BA Enhances its short haul economy fare structure
Feb 25, 2016, 4:02 am
#1
Original Poster
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BA Enhances its short haul economy fare structure
See http://www.speedbirdclub.com/res/en/...haul-fares.pdf
On the 8 March 2016, British Airways is simplifying its short haul economy fare structure. Previously the airline had two types of fares, ‘Hand Baggage Only’ or ‘with Checked Bag’. Each of those could be bought with three levels of flexibility - standard, semi-flex and Fully Flex - depending on whether the customer needed the ability to change their flights. This created six fare type options. Following customer feedback, we will be streamlining to just three fare types, each with increasing levels of flexibility; ‘Hand Baggage Only’, ‘with Checked Bag’ and ‘Fully Flex’.
Hand Baggage Only:
• Standard hand baggage allowance (no Checked Baggage allowance)
• Seating allocated at check-in or paid for seat selection
• Flight changes can be made for a fee plus any difference in fare
With Checked Bag:
• Includes a 23kg Checked Baggage allowance, plus the standard hand baggage allowance
• Free seat selection from 48 hours prior to departure
• Free flight changes on the day of departure, up to one hour before scheduled flight time
• No change fees (a fare difference may apply if flight is changed before day
of departure)
Fully Flex:
• Fully refundable
• Includes a 23kg Checked Baggage allowance, plus the standard hand baggage allowance
• Free seat selection at time of booking
• Free flight changes on the day of departure, up to one hour before scheduled flight time
• No change fees (a fare difference may apply if flight is changed before day of departure)
These fare products are only available on short haul point-to-point A-B or A-B-A journeys, i.e. excluding transfers.
On UK domestic routes, Fully Flex fares will be branded ‘Business UK’. These fares include access to British Airways’ lounges and Priority Boarding.
Club Europe fares are unaffected.
On the 8 March 2016, British Airways is simplifying its short haul economy fare structure. Previously the airline had two types of fares, ‘Hand Baggage Only’ or ‘with Checked Bag’. Each of those could be bought with three levels of flexibility - standard, semi-flex and Fully Flex - depending on whether the customer needed the ability to change their flights. This created six fare type options. Following customer feedback, we will be streamlining to just three fare types, each with increasing levels of flexibility; ‘Hand Baggage Only’, ‘with Checked Bag’ and ‘Fully Flex’.
Hand Baggage Only:
• Standard hand baggage allowance (no Checked Baggage allowance)
• Seating allocated at check-in or paid for seat selection
• Flight changes can be made for a fee plus any difference in fare
With Checked Bag:
• Includes a 23kg Checked Baggage allowance, plus the standard hand baggage allowance
• Free seat selection from 48 hours prior to departure
• Free flight changes on the day of departure, up to one hour before scheduled flight time
• No change fees (a fare difference may apply if flight is changed before day
of departure)
Fully Flex:
• Fully refundable
• Includes a 23kg Checked Baggage allowance, plus the standard hand baggage allowance
• Free seat selection at time of booking
• Free flight changes on the day of departure, up to one hour before scheduled flight time
• No change fees (a fare difference may apply if flight is changed before day of departure)
These fare products are only available on short haul point-to-point A-B or A-B-A journeys, i.e. excluding transfers.
On UK domestic routes, Fully Flex fares will be branded ‘Business UK’. These fares include access to British Airways’ lounges and Priority Boarding.
Club Europe fares are unaffected.
Feb 25, 2016, 4:07 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2014
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So does this mean a further enhancement of tier benefits i.e. no seat selection for 'with baggage' fares until 48 hours before flying?
If not, some of these changes genuinely look like actual enhancements!
If not, some of these changes genuinely look like actual enhancements!
Feb 25, 2016, 4:09 am
#5
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Well assuming nothing else changes this seems a very welcome and simple way of doing things, particularly (apparently) adding more flexibility to non HBO fares.
I imagine the point we need to be sure about is that status passengers can continue to pre-allocate seats on the "with checked bags" tickets, though I doubt this has changed.
Apart from that, I suspect that 99% of BA passengers and 95% of FTers would scarcely notice the difference from the previous régime, however. The fare difference for last minute changes could be quite stiff.
I imagine the point we need to be sure about is that status passengers can continue to pre-allocate seats on the "with checked bags" tickets, though I doubt this has changed.
Apart from that, I suspect that 99% of BA passengers and 95% of FTers would scarcely notice the difference from the previous régime, however. The fare difference for last minute changes could be quite stiff.
Feb 25, 2016, 4:11 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 4,282
If this is truly an enhancement as indicated by others, this is indeed a good move forward especially for than fare with checked baggage with the free change on the day of departure. This is nice especially when you are done and at the airport early and can catch an earlier flight.
Hopefully they don't secretly include the change fees into the fares since currently the differences between HBO and Checked bag fares are not more than approx 15 Euros/12 pounds or less. (at least for the AMS-LON route)
Cheers!
Hopefully they don't secretly include the change fees into the fares since currently the differences between HBO and Checked bag fares are not more than approx 15 Euros/12 pounds or less. (at least for the AMS-LON route)
Cheers!
Feb 25, 2016, 4:13 am
#8
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Interesting - but let's see what the price points look like ... Presumably this will be bringing a (much?) larger difference between the Hand Baggage fare and the 'with Baggage' fare ?
Call me cynical but I'd be expecting we'd be seeing a much larger difference than the £10-£15 each way that exists now .... Of course same day flexibility etc. can certainly be argued to compensate for that
I'd be thinking there's no such thing as a free lunch here though
..........
Call me cynical but I'd be expecting we'd be seeing a much larger difference than the £10-£15 each way that exists now .... Of course same day flexibility etc. can certainly be argued to compensate for that
I'd be thinking there's no such thing as a free lunch here though
..........
Feb 25, 2016, 4:17 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2014
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Whether this is a good deal for me will depend on the price differential between the current "standard with checked bag", and the new "with checked bag" fares.
Somehow, I can't see them being cheaper........
Somehow, I can't see them being cheaper........
Feb 25, 2016, 4:17 am
#11
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As long as the "With Checked Bag" fares don't significantly increase since they are now only "semi-flexible"
I always thought it was ludicrous you could be paying for a full flex bucket on a HBO fare and still not get seat selection.
I always thought it was ludicrous you could be paying for a full flex bucket on a HBO fare and still not get seat selection.
Feb 25, 2016, 4:18 am
#12
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As someone who often used the non-HBO fare and flipped it to semi-flex [so effectively what the new "with checked bag" will be], I'm intrigued on the price points.
This could be very good - or it could be a very bad outcome. It's very hard to tell.
This could be very good - or it could be a very bad outcome. It's very hard to tell.
Feb 25, 2016, 4:22 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: London
Posts: 3,500
Actually I think they will - I know we geeks are aware of the difference between what BA.com promises and the airport delivers when it comes to semi-flex fares (and just how long have IT sat on that 'bug' report in the problem thread) but for most people same day changes free of charge will be great. No fare difference to pay for most fares, even if the last remaining seat is being sold for mega bucks.