Booked flights but couldn’t choose seats

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great column in the post about why it’s only fair that airlines charge to pick your seats.

https://wapo.st/3SwahEl

I don’t mind paying to pick seats, but I think if the airline then has to split you for some reason there should be some sort of monetary penalty. I once booked (and paid for) 3 seats together for me and kids (then ages 2 and 4). My connecting flight got changed and we were all seated apart. The gate agent totally put it on me to go around and beg passengers to get me 3 seats together. Thank goodness a mom traveling with 2 older kids took pity on me. But I think it’s hot garbage that I paid extra for “X” (that being seats together) and the airline can just not give me “X” and my recourse is to fix it myself?

Also, now that my kids are 7 and 9 I don’t plan on paying extra (my oldest has flown by herself before and I know they’d be okay in a different part of the plane). I can’t be the only parent who doesn’t want to spend this extra money, so passengers should probably expect to have kids as their random seat mates more often because of this.

[Anonymous]

I booked basic economy on United last week and was given the option to pay an extra $35 per person to be able to choose seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also be aware that with United Basic you can not bring a carry on..only something that will fit under the seat. You can pay to check a bag but there is no option for a carry on at all. The one time I did it....as we waited to be the last boarding group they really gave us the peon treatment. That said I ended up with a window seat next to an empty middle so it worked out fine.

I’m looking at my basic economy confirmation email right now and it says carry-on baggage allowed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also be aware that with United Basic you can not bring a carry on..only something that will fit under the seat. You can pay to check a bag but there is no option for a carry on at all. The one time I did it....as we waited to be the last boarding group they really gave us the peon treatment. That said I ended up with a window seat next to an empty middle so it worked out fine.

I’m looking at my basic economy confirmation email right now and it says carry-on baggage allowed.

for which airline? Delta and American basic economy tickets do allow full-size carry-ons which only fit in the overhead bin. United is the one of the "Big 3" which does not allow that for basic economy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great column in the post about why it’s only fair that airlines charge to pick your seats.

https://wapo.st/3SwahEl

I don’t mind paying to pick seats, but I think if the airline then has to split you for some reason there should be some sort of monetary penalty. I once booked (and paid for) 3 seats together for me and kids (then ages 2 and 4). My connecting flight got changed and we were all seated apart. The gate agent totally put it on me to go around and beg passengers to get me 3 seats together. Thank goodness a mom traveling with 2 older kids took pity on me. But I think it’s hot garbage that I paid extra for “X” (that being seats together) and the airline can just not give me “X” and my recourse is to fix it myself?

Also, now that my kids are 7 and 9 I don’t plan on paying extra (my oldest has flown by herself before and I know they’d be okay in a different part of the plane). I can’t be the only parent who doesn’t want to spend this extra money, so passengers should probably expect to have kids as their random seat mates more often because of this.

I’ll add to this that if we’re doing a whole you have to pay for anything particular to your personal needs then I don’t want to subsidize anyone else either. We can make this every man for himself.

I am petite (5’2”) and only take up my seat. I also can fit all my clothes in one carry on. Anyone checking a bag should pay the cost of that (to my knowledge most airlines do this already). And also anyone who can’t fit in their seat should pay for 2. I’ve definitely been inconvenienced on flights where a larger passengers spills over into mine (I’ve had the arm rest lifted so they can fit in and I’m having to scooch to the far edge of my seat not to touch them).

In the past I just dealt with it because such is life living in a society with others (and you gotta roll with it when traveling sometimes). But if we’re going to start charging extra for accommodations for families with young kids then I expect everyone who needs some sort of an accommodation that isn’t covered by a federal law to pay extra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also be aware that with United Basic you can not bring a carry on..only something that will fit under the seat. You can pay to check a bag but there is no option for a carry on at all. The one time I did it....as we waited to be the last boarding group they really gave us the peon treatment. That said I ended up with a window seat next to an empty middle so it worked out fine.

I’m looking at my basic economy confirmation email right now and it says carry-on baggage allowed.

for which airline? Delta and American basic economy tickets do allow full-size carry-ons which only fit in the overhead bin. United is the one of the "Big 3" which does not allow that for basic economy.

And yes, even with United basic economy you can have a backpack sized carry-on, as long as it's no bigger than 17x10x9. Most roller type carry-on sized bags are between 20-23 inches in length, so they wouldn't qualify and have to go in the overhead bin. That's what United basic economy doesn't allow for free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also be aware that with United Basic you can not bring a carry on..only something that will fit under the seat. You can pay to check a bag but there is no option for a carry on at all. The one time I did it....as we waited to be the last boarding group they really gave us the peon treatment. That said I ended up with a window seat next to an empty middle so it worked out fine.

I’m looking at my basic economy confirmation email right now and it says carry-on baggage allowed.

for which airline? Delta and American basic economy tickets do allow full-size carry-ons which only fit in the overhead bin. United is the one of the "Big 3" which does not allow that for basic economy.

I just looked it up and it’s because it’s an international flight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great column in the post about why it’s only fair that airlines charge to pick your seats.

https://wapo.st/3SwahEl

I don’t mind paying to pick seats, but I think if the airline then has to split you for some reason there should be some sort of monetary penalty. I once booked (and paid for) 3 seats together for me and kids (then ages 2 and 4). My connecting flight got changed and we were all seated apart. The gate agent totally put it on me to go around and beg passengers to get me 3 seats together. Thank goodness a mom traveling with 2 older kids took pity on me. But I think it’s hot garbage that I paid extra for “X” (that being seats together) and the airline can just not give me “X” and my recourse is to fix it myself?

Also, now that my kids are 7 and 9 I don’t plan on paying extra (my oldest has flown by herself before and I know they’d be okay in a different part of the plane). I can’t be the only parent who doesn’t want to spend this extra money, so passengers should probably expect to have kids as their random seat mates more often because of this.

I’ll add to this that if we’re doing a whole you have to pay for anything particular to your personal needs then I don’t want to subsidize anyone else either. We can make this every man for himself.

I am petite (5’2”) and only take up my seat. I also can fit all my clothes in one carry on. Anyone checking a bag should pay the cost of that (to my knowledge most airlines do this already). And also anyone who can’t fit in their seat should pay for 2. I’ve definitely been inconvenienced on flights where a larger passengers spills over into mine (I’ve had the arm rest lifted so they can fit in and I’m having to scooch to the far edge of my seat not to touch them).

In the past I just dealt with it because such is life living in a society with others (and you gotta roll with it when traveling sometimes). But if we’re going to start charging extra for accommodations for families with young kids then I expect everyone who needs some sort of an accommodation that isn’t covered by a federal law to pay extra.

Why not take it a step further and have people pay per pound? Include body weight and luggage weight.

[Anonymous]

So you waited until the very last minute ($650 to FL??!?) and now its United's problem. The flight is probably almost full. Your husband should have booked basic economy since he couldn't book seats anyway. We are flying for spring break with assigned seats for less than half that because we planned ahead.

[Anonymous]

Also, your husband should not be booking through your credit card company. That just adds a layer of complexity to things like this -- and also if the flight gets cancelled/delayed. Always book directly with the airline and transfer points to the airline if you are using them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also be aware that with United Basic you can not bring a carry on..only something that will fit under the seat. You can pay to check a bag but there is no option for a carry on at all. The one time I did it....as we waited to be the last boarding group they really gave us the peon treatment. That said I ended up with a window seat next to an empty middle so it worked out fine.

I’m looking at my basic economy confirmation email right now and it says carry-on baggage allowed.

for which airline? Delta and American basic economy tickets do allow full-size carry-ons which only fit in the overhead bin. United is the one of the "Big 3" which does not allow that for basic economy.

I just looked it up and it’s because it’s an international flight.

That makes sense. FYI flights to Caribbean and Mexico are the same as domestic flights for their carry-on rules for basic economy. But yes all other international destinations including Canada, get a free carry-on for basic economy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also be aware that with United Basic you can not bring a carry on..only something that will fit under the seat. You can pay to check a bag but there is no option for a carry on at all. The one time I did it....as we waited to be the last boarding group they really gave us the peon treatment. That said I ended up with a window seat next to an empty middle so it worked out fine.

I’m looking at my basic economy confirmation email right now and it says carry-on baggage allowed.

for which airline? Delta and American basic economy tickets do allow full-size carry-ons which only fit in the overhead bin. United is the one of the "Big 3" which does not allow that for basic economy.

And yes, even with United basic economy you can have a backpack sized carry-on, as long as it's no bigger than 17x10x9. Most roller type carry-on sized bags are between 20-23 inches in length, so they wouldn't qualify and have to go in the overhead bin. That's what United basic economy doesn't allow for free.

That is your "personal item" which needs to fit under the seat. You can not use the bins. The one time I did it they did stop people at boarding time...even though we were boarding last and there was room.

[Anonymous]

As a parent, if a flight doesn’t have seats together for my family I don’t book it. It is not the airlines fault. Book early and you get your choice of seats. Book late and then you may have to shop around to find a flight that fits your needs.

[Anonymous]

OP. when you can't choose your seat it means the flight is too full. Your best option is to choose a different flight that isn't so full so you can choose your seat.

[Anonymous]

This is from the United website:

“ Families with children under 12 can book Economy and Basic Economy seats next to each other for free. Sometimes, seat assignments change because of last minute bookings or unscheduled aircraft changes. If this happens on your flight and your family is separated, you can switch to another flight with availability in the same cabin for free. We won't charge you for any fare differences.”