A long-winded article in Slate lamenting the proliferation of basic economy actually does a great job of showing why it is valuable as an airfare option.
Yes, basic economy removes things many travelers prefer, like early boarding, a guaranteed overhead bin spot, or seat selection. It also lowers the price (or at least keeps the price closer to what it has been despite inflation). When presented with that tradeoff, consumers regularly opt to save money.
What if basic economy had a lavatory use fee, boarding pass printing fee, ask a flight attendant a question fee, check the website too many times fee, flight status inquiry fee, etc.?
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
