The Highest Paying Victims of Calculated Misery
How United is exploiting travelers and ruining the travel experience
When I got the offer to teach at my alma mater in New York, I jumped at the opportunity, even though I was (and am) currently living in Chicago. Moving back to NYC was not an option, and so I decided to do what many business travelers do every week, and commute there. While the travel can get tiresome, the biggest practical drawback is the math.
Teaching once a week, two classes on the same day, I am able to fly in and out in the same day if necessary. Outside of the multi-transport commute, the trip isn’t that bad. With TSA pre-check, I have it down to a science. The costs, however, are out of pocket. People are always shocked to learn that I fly myself out there every week. Recently the reaction was “that must take your entire paycheck!” And that’s not far from the truth. The first year, I looked for the cheapest flights possible so that the math didn’t totally end up in the red. This strategy soon outgrew the financial benefits when I finally hit my limit of being treated like a sub-human because of the basic Economy status of my ticket. I succumbed to calculated misery.
It was also very frustrating to take 15 round trips in the span of 16 weeks and not build up some kind of airline status or miles on miles to book future travel with. Finally, I committed to United, the airline choice that I “inherited” from my father, because O’hare is a United hub and so that is who all of our flights were booked with since we were young. But is also makes sense practically, since United offers flights between ORD and LGA on the hour every hour from 6am to 9pm. This gives a lot of flexibility. That is, if they allowed this flexibility.
At this writing, I am sitting at Laguardia Airport outside of gate B45 where flight UA657 is about to depart without me on it.
A little context: Just as I was leaving class, at about 6:45, I was alerted that my 9:00pm flight was delayed by 30 min. (This 30 min is a big deal to me on these days, as I have to get right back into the swing of it on Thursday morning and every minute of sleep counts.)
Arriving to the airport just in time, I was the last person to get through TSA pre-check before they shut it down at 7:30 pm (the security to get into terminal B of Laguardia after that time is an utter nightmare. This construction can’t end soon enough). As I approached gate B45, I could see that people were still boarding, and on the app I could see there were still about 10 seats and no one on stand by. This seemed like a no brainer. Then they asked me for $75.
Of course, I ask for an exception considering the flight delay. I am polite and reasonable. I am also tired, and just want to get home.
The response to my request for an exception to the charge:
“They only waive the fee for mechanical delays.”
“Well, what is this delay?”
“It’s just a delay.”
“???”
This infuriating response is all the more infuriating because of how powerless you are. There are empty seats. I paid for a ticket. No one else wants these seats. What is the point of this stalemate?
And at the end of the day, this comes down to the math. Every single dollar that goes into my round trip voyage is out of my own pocket. Of course I do this because I love it and it is my choice. I put myself in this position. I genuinely am excited to get on the airplane at 6 am in the morning to go teach these great students in this great program. However, on a weekly basis I feel victimized by a system that is designed to squeeze every dollar out of every person who passes through their door.
Individuals who pay for their own tickets are stuck in a game designed for corporate travel
Out-of-pocket business travelers are locked into a pricing strategy designed in response to a class of travelers that is unique to these early morning and late evening shuttle flights between major cities. The business travelers, whose companies foot the bill, and who can expense these same day change fees in the interest of productivity and efficiency.
I most regret that I remember the good old days when an earlier flight switch was seen as a normal request, and granted to those who asked. The first time I asked for this courtesy as a basic economy ticket holder, the response was shocking. As if I was trying to game the system, and pay as little as possible for as much as possible. What a gross way to treat the customers who are loyal to your business (even the lowest price ticket holder). It is not asking for much, it is asking for a trade of equal value for a service that is going unused. Believe me I never asked for another courtesy with a basic economy ticket again.
The most puzzling thing to me about this issue of blocking people from earlier flight transfers with a fee, is that the more people you move from point a to point b, the better for the business. The earlier you get me where I’m going, the happier I will be, and the less likely you will need to “deal with me” when this delay turns from 30 minutes into 1 hour into a canceled flight. Why take that risk? Why not get as many people in the airport who want to get out early onto the earlier plane?
I’m sure this is to be continued. And if any one else out there agrees, or can share a better reason why this policy is in place (or any of the many other policies that have led to this era of calculated misery) I would love you to help me understand. It might at least save me and my fellow out-of-pocket business travelers the stress that I feel when I see that blue logo.
