BA Enhances its short haul economy fare structure
Mar 9, 2016, 1:40 am
#286
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: 63,829
Existing bookings will retain their previous fare conditions, and certainly for the next 6 months or so that will be enforced. Thereafter you may get some agent flexibility at the airport.
Mar 9, 2016, 1:43 am
#287
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: LUX
Programs: BAEC Gold, MILLEMIGLIA Freccia Alata, M&M Blue
Posts: 406
I was just checking a flight I usually take and here is what happe:
If I take the HBO FARE on the right flight numbers it costs me 144,00 € return without seat selection
I I go for the new semi-flex (with checked luggage and seat selection at the time of booking for Silver and Golds) picking the cheapest flight numbers , it quotes me 142,00 €
If my understanding of the new rules is right, I can buy the semi flex fare and change the legs to my convenient flight time on the day of departure without any fee (unless they are fully booked). This would make the semi-flex fare cheaper than the HBO fare with the only condition that the flights are not fully booked.
Am I missing something?
If I take the HBO FARE on the right flight numbers it costs me 144,00 € return without seat selection
I I go for the new semi-flex (with checked luggage and seat selection at the time of booking for Silver and Golds) picking the cheapest flight numbers , it quotes me 142,00 €
If my understanding of the new rules is right, I can buy the semi flex fare and change the legs to my convenient flight time on the day of departure without any fee (unless they are fully booked). This would make the semi-flex fare cheaper than the HBO fare with the only condition that the flights are not fully booked.
Am I missing something?
Mar 9, 2016, 1:59 am
#288
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: BAEC (Gold)
Posts: 700
I was just checking a flight I usually take and here is what happe:
If I take the HBO FARE on the right flight numbers it costs me 144,00 € return without seat selection
I I go for the new semi-flex (with checked luggage and seat selection at the time of booking for Silver and Golds) picking the cheapest flight numbers , it quotes me 142,00 €
If my understanding of the new rules is right, I can buy the semi flex fare and change the legs to my convenient flight time on the day of departure without any fee (unless they are fully booked). This would make the semi-flex fare cheaper than the HBO fare with the only condition that the flights are not fully booked.
Am I missing something?
If I take the HBO FARE on the right flight numbers it costs me 144,00 € return without seat selection
I I go for the new semi-flex (with checked luggage and seat selection at the time of booking for Silver and Golds) picking the cheapest flight numbers , it quotes me 142,00 €
If my understanding of the new rules is right, I can buy the semi flex fare and change the legs to my convenient flight time on the day of departure without any fee (unless they are fully booked). This would make the semi-flex fare cheaper than the HBO fare with the only condition that the flights are not fully booked.
Am I missing something?
Mar 9, 2016, 2:18 am
#290
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL (for now) and Lifetime Gold, Marriott fan thanks to Bonvoy Moments
Posts: 5,115
It's not particularly clear, but I disagree - at any time the cost is no fee + fare difference, but on the day it's free. Given difference in language I don't see fare difference applying on the day (unless it's buried in the Ts&Cs)
Mar 9, 2016, 2:34 am
#292
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,201
I think it's even better than that -Changes:
In other words, you can change to any route/time prior to departure and get a confirmed ticket. On the day of departure (not clear if it is only up to the time check in closes, the time of departure, or the entire day) it seems to be saying that you can fly on that flight unless it is full (i.e., ranking behind the cheapest HBO O-fare sold for that flight).
If fare difference applied on the day of travel, there'd be no need for the second part.
Time/date changes permitted at any time before each flight departure for the difference in fare.
Free changes on the day of departure provided changes are for same date/cabin/route/airport. Changes subject to availability.
Free changes on the day of departure provided changes are for same date/cabin/route/airport. Changes subject to availability.
If fare difference applied on the day of travel, there'd be no need for the second part.
Mar 9, 2016, 2:36 am
#293
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,201
Mar 9, 2016, 2:37 am
#294
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 80
I think it's even better than that -Changes:
In other words, you can change to any route/time prior to departure and get a confirmed ticket. On the day of departure (not clear if it is only up to the time check in closes, the time of departure, or the entire day) it seems to be saying that you can fly on that flight unless it is full (i.e., ranking behind the cheapest HBO O-fare sold for that flight).
If fare difference applied on the day of travel, there'd be no need for the second part.
In other words, you can change to any route/time prior to departure and get a confirmed ticket. On the day of departure (not clear if it is only up to the time check in closes, the time of departure, or the entire day) it seems to be saying that you can fly on that flight unless it is full (i.e., ranking behind the cheapest HBO O-fare sold for that flight).
If fare difference applied on the day of travel, there'd be no need for the second part.
Mar 9, 2016, 2:37 am
#295
formerly rxfleming
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: AUH, DXB (and GLA)
Programs: BA GGL, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat Elite
Posts: 2,456
Thanks CWS. I assume they'll enforce this through the POS date or GDS rules for the tix. But as you say as time goes by they will probably become lax.
Mar 9, 2016, 2:41 am
#296
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,201
No harm in asking but as it specifically says same cabin/route/airport then, unless the staff are being overly helpful, you'd be stuck with DUB-LCY as opposed to DUB-LHR.
Mar 9, 2016, 2:44 am
#297
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
Maybe that information is specific to the O fare.
If they've now scrapped the option to UuA for anything other than fully flexible fares that would be very odd. They only introduced the option to upgrade the K, L, M, N, S, V buckets late last year, I find it hard to believe they've already enhanced it away.
If they've now scrapped the option to UuA for anything other than fully flexible fares that would be very odd. They only introduced the option to upgrade the K, L, M, N, S, V buckets late last year, I find it hard to believe they've already enhanced it away.
Mar 9, 2016, 2:50 am
#298
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: BAEC (Gold)
Posts: 700
Apologies, misread the question. Thought the poster was suggesting buying cheap flight and then immediately changing to another flight. Agree that it would be free on the day if seats available.
Mar 9, 2016, 3:01 am
#299
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,201
I just did a dummy booking OSL - LHR one way, upgrading using avios, and it came back with the N-class price.
So it seems that either the fare being booked was an O/Q/G fare, or the benefits are simply over-simplified and under-stated.
So it seems that either the fare being booked was an O/Q/G fare, or the benefits are simply over-simplified and under-stated.
Mar 9, 2016, 3:03 am
#300
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LHR, LGW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,440
What I did was take a series of screen shots of my 4 most frequent services, for 22 March and 20 April. Now I took these screenshots 48 hours back so there will be changes in fares over a 48 hour period, quite legitimately.
My impressions, taking into account that it's a limited amount of data:
- no changes to LGW prices at all, but that's because the changes haven't rolled through there, still showing change fees on non HBO.
- not much changes on LCY, but the changes are in place
- not much change on LHR fares for flights a month out for shorthaul Europe
- an increase in fares for Domestic, the NCL-LHR £46 is now £54 across the board
- an increase in fares close up to departure, in the £3 to £10 area. So the delta between HBO and non HBO is maintained, but the fares are up
- no obvious changes to Club Europe, so closer in this becomes more attractive.
So my overall impression is that for leisure travellers booking in advance this works fine, you get "free" extra flexibility. For domestic travellers there seems to be a fare increase. For people buying close in (e.g. business travellers) the fares are a bit higher but the non HBO fare is more attractive.
It's worth remembering that the competition here is Easyjet: they don't give any meaningful refund on their normal fares, unlike BA which at the cheaper end gives quite a hefty refund on cancellations. So subject to how LGW works out, where the U2 competition is far greater, there is a moderate repositioning of BA's fares in these changes.
My impressions, taking into account that it's a limited amount of data:
- no changes to LGW prices at all, but that's because the changes haven't rolled through there, still showing change fees on non HBO.
- not much changes on LCY, but the changes are in place
- not much change on LHR fares for flights a month out for shorthaul Europe
- an increase in fares for Domestic, the NCL-LHR £46 is now £54 across the board
- an increase in fares close up to departure, in the £3 to £10 area. So the delta between HBO and non HBO is maintained, but the fares are up
- no obvious changes to Club Europe, so closer in this becomes more attractive.
So my overall impression is that for leisure travellers booking in advance this works fine, you get "free" extra flexibility. For domestic travellers there seems to be a fare increase. For people buying close in (e.g. business travellers) the fares are a bit higher but the non HBO fare is more attractive.
It's worth remembering that the competition here is Easyjet: they don't give any meaningful refund on their normal fares, unlike BA which at the cheaper end gives quite a hefty refund on cancellations. So subject to how LGW works out, where the U2 competition is far greater, there is a moderate repositioning of BA's fares in these changes.
It seems like a geniune improvement and clearer system! lets hope it doesn't hike in price over the coming months for the "checked bags" fares! as I've always brought the non-HBO fares as a leisure traveller so i'd like to continue this.