iahphx

Along with other perks, like free checked baggage.

This would certainly be a very negative development for most flyertalkers.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_4826081

mia

Unbundled pricing is long overdue in the airline industry. Why should the passenger who does not accumulate miles subsidize those who do? Why should a middle seat sell for the same price as an aisle or a window?

dcstudent

Um...I accumulate miles and generally fly on the cheapest tickets. It's funny I've just switched from AA to UA for most of my flying. If they institute this I'll be switching again. Why would it be fair to penalize those who buy cheap tickets because most of their travel is leisure and can be planned far in advance (or can be done on short notice when a sudden sale appears)?

JayBrian

You can be sure that if one airline adopts this policy most others will too.

mia

Did you read the article? You will still be able to earn miles on the lowest fares, but you will pay for them. Everyone pays for them now, they are bundled into the price of the ticket. The proposed system would break out the non-essential elements of the ticket and price them separately.

MACH81

You'll be sure that if the airline applying this is losing customers and others are getting them, they won't follow. Anyway airlines have a lot of power on FFP, they can restrict award availability even more or they can ask for more miles per award. doesn't make sense not to give miles.

GUWonder

US airlines going to a British Airways type model wouldn't surprise me. Killing the frequent flyer programs, however, would be a Halloween nightmare scare.

Seat13F_AC_CRJ

AC is the innovator in the world of de-bundling. Robert Milton has been on this kick for several years now. The lowest fare (called Tango) has not earned status miles for several years now (but you still earn miles flown).
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13F

dcstudent

Yes, but I bet the tickets won't get any cheaper. I'll just pay my usual fare + the ff charge and any luggage charge. I can't see UA going well since we're no longer allowing checked bags or ff points on that fare we'll lower it, and then once you add the new fees it'll be right back where it was.

MACH81

.....

SRQ Guy

Southwest, AirTran, and JetBlue will thank them if they do this.

rc408

How far could this be taken? Would the FA's have to check your ticket before you used the lav to make sure your ticket covers that "extra"? And what would be the price difference between the coach lav and the first class lav?

I don't like this idea.

rc408

I agree with this. I don't think I've ever seen a price get lowered in any industry wheninstituting something like this. It is just an excuse to charge more money to some people under the pretense of being "fair". I would be VERY surprised if they lowered the price of any ticket.

GUWonder

Flights on some other Star Alliance carriers' flights credited to UA's program already earn fractional mileage (if any) on some tickets operated by those Star Alliance carriers (such as LH, SK, etc.)

thegeneral

UA can do what they want. They treat domestic elites so poorly that I won't fly them. I have no idea why a FF would bother with them. I know many say it is for certain routes, but connecting, especially when you're not dealing with ORD, is really not that bad.

"AC is the innovator in the world of de-bundling. Robert Milton has been on this kick for several years now. The lowest fare (called Tango) has not earned status miles for several years now (but you still earn miles flown)."

AC may be the leader, but they really are in a monopoly position. UA doesn't have such a luxury. The airline is already getting by on its legacy international routes. I don't think they would want to push their frequent travellers onto NW or CO more than they have already done. Domestic companies are more often allowing only the cheapest tickets so it isn't as if companies will want to pay more for employees so they can accrue miles.