For us poor folk, we buy the cheapest airline ticket, that sticks us in the back of the plane like livestock on its way to the slaughterhouse. If you’re like me, you save a few bucks and some time by not checking in luggage. Instead, you opt to forcefully roll all your clothes into condensed tubes and bring your essentials in a carry-on bag because it won’t get lost and it’s $Free.99. Well, that is all about to change if you fly on United Airlines.
The airline just announced a new ticket option called “Basic Economy,” which bans the use of overhead bins for luggage. Beginning January 1st, 2017, you’re forced to either pay for a checked bag, or pay for a more expensive ticket for the “privilege” of bringing it on the flight with you. The new “Basic Economy” ticket, which was first introduced last month, would only allow travelers to bring one small item on board – 9 inches x 10 inches x 17 inches – and could only store them below the seat in front of them and pay for checked bags. The policy will also automatically assign seats to passengers at check-in and doesn’t guarantee that travelers flying together will be able to sit next to each other.
“It will be the lowest price available on the market at that time,” United spokesperson Jonathan Guerin told CNN.
“Fly the friendly skies,” my ass.
“Customers have told us that they want more choice and Basic Economy delivers just that,” United’s executive vice president Julia Haywood told CNN.
United, which is the number three carrier in passenger miles flown, has not yet said how much it will charge customers who use overhead bins, but it costs $25 to check one bag and $35 to check an additional bag with United.
Other airlines also offer Basic Economy fares, but United is the only one so far that has been so ballsy as to charge for carry-on bags.
BTW, Southwest still allows passengers to travel with two free checked bags in addition to their carry-on.
New York Senator Chuck Schumer blasted the company’s new policy.
“The overhead bin is one of the last sacred conveniences of air travel and the fact that United Airlines—and potentially others—plan to take that convenience away unless you pay up is really troubling,” Schumer said on Sunday. “It seems like each year, airlines devise a new, ill-conceived plan to hit consumers and it has simply got to stop.”
It’s a free market and the government shouldn’t stick their noses into how a company wants to run their business. Let the consumer and competition dictate how this will be received, and hopefully good will overcome evil.
Schumer also expects that the new plan will raise $1 billion for the company by 2020, which has been a growing trend in the business over the past few years.
The airlines are making a fortune off of these now ancillary “privileges.” Airlines are estimated to land a profit of $67.4 billion this year on ancillary services. That’s an $8 billion increase in airline ancillary revenues from 2015 and nearly tripling those profits since 2010. Ancillary revenue is now expected to be a 9.1% share of overall airline revenue globally.
First, the airlines charged for checked luggage. We had no choice and took it in the keyster. Then the airlines took away meals and charged for food. We took it in the keyster. After that, airlines charged for things like headphones and pillows. We took it in the keyster. Next, the airlines charged for the “convenience” of being able to select your seat. We took it in the keyster. Now the airlines are charging for carry-on. People will take it in the keyster. This is all a slippery slope. Soon there will be a credit card swipe next to the overhead air nozzle and lights. After that, you had better be quick with your credit card because the airlines will need to accept payment before the oxygen masks deploy during an emergency.