NEW YORK – A new “basic economy” class of airline ticket
aboard United Airlines flights would ban travelers from placing luggage
in overhead bins. They would have to pay to check in those suitcases or
bring much smaller carry-ons that could fit under their seats.
To use overhead bins, passengers would have to pay higher fares.
“Airline travelers are sick and tired of being nickel-and-dimes
for every bag they carry and every morsel they eat by airlines that are
already making sky-high profits,” said Senator Charles Schumer,
who has urged the airline not to go forward with the new plan.
“It seems like each year, airlines devise a new, ill-conceived plan
to hit consumers and it has simply got to stop,” he said. “Already,
airlines charge extra for checked in luggage, pillows, peanuts, and headphones
and now you’ll have nowhere to store them.”
The senator said under the ticket structure being considered basic economy
tickets would be automatically assigned at check-in and not guaranteed
that travelers on the same reservation will be seated together. He said
that because of that structure, families could be separated on board the
plane.
