Aug 7, 2015, 5:53 am
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]
Mar 3, 2015, 11:40 am
#586
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,644
My Facebook feed is overflowing with people saying they're abandoning BA after their upcoming bookings, as this news of the changes sinks in.. Young professionals and some in their middle ages. BA have dropped a clanger on this one.. If there's more to come, they'd better be absolutely sure of lemmings who will take those seats.
BA have now set a precedent for devaluations and removal of services. How can anyone confidently say "I'm going to make the effort to earn CCR/GGL/Gold/Silver/Bronze this year, as it will bring me XYZ benefits"?
I used to be a BA fanboy. I now feel stupid for having promoted them so much to friends and family as I now have to update them on all the negative changes.
In early January this year, I'd say I felt that BA were a reliable and trustworthy company (despite them just having destroyed a checked bag of mine, and delayed another). Now I don't feel like I can bank on them in the long run to offer any specific product/benefit over the competition.
Seat allocations are gone. Earning rates are down. Burning rates are up. New LHR B4 flights have LGW style "lite" catering. I'm am fully expecting lounge access to be enhanced away on certain fares very soon. In a months time i'll be Gold for the first time (paid for 100% by myself as discentionary personal travel), and i've never felt more pessimistic about booking future travel with BA.
Last edited by shefgab; Mar 3, 2015 at 11:47 am
Mar 3, 2015, 11:43 am
#587
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Londinium
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 930
As long as we're going off piste (and I'm droning on and on)...random thoughts on hand baggage:
- Have never understood why airlines don't paint lines in the lockers and mark spaces inside with big letters "18A" "18B". Sure some would abuse, but people would at least get the feeling that they have an assigned space they should stick to.
- Before assigned seating, EZ used to let people who voluntarily gate checked their bags board first. Surely there are similar carrots BA can offer (priority boarding, duty free voucher, 50 bonus Avios, etc)
- At OLCI ask people how many carry-on items they're bringing and what size. Assign early boarding zone to people with no large bags, and if they violate, GAs make them wait to board.
- Have never understood why airlines don't paint lines in the lockers and mark spaces inside with big letters "18A" "18B". Sure some would abuse, but people would at least get the feeling that they have an assigned space they should stick to.
- Before assigned seating, EZ used to let people who voluntarily gate checked their bags board first. Surely there are similar carrots BA can offer (priority boarding, duty free voucher, 50 bonus Avios, etc)
- At OLCI ask people how many carry-on items they're bringing and what size. Assign early boarding zone to people with no large bags, and if they violate, GAs make them wait to board.
Mar 3, 2015, 11:43 am
#588
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA Gold....er now Silver...er now Bronze....er now Blue
Posts: 3,507
1 hour and 10 minutes on hold to silver line and still no reply. Maybe everyone's phoning in to complain about the new policy - or maybe the next enhancement is getting rid of all the CS staff.
Mar 3, 2015, 11:47 am
#589
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
As long as we're going off piste (and I'm droning on and on)...random thoughts on hand baggage:
- Have never understood why airlines don't paint lines in the lockers and mark spaces inside with big letters "18A" "18B". Sure some would abuse, but people would at least get the feeling that they have an assigned space they should stick to.
- Have never understood why airlines don't paint lines in the lockers and mark spaces inside with big letters "18A" "18B". Sure some would abuse, but people would at least get the feeling that they have an assigned space they should stick to.
As usual those who don't carry hand baggage on board subsidise thoughs who do.
Mar 3, 2015, 11:53 am
#590
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,693
Panorama ran a show at the start of the year on where it all went wrong for TESCO. Clearly BA mgmt were not watching because they are heading down the same pathway of taking customers for granted. It may take some time, but once the customers start to turn, it will not be easy to win them back.
Meanwhile the gap between the LCC's and BA continues to close....
http://www.independent.ie/life/trave...-31036167.html
In the end BA cannot compete on price versus the LCC's for SH, and are average at best for LH.
My advice to any 'long suffering shareholders' is sell while the going is good.
Meanwhile the gap between the LCC's and BA continues to close....
http://www.independent.ie/life/trave...-31036167.html
In the end BA cannot compete on price versus the LCC's for SH, and are average at best for LH.
My advice to any 'long suffering shareholders' is sell while the going is good.
Mar 3, 2015, 12:34 pm
#591
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,217
One other consequence of this that's just occurred to me is that there will now be a LOT of pax requesting manual changes at check-in counters and in the lounges. Do you think the policy will be a straight up 'no changes if you're on HBO' or will staff be willing to do this? If so, they are going to have a lot more work on their hands...
Ruinair charges £70 to check in at the airport although it has cut that to £45 with effect soon. It also reduced the fee for reprinting your boarding pass to £15 or so.
Don't give them ideas.
Because there isn't enough space for everyone to fit in something larger than a copy of the Daily Mail.
Mar 3, 2015, 12:43 pm
#592
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
My Facebook feed is overflowing with people saying they're abandoning BA after their upcoming bookings, as this news of the changes sinks in.. Young professionals and some in their middle ages. BA have dropped a clanger on this one.. If there's more to come, they'd better be absolutely sure of lemmings who will take those seats.
When the dust settles it will be business as usual, as people cannot let go their status or their marriage to Avios.
Mar 3, 2015, 12:46 pm
#593
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Berlin
Posts: 1,533
Mar 3, 2015, 12:54 pm
#594
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Anwhere ex-MAN
Programs: A3 *G, BA Silver
Posts: 2,706
As I posted earlier I think it is a quite brilliant revenue raising move by BA. Many people on here moan and say "right that is it, I'm moving to another program" ....but in reality most don't and never will.
[.......]
The rest of us reasonably regular and status pax who value advance seat selection will simply move back up to the previous fares before HBO. So BA simply get back the lost revenue. This is what I will do....is no big deal TBH as it is not a great deal of money, nor is it my money as 95% of my flights on BA are business related. Those that are not are Avios ones.
[......]
As a long suffering shareholder.....I say good move BA and lets hope it clears the cabin overheads a little bit too ^
[.......]
The rest of us reasonably regular and status pax who value advance seat selection will simply move back up to the previous fares before HBO. So BA simply get back the lost revenue. This is what I will do....is no big deal TBH as it is not a great deal of money, nor is it my money as 95% of my flights on BA are business related. Those that are not are Avios ones.
[......]
As a long suffering shareholder.....I say good move BA and lets hope it clears the cabin overheads a little bit too ^
You forget the point made earlier - many of the business travelers now use online booking systems provided by the Corporate Travel Agent with built in restrictions. I can fly C for legs over 7 hours, otherwise it's the cheapest Y on suitable flights. That means HBO fares on BA domestics. Trading up is not an option.
I won't be looking to retain Silver. The only real bonus (ironically) is the ability to book Main Cabin Extra seats on AA at no charge!
Mar 3, 2015, 1:08 pm
#595
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,671
Normal service will be resumed....in about 2 days I reckon!
Mar 3, 2015, 1:13 pm
#596
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
Mar 3, 2015, 1:22 pm
#598
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: scotland/EDI
Programs: BAEC , M&M , VIRGIN FC , FLYING BLUE
Posts: 1,438
You forget the point made earlier - many of the business travelers now use online booking systems provided by the Corporate Travel Agent with built in restrictions. I can fly C for legs over 7 hours, otherwise it's the cheapest Y on suitable flights. That means HBO fares on BA domestics. Trading up is not an option.
I won't be looking to retain Silver. The only real bonus (ironically) is the ability to book Main Cabin Extra seats on AA at no charge!
I won't be looking to retain Silver. The only real bonus (ironically) is the ability to book Main Cabin Extra seats on AA at no charge!
personally I think its ridiculous a company forcing its staff to travel HBO
Mar 3, 2015, 1:26 pm
#599
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
It's a bit of another to say "I always want you to buy me a checked bag fare even when I'm not going to check a bag"
