BA launches new "hand-baggage-only" fares
Feb 19, 2013, 4:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 399
BA launches new "hand-baggage-only" fares
Customers will benefit from British Airways’ new “hand-baggage-only” fare when travelling out of Gatwick Airport from today.
The new fare is available initially on flights to Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, Jersey, Tunis and Turin starting from just £39 one-way.
In addition five Airbus A319s are transferring from Heathrow to BA’s Gatwick short-haul fleet.
Peter Simpson, director of Gatwick for British Airways, said: “The introduction of our hand-baggage-only fare is all about giving our customers more freedom to choose the kind of flying they want.
“Many British Airways customers on Gatwick short-haul breaks choose not to check in a bag as they’re already taking advantage of our generous two-bag hand luggage policy. Those who still want to check in a bag will simply pay the same price they do now.”
“These are exciting times for Gatwick. The transfer of Airbus A319s and these new fares will allow us to continue to deliver an exceptional level of service to our customers.”
The introduction of the new fare builds on the highly successful short-haul advertising campaign, designed to remind people about the great choice and little extras they benefit from when travelling with the airline.
Short-haul is one of the company's main priorities for the next few years. It is a vital part of the business and it’s essential that it adds value in its own right, enabling the company to compete effectively in this challenging market.
The addition of the hand-baggage-only fare, coupled with more routes than ever before, newer aircraft, complimentary food and drink and a superior airport experience, is paving the way towards the company regaining its short-haul leadership position.
The new fare is available initially on flights to Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, Jersey, Tunis and Turin starting from just £39 one-way.
In addition five Airbus A319s are transferring from Heathrow to BA’s Gatwick short-haul fleet.
Peter Simpson, director of Gatwick for British Airways, said: “The introduction of our hand-baggage-only fare is all about giving our customers more freedom to choose the kind of flying they want.
“Many British Airways customers on Gatwick short-haul breaks choose not to check in a bag as they’re already taking advantage of our generous two-bag hand luggage policy. Those who still want to check in a bag will simply pay the same price they do now.”
“These are exciting times for Gatwick. The transfer of Airbus A319s and these new fares will allow us to continue to deliver an exceptional level of service to our customers.”
The introduction of the new fare builds on the highly successful short-haul advertising campaign, designed to remind people about the great choice and little extras they benefit from when travelling with the airline.
Short-haul is one of the company's main priorities for the next few years. It is a vital part of the business and it’s essential that it adds value in its own right, enabling the company to compete effectively in this challenging market.
The addition of the hand-baggage-only fare, coupled with more routes than ever before, newer aircraft, complimentary food and drink and a superior airport experience, is paving the way towards the company regaining its short-haul leadership position.
Feb 19, 2013, 4:21 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,046
Feb 19, 2013, 4:25 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,046
I fear that it is just normal unbundling disguised by clever PR.
And let's be honest, why not?!
Some of BA's fares ex-LGW are fabulously cheap. Do they really need to have a piece of baggage included?
Or perhaps this is the thin end of the wedge and sooner or later the only cabin with free baggage for all will be F, just like with the seat selection!
And let's be honest, why not?!
Some of BA's fares ex-LGW are fabulously cheap. Do they really need to have a piece of baggage included?
Or perhaps this is the thin end of the wedge and sooner or later the only cabin with free baggage for all will be F, just like with the seat selection!
Feb 19, 2013, 4:42 am
#8
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: BA Silver, Mucci
Posts: 5,289
Customers will benefit from British Airways’ new “hand-baggage-only” fare when travelling out of Gatwick Airport from today.
The new fare is available initially on flights to Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, Jersey, Tunis and Turin starting from just £39 one-way.
In addition five Airbus A319s are transferring from Heathrow to BA’s Gatwick short-haul fleet.
Peter Simpson, director of Gatwick for British Airways, said: “The introduction of our hand-baggage-only fare is all about giving our customers more freedom to choose the kind of flying they want.
“Many British Airways customers on Gatwick short-haul breaks choose not to check in a bag as they’re already taking advantage of our generous two-bag hand luggage policy. Those who still want to check in a bag will simply pay the same price they do now.”
“These are exciting times for Gatwick. The transfer of Airbus A319s and these new fares will allow us to continue to deliver an exceptional level of service to our customers.”
The introduction of the new fare builds on the highly successful short-haul advertising campaign, designed to remind people about the great choice and little extras they benefit from when travelling with the airline.
Short-haul is one of the company's main priorities for the next few years. It is a vital part of the business and it’s essential that it adds value in its own right, enabling the company to compete effectively in this challenging market.
The addition of the hand-baggage-only fare, coupled with more routes than ever before, newer aircraft, complimentary food and drink and a superior airport experience, is paving the way towards the company regaining its short-haul leadership position.
The new fare is available initially on flights to Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, Jersey, Tunis and Turin starting from just £39 one-way.
In addition five Airbus A319s are transferring from Heathrow to BA’s Gatwick short-haul fleet.
Peter Simpson, director of Gatwick for British Airways, said: “The introduction of our hand-baggage-only fare is all about giving our customers more freedom to choose the kind of flying they want.
“Many British Airways customers on Gatwick short-haul breaks choose not to check in a bag as they’re already taking advantage of our generous two-bag hand luggage policy. Those who still want to check in a bag will simply pay the same price they do now.”
“These are exciting times for Gatwick. The transfer of Airbus A319s and these new fares will allow us to continue to deliver an exceptional level of service to our customers.”
The introduction of the new fare builds on the highly successful short-haul advertising campaign, designed to remind people about the great choice and little extras they benefit from when travelling with the airline.
Short-haul is one of the company's main priorities for the next few years. It is a vital part of the business and it’s essential that it adds value in its own right, enabling the company to compete effectively in this challenging market.
The addition of the hand-baggage-only fare, coupled with more routes than ever before, newer aircraft, complimentary food and drink and a superior airport experience, is paving the way towards the company regaining its short-haul leadership position.
Feb 19, 2013, 4:46 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2005
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so looking at BA.com for a dummy booking for Jersey, the saving is £8 one-way and it looks like you can't gain or lose a bag en-route, i.e. it has to be same for outbound as for inbound and vice versa.
Feb 19, 2013, 4:46 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: Latinpass Million Miler. BA Gold.
Posts: 3,544
Yes, on the one hand. And it show interesting price differentials - on AMS it was £10 more with a bag on the £39 fare, but only £1 more on the £64 fare.
I'm going to AMS in a couple of months - only for the weekend, so hand luggage only. In this way BA saves me £20 per ticket. Or I could split the booking - leave me on a paid ticket with 2 bags, and the rest of the family on the cheaper hand luggage only fare.
I'm going to AMS in a couple of months - only for the weekend, so hand luggage only. In this way BA saves me £20 per ticket. Or I could split the booking - leave me on a paid ticket with 2 bags, and the rest of the family on the cheaper hand luggage only fare.
Feb 19, 2013, 5:04 am
#14
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: London UK
Programs: BA Gold/Marriott Titanium Lifetime/UA/JetBlue
Posts: 618
Prepare for more delays!
When customers see that they can save a few pounds by not checking in a bag it will just mean they try and carry more on board. Unless BA become more proactive and enforce the hand baggage allowances (which are already abused and bear no resemblance to the actual amount of available space on board) then there will be problems during boarding.
This will be especially critical when people realise that bags taken off them at the last minute during boarding will escape the hold bag charge, thereby creating even more of a problem. I think it is unlikely staff will have time to process a bag charge at the gate at the last minute whilst also trying to get a flight away on time.
Have the powers that be really thought this one through.
When customers see that they can save a few pounds by not checking in a bag it will just mean they try and carry more on board. Unless BA become more proactive and enforce the hand baggage allowances (which are already abused and bear no resemblance to the actual amount of available space on board) then there will be problems during boarding.
This will be especially critical when people realise that bags taken off them at the last minute during boarding will escape the hold bag charge, thereby creating even more of a problem. I think it is unlikely staff will have time to process a bag charge at the gate at the last minute whilst also trying to get a flight away on time.
Have the powers that be really thought this one through.