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 Ł10 discount; Ł15 on LHR-PRG; and Ł20 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 Ł7 to Ł21 per sector as a minimum, with differential pricing employed for better seats (e.g. an exit row on LHR-DUB was Ł23 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 2, 2015, 6:33 am
#91
Suspended
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 4,959
But it defeats the point. This is an absolutely crazy annihilation at the programme. Maybe FVDP was doing a great job after all.
I suggest that we all help BA solve their hand baggage problems, by booking tickets with Ryanair and Easyjet.
Mar 2, 2015, 6:35 am
#92
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: BA Gold Guest List, Concorde Room Card, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 728
Silver in the lowest possible fare bucket, with a bag, gets to choose a seat.
GGL in full fare Y, without a bag, doesn't get a seat.
Bonkers.
Mar 2, 2015, 6:36 am
#93
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Near Edinburgh
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 9,034
In the race to the bottom, is BA the first airline to start digging the hole?
And call me cynical, but did anyone receive a BA survey request a bit before the announce email?
I'd already complete the survey (I normally ignore these things but wanted to give them feedback). I think my response could be summarised as: BA? Meh.
And call me cynical, but did anyone receive a BA survey request a bit before the announce email?
I'd already complete the survey (I normally ignore these things but wanted to give them feedback). I think my response could be summarised as: BA? Meh.
Mar 2, 2015, 6:36 am
#94
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 5,653
I suspect that 95% of corporates are the same.
Plus I'm one of the few lucky ones where I have a business class policy over five hours.
Mar 2, 2015, 6:38 am
#95
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 932
I've often found them cheaper than EasyJet, and generally with more convenient flight times. Of course they can sometimes be more expensive, but they are clearly in competition with the LCC on these fares (and I happen to think competition is a good thing) and as such the no-thrills approach is to be expected.
Mar 2, 2015, 6:39 am
#96
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: BAEC Silver, LH FT, Accor Plat
Posts: 235
Is it possible to book a Fully Y HBO? I've never though about trying it 
Edit: After playing with BA.com it seems you can! I wasn't aware of that. Interesting!
In a word this is incredibly disappointing. As others have said I guess the logic is to spread HBO passengers out around the cabin to try to fix some of the mess that is ovehead space, but I don't see how it will work when 15D will just shove his bag above row 6 on his way down the back (something which I've seen happening more and more recently).
In any case, I'm find myself sitting here thinking "what's going to disappear next?" when I think of BA.
Edit: After playing with BA.com it seems you can! I wasn't aware of that. Interesting!
In a word this is incredibly disappointing. As others have said I guess the logic is to spread HBO passengers out around the cabin to try to fix some of the mess that is ovehead space, but I don't see how it will work when 15D will just shove his bag above row 6 on his way down the back (something which I've seen happening more and more recently).
In any case, I'm find myself sitting here thinking "what's going to disappear next?" when I think of BA.
Mar 2, 2015, 6:39 am
#97
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: East Anglia, England
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,056
In the race to the bottom, is BA the first airline to start digging the hole?
And call me cynical, but did anyone receive a BA survey request a bit before the announce email?
I'd already complete the survey (I normally ignore these things but wanted to give them feedback). I think my response could be summarised as: BA? Meh.
And call me cynical, but did anyone receive a BA survey request a bit before the announce email?
I'd already complete the survey (I normally ignore these things but wanted to give them feedback). I think my response could be summarised as: BA? Meh.
H
Mar 2, 2015, 6:39 am
#98
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: BA Gold Guest List, Concorde Room Card, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 728
Wrong.
I have to stop the misinformation in this thread. HBO is an option in ALL fare buckets. It's a discount for not taking a bag. Nothing to do with the price of the fare.
If I buy a fully flexible ticket, as a Gold card holder, who doesn't need a bag, why I am now unable to select a seat?
I have to stop the misinformation in this thread. HBO is an option in ALL fare buckets. It's a discount for not taking a bag. Nothing to do with the price of the fare.
If I buy a fully flexible ticket, as a Gold card holder, who doesn't need a bag, why I am now unable to select a seat?
Mar 2, 2015, 6:41 am
#99
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold / Hilton Diamond / IHG Diamond Ambassador / Marriot Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,527
Like others had to read the email (which only arrived 10 minutes ago) twice.
You may like to know that Hotline fares (staff friends and family fares) are cheaper than HBO fares and allow a bag to be checked in. They also provide tier points and Avios! So peope with Bronze status get to select seats ahead of Gold.
Great work BA!
You may like to know that Hotline fares (staff friends and family fares) are cheaper than HBO fares and allow a bag to be checked in. They also provide tier points and Avios! So peope with Bronze status get to select seats ahead of Gold.
Great work BA!
Mar 2, 2015, 6:43 am
#101
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: East Anglia, England
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,056
Wrong.
I have to stop the misinformation in this thread. HBO is an option in ALL fare buckets. It's a discount for not taking a bag. Nothing to do with the price of the fare.
If I buy a fully flexible ticket, as a Gold card holder, who doesn't need a bag, why I am now unable to select a seat?
I have to stop the misinformation in this thread. HBO is an option in ALL fare buckets. It's a discount for not taking a bag. Nothing to do with the price of the fare.
If I buy a fully flexible ticket, as a Gold card holder, who doesn't need a bag, why I am now unable to select a seat?
Mar 2, 2015, 6:44 am
#102
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 696
This is irritating - once the CE hard product was devalued it seemed that at least ET with exit row seating was an option for GCH and SCH.
We often travel as a couple or with in laws on long weekend breaks and used to book one 'with baggage' ticket and the other(s) as HBO as we genuinely only needed one (or 2 with GCH allowance) checked bag between us.
Now we're effectively forced to buy 'full fare' tickets if we want to make use of the status we have earnt with BA... Feels a bit like the straw that broke the jumbo's back!
We often travel as a couple or with in laws on long weekend breaks and used to book one 'with baggage' ticket and the other(s) as HBO as we genuinely only needed one (or 2 with GCH allowance) checked bag between us.
Now we're effectively forced to buy 'full fare' tickets if we want to make use of the status we have earnt with BA... Feels a bit like the straw that broke the jumbo's back!
Mar 2, 2015, 6:44 am
#103
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: CBG
Programs: BAEC Silver; M&M FT
Posts: 233
This is completely ridiculous for sb like me - i.e., who does around 2-3 return trips a month almost exclusively HBO on SH.
I've stuck with BA mainly because of a relatively small fare difference on my regular route (around 10-15GBP with HBO), more convenient flight times and lounges etc., but these "enhancements" are slowly eradicating these aspects one-by-one. If U2 is serious about the 1 personal bag + 1 suitcase for plus card holders, then my future's bright and orange from now on.
To be fair, I am probably exactly the sort of customer they want to drive away from BAEC given my travel and spending patterns.
I've stuck with BA mainly because of a relatively small fare difference on my regular route (around 10-15GBP with HBO), more convenient flight times and lounges etc., but these "enhancements" are slowly eradicating these aspects one-by-one. If U2 is serious about the 1 personal bag + 1 suitcase for plus card holders, then my future's bright and orange from now on.
To be fair, I am probably exactly the sort of customer they want to drive away from BAEC given my travel and spending patterns.
Mar 2, 2015, 6:44 am
#105
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: BAEC Silver, LH FT, Accor Plat
Posts: 235
You'll be allocated a seat automatically and you can pay to change it if you wish.
