United Basic Economy for Families

[Shpitzik]

Did anyone travel with toddlers on united basic economy? Did the stewards allow seat changed on board so 2 year old doesn't sit alone? Any input on traveling this way?

[Dan]

Use my trick here:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/112462

[mileagejunkie]

Did anyone travel with toddlers on united basic economy? Did the stewards allow seat changed on board so 2 year old doesn't sit alone? Any input on traveling this way?

"The main “punishment” for cardholders on a Basic Economy fare is that they won’t be able to assign seats. Commenter “CtownBin” asked yesterday if he might be separated from his 3 year old if they buy $58 Basic Economy fares from Cleveland to Los Angeles.
Now 99% of people won’t want to sit next to a 3 year old and will be more than happy to trade seats so that you can sit together. Of course there’s still the 1% chance that you get 2 middle seats and that you are both seated next to crazy people who would rather spend a flight next to a 3 year old seated away from their parent, than trade for a middle seat.
My advice to raise that to 99.99% odds of sitting together was to bring a car seat for the 3 year old. Federal law requires that the carseat be placed in a window seat. Even if United were to give you say, 22F window and 25E middle, it will not be hard for you to trade either 22E for 25E or 25F for 22F. You won’t run into a situation of having to find someone to trade you their aisle for a middle with that strategy. I’d also highly reccomend a GoGoBabyz Travelmate, which we use to make it easy to push Rafi in an Evenflo Maestro travel carseat and Talia in a Cosco Scenara travel carseat."

http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/112462

[mochjas]

I doubt they will let a 2 year old sit alone either way

[Shpitzik]

Use my trick here:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/112462

Thanks! Just read your very informative post. Q: will united allow the travelmate on to the plane if I don't have club card or status?

[normathej]

Data Point - they now have Basic Economy from EWR-LAX.  Really skews your results when you do a google flight search and think there's a good deal... and then it turns out to be because it's basic economy! I did notice that they now break down "child" category into many subcategories, like child 2-4, child 4-11, child 12-15 - wondering if that is related to an attempt to seat people with the youngest kids together if there are available seats?

[a mirrer]

I did notice that they now break down "child" category into many subcategories, like child 2-4, child 4-11, child 12-15 - wondering if that is related to an attempt to seat people with the youngest kids together if there are available seats?

its been like this for as long as I remember

[cardkid]

NotUunited, but Delta related. I was able to sit next to child (ten years old) on a basic E fare. Just DMed Delta reps on twitter. Not sure if UA agents have this leverage though

[davidd75]

Data Point - they now have Basic Economy from EWR-LAX.  Really skews your results when you do a google flight search and think there's a good deal... and then it turns out to be because it's basic economy! I did notice that they now break down "child" category into many subcategories, like child 2-4, child 4-11, child 12-15 - wondering if that is related to an attempt to seat people with the youngest kids together if there are available seats?

can you exclude basic economy from the search on google flights?

[greathummer7]

can you exclude basic economy from the search on google flights?

not at the moment. if you're comfortable using ITA Matrix, that can by excluding the fare class of particular airlines, but still a troublesome work around. hopefully google flights build this in as a different fare class soon.

[davidd75]

is there any good flight search engine that enables you to exclude basic economy?

how do you do it with ita matrix?

[mochjas]

is there any good flight search engine that enables you to exclude basic economy?

how do you do it with ita matrix?

you can check at the ita matrix thread. But IMO no need to exclude it just add about 15-25 on top of the fare.

[Dan]

is there any good flight search engine that enables you to exclude basic economy?

how do you do it with ita matrix?

See Wiki:
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=17085.0

[davidd75]

See Wiki:
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=17085.0

thanks for updating it!

[A3]

Just flew United Basic Economy with a family of five (well in ewr on the return flight), I have the Explorer Card and no status.
Both flights we were 'randomly' given seats next to each other in Economy Plus. Had no problem bringing carry-on bag as well. Without the explorer card (one passenger was on a separate RSVP) the ticket reads really large letters NO Carry On... But other with no such wording, and we all sat together.

[username]

I recently bought basic economy tix for my kids, but I see that they are already assigned seats.
I do have the explorer card however, but I am not flying.


Normal?

[username]

Next Question:
passenger paid with a different CC, but holds (AU) a Citi Aadvantage CC. Will they be allowed to bring carryons on board? AA Basic Economy fare.

[A3]

Would there be any issues if my kid (6 uses a ticket in my name.
He’s flying with my wife and other kids, but they don’t have the CC. I want to add my name to RSVP for free bags etc.

Would anyone say anything?

[nafnaf12]

Would there be any issues if my kid (6 uses a ticket in my name.
He’s flying with my wife and other kids, but they don’t have the CC. I want to add my name to RSVP for free bags etc.

Would anyone say anything?

domestic? Shouldn't be a prob.
And you'll also get the miles

[Sig]

I also recently discovered that when I purchased a Basic Economy seat I was provided the option to "upgrade" to regular economy in the purchase process. The basic economy + "upgrade" cost was still substantially less then buying a regular economy fare, and I indeed ended up with a regular economy ticket and was able to choose an exit row on checkin with my silver status.