Is it just me or has United further limited the "free" seat choices?

[Anonymous]

Yea, I tend to pay for the “preferred” seats so I can make sure our family is together. Sucks, but is what it is. As a pp said, total money grab by United.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean I booked 6 months out. The issue is not a lack of seats in general. Like I found seats together no issue! The issue is that the first 32 rows on the plane require an extra fee. I just feel like it used to be better, and it seems a little ridiculous that 2/3 of the seats on a plane require an extra cost.

But I also think preferred economy is crap. I mean you aren't even paying for more leg room. You are just paying to sit closer to the front of the plane. I just feel like the preferred economy seats have expanded lately.

Yes! I’m paying an arm and a leg for my family to sit together, and then they want to charge even more to sit toward the middle of the plane so I can get served before the decent snack selection runs out! I want my thimble sized chocolate quinoa puff!

lol. I remember when they used to serve Biscoff cookies. RIP Biscoff Cookie. Although my Gluten free husband appreciate that quinoa puff lol

Delta is still Biscoff. I thought United went from stroop waffle to quinoa puff.

[Anonymous]

We’re global services too, so I don’t know about United. But I flew on both Frontier and American this year and had to pay for seats and bags, so not sure how it’s any different than other airlines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am Global Services so I can’t really relate, sorry.

LOL. Just rub it in. My husband has silver status, so I guess generally we get free preferred lol. Maybe the issue is me flying without him ha ha

NP. My DH is Platinum. I have no status. Flying with him is great. Flying by myself after only flying with him was a real eye opener.

Though I flew Air France with him once to Paris and they upgraded him but refused to upgrade me with him. He gave me his seat, and the seat next to me remained empty the entire flight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean I booked 6 months out. The issue is not a lack of seats in general. Like I found seats together no issue! The issue is that the first 32 rows on the plane require an extra fee. I just feel like it used to be better, and it seems a little ridiculous that 2/3 of the seats on a plane require an extra cost.

But I also think preferred economy is crap. I mean you aren't even paying for more leg room. You are just paying to sit closer to the front of the plane. I just feel like the preferred economy seats have expanded lately.

Yes! I’m paying an arm and a leg for my family to sit together, and then they want to charge even more to sit toward the middle of the plane so I can get served before the decent snack selection runs out! I want my thimble sized chocolate quinoa puff!

lol. I remember when they used to serve Biscoff cookies. RIP Biscoff Cookie. Although my Gluten free husband appreciate that quinoa puff lol

Delta is still Biscoff. I thought United went from stroop waffle to quinoa puff.

United served Biscoff pre 2020 and then brough it back briefly when folks got mad. Then finally phased it out again at some point. I think the stoop waffles have largely been replaced by the quinoa in 2023 I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re global services too, so I don’t know about United. But I flew on both Frontier and American this year and had to pay for seats and bags, so not sure how it’s any different than other airlines.

I don't know about Frontier but both United and American offer "free" seats with economy tickets. If you book early enough you can get "free" economy seats w/economy tickets NOT basic economy. Basic economy requires a fee for any seat choice I believe.

American goes: First class, Main Cabin Extra ($), Preferred (4) and then Economy (free)

United: First, Economy Plus ($), Preferred ($) and then United Economy (free) OR
Polaris business ($), Premium Plus ($), Economy Plus ($), Preferred ($), Economy

There is probably another option for American international, but i don't know what it is right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean I booked 6 months out. The issue is not a lack of seats in general. Like I found seats together no issue! The issue is that the first 32 rows on the plane require an extra fee. I just feel like it used to be better, and it seems a little ridiculous that 2/3 of the seats on a plane require an extra cost.

But I also think preferred economy is crap. I mean you aren't even paying for more leg room. You are just paying to sit closer to the front of the plane. I just feel like the preferred economy seats have expanded lately.

Yes! I’m paying an arm and a leg for my family to sit together, and then they want to charge even more to sit toward the middle of the plane so I can get served before the decent snack selection runs out! I want my thimble sized chocolate quinoa puff!

You aren’t paying anything to sit together if you book far in advance. Now if you don’t want to sit in the back, pay up. Why is it a “money grab”? Morons like you are willing to pay it, so they charge it. It’s call “free market.” If no one paid, they would let it go, but it works so why not?

[Anonymous]

Yes, in fact, I'm choosing a different airline for this reason. The good news is, that here in DC we can choose from many different airlines that offer direct flights to other hubs.

[Anonymous]

Yep.

$$$$

That’s all they care about. It’s pretty shocking how bad the situation has gotten in the last ~5 years.

[Anonymous]

This is how all airlines are now. And this is how they keep your price lower. Services some people don't need or care about (where they sit in the plane or checking a bag) are a la carte.

Isn't this just an issue of the psychology of how it feels to have to pay "extra" for the seat?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean I booked 6 months out. The issue is not a lack of seats in general. Like I found seats together no issue! The issue is that the first 32 rows on the plane require an extra fee. I just feel like it used to be better, and it seems a little ridiculous that 2/3 of the seats on a plane require an extra cost.

But I also think preferred economy is crap. I mean you aren't even paying for more leg room. You are just paying to sit closer to the front of the plane. I just feel like the preferred economy seats have expanded lately.

Yes! I’m paying an arm and a leg for my family to sit together, and then they want to charge even more to sit toward the middle of the plane so I can get served before the decent snack selection runs out! I want my thimble sized chocolate quinoa puff!

If this is truly your reason for paying for seats, I really dont know what to tell you. Well, I do, but it isn't very polite.

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is largely fiction. We fly 3-4x a year domestically. Always book far in advance, always get to select seats, never pay extra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is largely fiction. We fly 3-4x a year domestically. Always book far in advance, always get to select seats, never pay extra.

OP here. I never said I didn't get to select seats for free. I picked free seats together that is NOT the problem. The problem is the percentage of free seats vs those seats that you have to pay extra for seems to be shrinking every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is largely fiction. We fly 3-4x a year domestically. Always book far in advance, always get to select seats, never pay extra.

OP here. I never said I didn't get to select seats for free. I picked free seats together that is NOT the problem. The problem is the percentage of free seats vs those seats that you have to pay extra for seems to be shrinking every year.

Yes and I don't think it matters how early you book. They have them blocked off as soon as they release to make $$

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread is largely fiction. We fly 3-4x a year domestically. Always book far in advance, always get to select seats, never pay extra.

OP here. I never said I didn't get to select seats for free. I picked free seats together that is NOT the problem. The problem is the percentage of free seats vs those seats that you have to pay extra for seems to be shrinking every year.

Yes and I don't think it matters how early you book. They have them blocked off as soon as they release to make $$

Well obviously OP thinks the middle of the plane seats are “better” or else she wouldn’t prefer them. Why shouldn’t they cost more? They are more desirable (to OP.) Otherwise just take the free seats. Whine whine whine.