Ellen Nails It With This Hilarious United Parody
Basic economy is the new normal, unfortunately. All of the major domestic legacy carriers have revealed their own version of these fares, which generally means no carry-on (except for Delta), no advance seat assignment and the exact opposite of priority boarding. United shared the details of its Basic Economy fares back in November and many suspect that this new fare class won't actually lower prices, but will just be an excuse for the airlines to charge customers more fees.
The Ellen Show created an amusing parody of what it'll be like when flying as a United Basic Economy passenger. Taking a page from William Golding's iconic novel Lord of the Flies, the fake United commercial hilariously spins the chaos that could conceivably ensue for passengers who have booked the cheapest possible ticket:
The skit obviously exaggerates the extent to which you'll dread Basic Economy. Once you're on the plane, the onboard product is identical for Economy and Basic Economy travelers. You'll still receive complimentary non-alcoholic refreshments and light snacks, and, assuming you're able to get it past the gate agent, you should even be able to put your personal item in the overhead bin!
H/T: Live and Let's Fly
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app