic Economy fare. The airline will finally allow passengers traveling on Basic Economy tickets to check-in online but still prevents them from bringing a carry-on bag aboard the flight. While American and Delta both allow carry-ons on Basic Economy tickets, that appears to be one change United is unwilling to make.
Care to comment on Gary Leff’s analysis of the change by United?
https://viewfromthewing.com/troubling-starting-tuesday-united-airlines-requires-65-pre-authorization-for-basic-economy-passengers-to-check-in-online/comment-page-1/?unapproved=5878070&moderation-hash=84bb1bcc03792f8a2be44b71db3ce175#comment-5878070
I don’t see why this is a huge deal. While United does have the most punitive Basic Economy of the big 3, they are very up front about what passengers on BE tickets are and are not entitled to. I feel that the bag policy will be the same way. Most people already have a credit card on file with the airline and, if you don’t have a credit card and instead are unable to cover a $65 hold, how can you pay for anything once you reach your destination? This is something that should be communicated to customers prior to booking to ensure that they have sufficient funds to travel.
Gary even states in his post that “for some customers it’s better than the punitive policy it replaces”. I’d be curious to see the results if you polled United’s Basic Economy customers and asked them would they rather have to check in at the counter instead of checking-in online and heading to the gate or having a $65 pre-authorization on their credit cards. This seems no different than holds from hotels and rental car companies to me.