Last edit by: NWIFlyer
Hand Baggage Only fares (HBO) are available on domestic and EuroTraveller routes. They are offered at a lower price to those able to travel without checked baggage on point to point journeys only - they are not offered with connections, stopovers or with Club Europe. There isn't a special fare bucket for HBO, it's just a discount to all domestic/ET fare buckets, so even expensive flexible tickets offer HBO. The discount varies depending on route. For example, going HBO on LHR-DUB gives a Ł10 discount; Ł15 on LHR-PRG; and Ł20 on LHR-ATH. Online Travel Agents often book into these fares (including building stopovers) and are sometimes less than transparent about the baggage restrictions during the booking process. HBO fares do not earn OnBusiness credits.
BAEC status passengers from Bronze upwards get advance seat choice with these tickets.
How to get seat allocation if HBO and without status:
- Pay up. You can pay up at OLCI if you don't like the seat. Costs vary from Ł7 to Ł21 per sector as a minimum, with differential pricing employed for better seats (e.g. an exit row on LHR-DUB was Ł23 in June 2017). Usually, but not always, this invalidates the cost saving of HBO. You can also pay up in Manage My Booking (MMB) before OLCI.
- Cancel OLCI at the "confirm contact details" stage. Go in again and/or later and you may be offered another seat.
- Corporate travel bookings still offer seating to HBO in some cases. Sometimes this ability is temporary and doesn't stick.
- Ask check-in or the lounge agent for a better seat, so far this seems to be possible. Lounge agents won't be able to assist where they aren't part of the ground handling for BA (e.g. LBA).
- If your airport has a Self Service Check In (SSCI) machine AND you do not print your boarding pass (see below) then you can select another seat there provided check-in is still open, typically up to 46 minutes before take off. So if you are being allocated a rotten seat and you can see better seats available, you can take a risk and complete/commence check-in later.
SSCI machines are available at: LHR, LGW, LCY, MAN, EDI (on the general purpose airport machines, but only those by the BA check-in area), NCE, BRU, OSL, BLL, AAR, MUC, AMS.
They are NOT available at: ABZ, BHD, GLA, LBA, NCL, DUB, CDG, ORY, SVG, DUS, TXL, MAH, CFU, OLB, CTA, CAG, FDH, ANE, UIP, BIO, HER, SVQ, PMI, BRI.
You can also do this operation the night before at LGW and LHR, details here.
By "printing boarding pass" we mean not selecting that option at OLCI, or saving, emailing, faxing and/or downloading the boarding pass on the App.
HBO fares - Have to pay to select seat in advance [free for GCH/SCH/BCHs @ 14 Jun 17]
#1876
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,991
I am, finally, able to select seats for all my upcoming HBO bookings, extending into 2018.
Strangely, I had almost without exception been pre-assigned a middle seat (B or E) at the back of the plane. I wonder if that's connected with my recent MCOL success against British Airways?
Strangely, I had almost without exception been pre-assigned a middle seat (B or E) at the back of the plane. I wonder if that's connected with my recent MCOL success against British Airways?
#1877
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Brussels
Programs: BAEC Gold, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 9
The other thought I did have as that I was booking through the Belgian POS... not sure if that made a different with the refunds?
#1880
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Singapore - the hot, little red dot
Programs: BA, SQ
Posts: 861
I presume it's for the Friday leg and I "should" get the other Ł23 early next week.
#1881
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
Yep, I've noticed the refunds come on a per flight basis. Have now received for my ones last week. Now just the last of the upcoming ones to be credited back. At least they're coming through without having to chase. ^
#1882
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: London
Posts: 180
Does anyone know if it's possible to use the SSCI kiosk at LCY to print boarding pass and change seat for a flight the following day from LHR at 7am (so within the 24 hour check in period). I'm assuming the answer is that it isn't possible to use those at a different London airport. But just thought I would check. Thanks!!!!!
#1884
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SIN 5 days out of 7
Programs: BD*G, A3*G, BA-S, Accor Gold, IHG Amb
Posts: 5,505
Does anyone know if it's possible to use the SSCI kiosk at LCY to print boarding pass and change seat for a flight the following day from LHR at 7am (so within the 24 hour check in period). I'm assuming the answer is that it isn't possible to use those at a different London airport. But just thought I would check. Thanks!!!!!
However, I cannot recall if I'd already checked-in online.
Maybe worth asking at at desk if you're checked-in online?
#1886
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,769
#1887
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: London
Posts: 180
Thanks!!!!!
#1889
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: London
Posts: 180
#1890
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 251
Since the free seat selection for status holders was brought in, is it possible to use a Gold TCP request to select a seat for somebody with no status on an HBO booking?
Sorry if this has been answered, on mobile and struggling to search.
Thanks
Sorry if this has been answered, on mobile and struggling to search.
Thanks