United Airlines hand luggage

Retired_at_55

I have looked on line and I am not too sure about the hand luggage. United Airlines Basic Economy allow one personal item only in the cabin and one case in the hold. It says these seats cannot be booked.

Economy tickets seem to allow a cabin bag and a personal item as hand luggage as well as 20 kg in the hold. These seats can be booked.

Our travel agent has quoted for booked seats (Economy L) so that makes me think it must allow for more than just one personal item in the cabin. I asked the travel agent and he was not sure - did not seem to know about the difference between economy and basic economy.

If anyone who has travelled with United recently knows would you please let me know? It would be expensive to have to pay for an extra (small size) cabin bag to go in the hold. Would I be right to think that, if seats were being quoted as reserved, they must be more than the basic economy ones?

Thanks for any answers.

Retired at 55

eDicky

'L' class is usually one of the most deeply discounted economy fares, so I would not expect you to qualify for a second carry on bag (although you might get away with it). A call to United with your booking reference should clarify.

Retired_at_55

eDicky wrote: »

'L' class is usually one of the most deeply discounted economy fares, so I would not expect you to qualify for a second carry on bag (although you might get away with it). A call to United with your booking reference should clarify.

Thanks very much eDicky. That is helpful to know. If we go ahead I'll check well in advance. Maybe I was being too hopeful because we were being offered reserved seats - what you say makes sense.

We have no confirmed booking reference.

Retired at 55

tacpot12

United's code for basic economy is N, so you are in a 'regular' economy seat. You should be allowed to take on one full size item of hand luggage into the cabin, and something small like a handbag, daysack or small laptop case. The small item has to be able to fit beside your feet, under the seat in front.

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tacpot12 wrote: »

United's code for basic economy is N, so you are in a 'regular' economy seat. You should be allowed to take on one full size item of hand luggage into the cabin, and something small like a handbag, daysack or small laptop case. The small item has to be able to fit beside your feet, under the seat in front.

That is very encouraging, thanks tacpot12.

It will definitely make us feel better about going ahead with the booking and I really appreciate your reply. eDicky was saying that 'L' was a deeply discounted ticket so I wonder if, not being just the basic economy, is because the Travel Agency have special reduced fares.

Thank you again tacpot12.

Retired at 55

Duckyduck

Basic Economy is only on domestic US flights. The cheapest transatlantic tickets permit 1 personal item + 1 carry on + 1 hold bag. I last flew on United a month ago (booked about 6 weeks ago), think they were offering to put hand luggage into the hold for free but they certainly weren't enforcing any limits on carry on bags.

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Duckyduck wrote: »

Basic Economy is only on domestic US flights. The cheapest transatlantic tickets permit 1 personal item + 1 carry on + 1 hold bag. I last flew on United a month ago (booked about 6 weeks ago), think they were offering to put hand luggage into the hold for free but they certainly weren't enforcing any limits on carry on bags.

That would possibly explain why the Travel Agent was unsure - if he only books flights from the UK he would not be familiar with UA Domestic Flights, Duckyduck.

My last flight was with BA but they were more expensive - even through the Travel Agent. Would you say United Airlines were about the same - what was your experience of United? I hope you had good UA flights.

Thanks very much for replying.

Retired at 55

WAYT

Where and when are you going? There might be a better option than United.

Duckyduck

Retired_at_55 wrote: »

That would possibly explain why the Travel Agent was unsure - if he only books flights from the UK he would not be familiar with UA Domestic Flights, Duckyduck.

My last flight was with BA but they were more expensive - even through the Travel Agent. Would you say United Airlines were about the same - what was your experience of United? I hope you had good UA flights.

Thanks very much for replying.

Retired at 55

I think how to aggrivate customers must be part of the training programme at United, however they got me from A to B in one piece and on time so I guess can't really complain. On the positives when you check in online they give you the option to chose to switch to a different flight on that route that day, so I was able to change to a flight 1hr later for no charge (some had a difference in fare to pay). The food was good and the inflight entertainment is reasonably extensive (but you need to download their free app onto your own device before the flight to access it)

I usually fly United to the US because they've tended to be the ones going to the destinations I want at the best times/price. Last time I flew with BA was about 10 years ago, I seem to remember BA seats being really narrow, but things might have changed since.

Retired_at_55

WAYT wrote: »

Where and when are you going? There might be a better option than United.

We are hoping to go to Newark from Glasgow next spring (excited and planning well ahead) without changing. We had to change at Heathrow before and I found it a bit stressful - although we managed OK. We were very tired coming back.

On the way back last time our main case weighed 23 kg and we had to move things into hand luggage at the last minute. This is why I am nterested in the hand luggage allowance with United Airlines - and the return fares being offered for us both seem very reasonable.

Thanks WAYT.

Retired at 55

Retired_at_55

Duckyduck wrote: »

I think how to aggrivate customers must be part of the training programme at United, however they got me from A to B in one piece and on time so I guess can't really complain. On the positives when you check in online they give you the option to chose to switch to a different flight on that route that day, so I was able to change to a flight 1hr later for no charge (some had a difference in fare to pay). The food was good and the inflight entertainment is reasonably extensive (but you need to download their free app onto your own device before the flight to access it)

I usually fly United to the US because they've tended to be the ones going to the destinations I want at the best times/price. Last time I flew with BA was about 10 years ago, I seem to remember BA seats being really narrow, but things might have changed since.

That is all really good to know, thanks Duckyduck. We are not all that good with technology but not being able to download an app would be OK - a good book could fill some of the gap and maybe some sleep if we are lucky. Is there something on their 'TV' to watch without the app or would it be a blank screen without the app, thanks?

Retired at 55