FlyerJ

That’s not your original argument. An FA offering to help someone out as an exception or an airline providing a comp upgrade to a better seat is a different animal.

Instead, you suggested that people who buy UB (where the main differentiator - the core definition of the product - is no access to overhead bins) should be free to use overhead bins once they board. And that anyone should be free to self upgrade to better seats if they see one available.

No airline ticket is just a “do-whatever-you-want-once-onboard” pass as you seem to suggest. No, people don’t get to just put their bag wherever they want and sit wherever they want. Different types of tickets are packaged and sold as different products, with access to different things.

plymouthstreet

Isn't the core of the product that you can't bring on board a full size carry on? I don't think it is undermining the core of UB for people to put a bag that would otherwise have fit under their seat inside the bin.

Perhaps the hangup between us is this word "should." I actually did not say "they should be free to use the overhead bin space," or "I encourage them to switch seats," or "they get to do whatever they want." I simply said that it wouldn't bother me if someone put their bag in a bin--because from my perspective, that is between them and WestJet. It does not affect my travel.

newfbc

I guess Ultra Basic wasn't popular on this flight...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/wes...-ban-1.7265006
An Ontario couple was ousted from a cross-country WestJet flight last month after they protested the airline's demand to gate-check their carry-on bags, which contained valuables and medication.

Ron.

Sopwith

So maybe the airlines should be marketing their tickets as a lottery:

If you buy a ticket from AAA to BBB the chances of getting there are high, but not 100%.
The chances of getting there on time are good, but somewhat less.
If you pay extra for seat selection the chances of getting the seat you select are high, but not 100%.
If you don’t pay for seat selection your chances of getting a good seat are lower but not zero. You’ll find out when you check in.
If you pay for ultra basic your chances of getting bin space are low, but not zero. You’ll find out when boarding is complete.

In other words, if we pay extra for certain amenities or comforts it merely increases our odds of getting them. Others may choose not to pay the extra and take a chance on getting some of these benefits. Is that what is being suggested?

FlyerJ

Hard to say. Based on the timing, it’s pretty likely that many tickets on their flight could have been sold earlier — as “Basic”, before “Ultra Basic”. With carry-on. Or, ya, maybe the cruddy product is just not selling — meaning everyone still expects to take their carry-on onboard, quite understandably.

This entire article is pretty cringey. I feel for the couple. Really, I do.

But, c’mon, they’re furious that they couldn’t take their bags on board … when even they admit there simply was no more space available. None. And that becomes national news?!?

But they wanted WS to make some sort of exception for them. No space available … so the “exception” would have to be removing another passenger’s bag and giving the space to them? (Then there was also some mention of their frustration that the WestJet gate agent would not search for a ziploc bag for them.)

And they claim they were banned for life simply for, they believe, the sin of wanting to take their bag on board. But the article then mentions - almost in passing - that the issue was their problematic behaviour towards the WS employee. Hmmm. Should they have been able to take their bag on board? Yes. Could the poor gate agent on the receiving end of their behavior have done anything about it? Nope.

And how about CBC’s thoughtful and hard-hitting journalism? They decided to measure the bags and proudly state that they met WS’ carry-on size requirements. So what? The issue was not that the couple had oversized bags. It was that the bins were all already full.

The only thing that would have made my eyes roll more at this piece of journalism would have been a quote from Gabor, Exalted President and CEO of his own Facebook page. Thank goodness they didn’t stoop that low.

Carry-ons are a huge problem. Not just for WestJet, but for every airline.

For airlines. For passengers. It’s costly for them. It causes delays and re-work and, well, upset customers. For us, it’s painful and super frustrating — even for those who do find space for their (compliant) bag.

Bag fees started the problem. And the problem has been fully cemented now … I just don’t see anything stopping it. Even if airlines took bag fees away (which they won’t, and which they really can’t unless they hike fares) the often-slow carrousel delivery of checked bags would still keep people doing carry-on. At this point, there’s simply zero chance of people voluntarily checking rather than carrying on — whenever carry-on is an option.

And pax cause lots and lots of problems. Lots of laughably oversized bags. Expander zippers unzipped, making the bag way bigger than the standard. And every third passenger putting something in the bin that should go under a seat — while leaving the space under their seat unused. It’s beyond ridiculous. And good luck even getting everyone to put their bags in “wheels first” — much less everyone on a Max also flipping their bags 90’ as they’re supposed to.

Bigger bins on planes will help. But that costs airlines a lot of money, and it takes a long time to install them, and don’t work everywhere on every aircraft. But WestJet’s compressed seating (and therefore more people) in Y - coming soon - may well negate any benefit of bigger bins.

As much as I despise the idea of UB (and, as mentioned, WestJet’s downmarket aspirations) I do hope it helps solve the problem — at least in the short term.

YYCguy

This article seems very one sided and has some facts missing anyways. I doubt the gate agent has the power themselves to ban a passenger. They would write a report and send it to their corporate security team to investigate and make a decision. And if you have to check your bag at the gate, you should remove medications, batteries, etc from said bag and take those items with you onboard rather than expect that the whole bag should come in the cabin with you. It’s happened to me, it’s not a big deal.

jlionw

Sorry if this was already answered - I tried scanning this thread to see if it answers my question. I tried scanning WesJet's website, but they don't seem to give good information regarding UB fares for their tiered members - even less information about DL frequent flyers.

I am thinking of booking a UB flight for my family. I am a Delta Gold Medallion member, no one else in the family is.

Please correct my assumptions:

• We are not eligible for a carry on
• I am eligible for 2 free checked in luggage per person - including my companions (I am the only gold member)
• We can use priority lines at the airport
• We get priority boarding
• We get less miles
• I get priority seats for me but not my companions
  • Companions still get seated together since we are a family travelling with kids under 12.
• I get lounge access for me and a companion. (I have priority pass, so not sure it matters)

My assumptions are based on: https://www.westjet.com/en-us/flight...res#ultrabasic
I assume that means every other status benefits are included, and my other assumption is that DL Gold = WS Gold

EDIT: I booked my flight, and my assumptions were mostly wrong. I will see what happens to my points, but if you want additional details, please feel free to PM me.

FlyerJ

Definitely no carry-on bags.

Note that WS doesn’t have anything called “Priority” seating. Preferred seating was replaced by Extended Comfort — essentially Comfort+, which is pay for play.

The rest is … interesting. It looks like DL has not updated their partner page since WS launched Ultra Basic. It comes with less even for WS status members. (If either WS or DL doesn't honor what’s shown on the page, you might win — but, well, good luck.)

As for the complimentary seat selection and earning miles, I’m doubtful (but not entirely sure) on both counts. The reason: that would give you more benefits on a UB ticket than one of WestJet’s own Gold members.

Can anyone here confirm exactly which fare class letter codes are used for UB?

tcook052

WS uses branded fares so unlike in the past, the fare basis letter code isn't in itself enough to indicate fare type as within one letter code there can be multiple fare levels i.e. UB, Econo, Econo Flex, etc.. More on branded fares in this thread.

V1213

Having travelled down the back on full flights a few times over the last week or so (thanks multiple WS operational issues), I can say that I haven't seen so much overhead space on North American flights in years.

As a rule, I board pretty late so am always prepared to put my personal item at my feet. However, all of my recent flights have had ample overhead space with everyone onboard so I've always been able to put it directly above my seat.

In addition to UltraBasic restrictions, gate agents seem to be more proactive than ever at getting passengers to check their carry-on sizes and encouraging gate checking. UltraBasic pax seem to be forced to get their carry-on verified prior to boarding.

While I'd prefer a more "carrot" approach (e.g. small free checked bag allowance and speedy carousel delivery), this "stick" approach seems to actually be having a material impact on overhead bin space, at least in my experience.

yyvrdude

Hello fellow travelers

if you book an ultra basic fare on WJ and are a WestJet MC card holder, are you still eligible to bring your 1 free bag allowance as per of your travel if you book on your WJ MC?

TIA

aerobod

Yes, for the primary World Elite card holder and up to 8 pax travelling with them, but it has to be a checked bag, not a carry-on that goes in the overhead bin.