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 £10 discount; £15 on LHR-PRG; and £20 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 £7 to £21 per sector as a minimum, with differential pricing employed for better seats (e.g. an exit row on LHR-DUB was £23 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]
#1801
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 259
I'm a Silver card holder traveling with two other non-status passengers on the same PNR on HBO fares. Will BA's system make an attempt to seat the three of us together or will they do their best to split us up so that we will pay for new seat assignments? Thank you.
#1802
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: LAX/MXP
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 564
June 14 - will be a thing of the past, for BAEC members at least. Hooray! ^
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...b-improvements
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...b-improvements
#1803
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Southampton, UK
Programs: BAEC GFL, GGL, Hilton Diamond, EuroBonus Gold for Life, SPG Plat Elite
Posts: 217
I agree. I expected to see a lot more comment here.
Do we think that BA are really listening to what is said - that is how the back peddle is being spun.
#1804
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
In my case the camel's back has already been broken. I've stopped flying BA and realised there are much better options out there, even without all the cuts. Reinstating a few things isn't going to have everyone running back.
#1806
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
Unfortunately for me BA still remains the better option (timing & price wise) vs my alternative (U2); c'est la vie.
#1807
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,928
#1808
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Perth WA/ UK
Programs: BA Gold, Priority Club Gold, Accor Silver, Virgin Australia Gold
Posts: 1,750
Dare I say no such thing as a free lunch...certainly on BA these days! No I suspect the hand baggage only fare presently on offer will shoot up that additional 25 pounds plus to match present with bag fare, allowing seat choice as part of it being sold as a nice backtracking gesture the infamous U turn, while the with bag fare will increase corresponding ...or maybe I am a cynic..was gonna book GLA this coming Friday from LHR I notice I can almost get to eastern USA for same price....different carrier of course!! ..
#1809
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: 63,827
However for the record and given that not everyone has the time to follow FT's threads, there is more comment here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-launched.html
#1810
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,618
Hmmmmm. I think you are being a tad over optimistic that BA systems will automatically do anything that is of benefit to the customer You'll probably have to claim it all back.
#1811
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,971
#1812
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
#1813
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: BAEC back to silver, Flying Blue Silver
Posts: 406
If a claim is possible at all: I understand that free seat selection on HBO tickets is only for bookings made after 14/6?
#1814
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,971
says travelling on or after 14 June so existing bookings for travel beyond that date are covered.
#1815
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,928
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/about-ba/whats-new/executive-club-refunds?clickpage=resp-information--about-ba--whats-new--executive-club-improvements&kmtag=c&ban=%7C%7CPBC%7C1%7CCTA1%7C%7 C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7CL2%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C
says travelling on or after 14 June so existing bookings for travel beyond that date are covered.
says travelling on or after 14 June so existing bookings for travel beyond that date are covered.
"If you are a Bronze, Silver or Gold Card Member travelling on a Basic (Hand Baggage Only) fare on/after the 14th June 2017 then you are eligible for a refund of any fees you have paid to reserve your seat."