We often talk about different fare buckets on FT, or fare codes, or selling codes, or booking codes. Whatever we call them, they all amount to the same thing, but each code comes with its own set of rules.
With BA, when we book point to point one-way or return travel on short haul and UK domestic routes, the fare rules fall into 4 tidy categories: Standard, Semi-Flex, Fully-Flex, and Restricted. However, the ticket rules can be much more complicated when short haul are combined with long haul and issued as a single ticket and so these tickets are not covered by this guide. This purpose of this guide is to explain the differences in point to point short haul fares currently sold by BA.
Fare types explained
Standard- These fares are amongst the lowest on the price scale
- Changes to flight times and dates are possible at any time after ticketing but are subject to a change fee plus any fare difference. What this means is if you change your flight, BA will rebook you onto another flight using the same fare class in your original ticket. If there are no longer seats available for sale in that fare class, BA will rebook you into the next available fare class and as the fare will be higher you will be charged the difference in fare plus the standard change fee.
- Ticket remains non-refundable although if you do cancel you are entitled to a refund of Government, authority and airport charges paid, minus a processing fee
- Avios and Tier Points will be accrued
- Free seat selection from 24 hours before departure
Semi-flex- These fares are in the mid range of the price scale
- Changes to flight times and dates are possible any time after ticketing. There is no change fee. You only pay any difference in fare.
- Flight changes on the day of departure are free of charge
- Change of route is permitted, subject to recalculation of fare and taxes so you may incur additional charges
- Ticket remains non-refundable although if you do cancel you are entitled to a refund of Government, authority and airport charges paid, minus a processing fee
- Avios and Tier Points can be accrued
- Free seat selection from 48 hours before departure
Fully-flex- These fares are in the highest range of the price scale
- Changes to flight times and dates are possible any time after ticketing. There is no change fee. You only pay any difference in fare.
- Flight changes on the day of departure are free of charge
- If you cancel a refund is permitted, subject to recalculation of the fare for any journey flown. Following a change, any previous non-refundable fare amounts remains non-refundable. There are no cancellation fees
- Avios and Tier Points can be accrued
- Free seat selection from the time of booking
- Lounge access on UK Domestic Fully-Flex fares
Restricted- The few remaining restricted fares apply only to cheap Club Europe tickets
- Prior to 27 July 2015, the rules relating to these tickets were once booked, no changes permitted. However this has since changed and changes can now be made to I and R fares. Change fee is currently £100 (€130)
- Ticket is non-refundable although if you do cancel you are entitled to a refund of Government, authority and airport charges paid, minus a processing fee
- Avios and Tier Points can be accrued
- Free seat selection from 24 hours before departure
Fare conditions may alter after purchasing Pro-active Online Upgrades
A summary of important points to bear in mind before purchasing Pro-active Online Upgrades (POUGs):
- All POUGs earn full TPs and Avios for the upgraded cabin, subject to the original booking being paid for with cash
- POUGs *ARE* offered on Hand-Baggage Only fares, if available
- POUGs only become available after 48 hours of making your booking, until any time up to, and including OLCI. After being checked in you will not be offered a POUG
- POUGs do not seem to become available for travel agent bookings, until 2-3 days before departure (YMMV)
- POUGs cannot be requested from Service Centres, except that occasionally BA.com will not proceed with a POUG online and display a message inviting you to call the Service Centre to complete the transaction
- Following a POUG purchase, the rules governing the ticket are altered and become non changeable and non refundable (apart from government authority and airport charges)
The fare codes assigned to each fare type does vary a little, depending on which London airport you are travelling in and out of. The following diagrams describe the differences and match fare codes with applicable fare types:
European short-haul fares
UK domestic fares
