United Prices to Orlando

Unbelievable! Thanks.

Except, they don't show up for the specific dates I was looking for. So....either they're stopping the nonstop in late-October, or they're already sold out and aren't showing up in my search. Hence my confusion at the idea of a nonstop from IAD.

 

I fly to Orlando with some frequency. I am sitting here with enough United miles for multiple flights and I will fly Southwest First and Jet Blue second from Dulles to Orlando. I refuse to use United again. The baggage charge irks me, but on one recent occassion, while waiting for a flight at the gate that was less than 1/2 full, I asked to be moved to the exit row. The charge would have been $59.00 because the exit row has a little extra leg room. That plus the attitude of the gate agent ended any business United will get from me.

 

I am a loyal United flyer as well and I feel your pain! You don't mention your United status, so I will assume you are a general member (verses Premier, Premier Exec, 1K, Global Services). Since you can only get straight miles as a general member, book on USAirways since they are usually cheaper and use your United number for your frequent flier points. The outcome to your account will be the same mileage wise and you'll generally save about $100.

If you have status I'd have to reconsider. Since you get bonus miles based on your status, the additional miles might ease the pain.....

 

If a baggage charge irks you, then the only choice is Southwest...and they will be adding it soon enough!

As for the exit row..why would you get upset that you didn't get something for free that others had paid/earned? Its not the fact that they were empty, but if they started giving them away for free then they would devalue the seats and no one would pay for them. Next thing you know people will want first class because there is an empty seat!

 

Wouldn't you allow paying customers get out first?

(note this is humor)

 

The exit Row is undesirable to most of the flying public becuase the seats will not recline. Additionally, most airlines will generally not book those seats until 1-2 hours before the flight. I dont mind being responsible for having to open the emergency exit but I do object to paying for what is undesirable to most flying.

 

Hmm, I tend to disagree. The only emergency row seats that do not recline are when there are 2 rows, one behind the other. In that case, the front row will not recline into the second one.
I have booked emergency row seats many times with many different airlines well in advance.
These rows are seen as a premium, not undesirable. That's why the airlines can get away with charging more for them. It's the leg room!!
I object to the fact that they are used as a money generator, and not ensuring those that sit in them are capable of assisting in an emergency.

 

vacliff- You are correct! They are most definatly desirable for the very reasons you describe- more legroom and the seat in front of you don't recline.

I log about 180,000 bis (butt in seat) miles a year and have yet to hear of anyone begging to be moved!

 

Trying to give George Clooney a little competition?

 

Ha! No, I couldn't compete with him! A large majority of mine is international travel, so it adds up fast. If I remember, all of Clooney's was domestic only. Now, that would be painful!

 

When we Fly United, we always go for the extra leg room seats. I hate sitting in a seat when the person in front of me reclines almost into my lap, do yeh we'll pay for that/ used to be $38 more.

 

When I'm in coach, the person in front of me CAN'T recline.....my knees are wedged tight against the seatback and won't allow it!

 

Ha! That's my strategy, too, Cliff. Right after takeoff, just before the signal "dings", I wedge my knees behind the seat. Invariably, the person in front of me then tries to recline. They can't because I'm jammed up against the seat. They think their seat is broken and then they never try again. A guy I used to work with taught me this and it works EVERY time.

 

Well, I booked our tickets today and ended up going with United. The price was down to $210. Even JetBlue couldn't beat it. In fact, for similar travel times, JetBlue was almost $200 more on the whole itinerary. For less convenient travel times I'd have maybe saved $40 bucks.

Another interesting note: In the middle of my on-line booking progress a window popped up asking if I had any questions. I had one, so I clicked. I then had an absolutely spectacular customer service engagement using United's on-line service chat feature. It was awesome. I had a question about traveling with an infant and what I needed to do with regard to getting him added to the itinerary and the person helped me out right away. Kudos to United for a great service feature.

 

You are EVIL!!!!

 

No, we're just vertically well endowed!

 

For your sake, I hope that is the only "endowment" you have in common with my wife.

 

I just had the same experience for a trip in November. Both JetBlue and Southwurst were more than $20 higher........