maastrichtmouse

Hello,

I've had good news and my Econometrics exam slated for 23rd December has been changed, and I can return from university sooner than planned.

I called the BA help line, and the lady on the phone saved my bacon and told me switching to the 21st December 11.55am flight from Brussels to London and hence Manchester would cost just €30 to change. I could not do this on the phone there and then, I needed to check logistics at both ends first. She mentioned "it also may be free if you make the change online".

So in the space of 10 minutes, having checked logistics I log on to the EC, select the change she told me, and was told this will cost €80.

How? Why? What to do?

MM

EuropeToAsia

Since it's close to christmas, not impossible that one or more seats on the new flight you wanted were sold during those 10 minutes, selling out a booking class and leaving only the next higher (more expensive) one. Try calling again - if that's the reason the price will also have gone up there.

orbitmic

Changing online should never be more expensive than on the phone so one of a few things may be happening:

- €30 was the fare difference or booking fee but she forgot to include the change fee? €30 almost certainly means no change fee included (they are usually €80 on cheaper tickets bought from the Eurozone!);

- availability changed: you indeed have no change fee but the bucket the lady saw has disappeared. Now, 21/12 is bound to be very high demand so availability could change fast, but the BA pricing is typically very granular in European Y so a change by €50 in 1 hour strikes me as relatively unlikely unless you were already in a very expensive bucket;

- there is indeed no change fee on your ticket (plus fares booked until about a month ago) but the system got confused and is trying to charge you one. Has happened to me multiple times since the change of rule were introduced.

In terms of what to do, check what's the change fee on your original ticket, if it was €80 then lady was undoubtedly mistaken, if it is 0 then try again and if it fails call again and check what call centre find.

maastrichtmouse

The ticket is booked into O, if that makes a difference.

I made really sure with the lady on the phone that €30 was the total price, including change fees, absolution of all my sins in all major world religions, baggage and taxes. She was able to confirm. I wish I had done it there and then, but I really needed to make sure I could get to the airport in the morning otherwise it was all moot.

I was also sure to give her my reference number and booking class so she could give me accurate information.

orbitmic

Not really. O is the cheapest booking class, but could be with or without change fee. From that point of view, the main questions are:

- did you book a hand baggage only fare or a (more expensive) luggage inclusive fare?
- what is the full itinerary you originally booked (just BRU-LHR or some connection)?
- when did you originally book it?

BA6501

There is a possibility she stored the quote in the booking.

Johnnieboy

I had reason to change the date of an O class ticket last week. The initial online page said the change fee would be USD90, which is what the original fare conditions said, plus any difference in fare. However, once I clicked through to the payment page, there wasn't any difference in fare for the new flight, and it only charged me USD30 as a change fee instead of USD90. If you didn't get as far as the payment page, it might be worth trying again in case the same happens for you, and the lower fee is what the telephone operator saw. You aren't committed until you actually pay.

(BTW - I'd already checked the cost of a new booking for the revised date and it was exactly the same as I had paid for the original, so I wasn't benefitting from a cheaper fare. Just some unexpected online largesse!)

maastrichtmouse

Roughly in order of how I remember the questions:

No, no connections. I start in Maastricht by train, but no flight. It's a return ticket BRU-LHR-MAN//MAN-LHR-BRU.

It's O class but I did get baggage with it.

I booked it ages ago.

orbitmic

Well, BRU-LHR-MAN means a connection!! And a connection means that it cannot be a plus fare, so in O you will definitely have a change fee.

KARFA

If I look at an O class one way BRU-LHR-MAN it seems the change fees are:

As noted by orbitmic, no plus fare or basic fare is offered, just an economy fare. It seems €80 is likely also the change fee for the OP under the fare booked.

Ldnn1

Somewhat strange response, since I remember your thread from a while back where you discussed choosing the connection...

maastrichtmouse

I think you misunderstood that question. I'm fairly sure the person asked whether I had a long haul connection into Brussels.

I don't, I arrive on the train.

At the time I booked it was impossible to get a direct flight. Those out of AMS were very expensive, and CRL had nothing to offer that was useful.

Now I'm locked into this booking, so just looking to change it the most cost effective method.

I don't really understand your assertion that I'm somehow hypocritical?

orbitmic

No, I was just asking if your itinerary was nonstop (a-b or a-b-a) or connecting (a-b-c or a-b-c-b-a). The reason being that as mentioned, on BA shorthaul, only plus fares booked under the previous rule could be changed at no fee and plus fares are only available on nonstop flights.

Conversely, I knew for certain you wouldn't be on a long haul itinerary because no London long haul O fare offers few free changes, and any change would always cost you several hundreds euros.

Ldnn1

Ha no not at all! I think you just misinterpreted orbitmic's question in a slightly odd way.

KARFA

As I noted, it does seem a change fee of €80 is likely to be what your fare condition is.