Do Airlines Care About Basic Economy Passengers?

KQED's Forum

KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 18 March 2026

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

With the spring travel season upon us, the cheapest airline tickets are becoming even more restrictive, as the nation’s top airlines chip away at what’s included in a “Basic Economy” fare. These tickets can severely limit travel perks like choosing your own seat, carrying-on a bag, or making changes to your flight. At the same time, rising fuel prices are making air travel more expensive and the government shutdown impacting the Department of Homeland Security is creating major slowdowns at TSA checkpoints. How much is too much to ask of air travelers, and can we push back? Guests: Andrea Sachs, travel reporter, The Washington Post Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:36.6	From KQED. From KQED.
0:40.0	Welcome to Forum.
0:41.4	I'm Mina Kim.
0:42.8	An NBC news headline this week probably summed it up best.
0:46.0	Flying in America is about to get more expensive and less fun.
0:49.9	Though, if you fly basic economy, it probably wasn't all that much fun to begin with.
0:54.8	Anyway, a confluence of events has increased the potential for a rough spring travel season.
1:00.7	The partial government shutdown has caused long lines at airport security as TSA workers go without pay,
1:07.3	and airlines are starting to increase ticket prices as the cost of jet fuel rises from the U.S.
1:12.5	war on Iran.
1:14.2	Add to that, airlines are chipping away at what few perks remain on the lowest tier, or basic economy flights,
1:20.9	which is where we begin this hour.
1:23.3	With Andrea Sachs, travel reporter for The Washington Post. Welcome to Forum, Andrea.
1:28.6	Hi there. So happy to be here.
1:30.6	Actually, I wish I were there, but it would cost me $1,000.
1:33.8	And I probably missed my flight because I would get stuck in the Tuesday line.
1:37.9	Well, your recent piece is called Why Do Airlines Hate Basic Economy Passengers? And it does kind of feel like they hate us.
1:48.3	Are we like their lowest priority? I'm not trying to take it personally, but come on.
	...

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