BA Enhances its short haul economy fare structure
Feb 25, 2016, 5:41 am
#46
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Silver/ows, CX AsiaMiles (not even GR anymore!) missing my GO days
Posts: 1,581
BA Enhances its short haul economy fare structure
Another consideration is what will happen with bookings through BA Holidays, which is how I book most of my personal travel on BA. These currently booking into restricted non-HBO so you get what amounts to a good price plus status benefits. If these now start booking into HBO it would be a problem for status holders.
Feb 25, 2016, 5:44 am
#47
Join Date: May 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,741
I hope your feeling is wrong, since status benefits are already limited on HBO fares. We could end up only getting full status benefits on fully flex tickets...
Feb 25, 2016, 5:52 am
#48
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,916
Another consideration is what will happen with bookings through BA Holidays, which is how I book most of my personal travel on BA. These currently booking into restricted non-HBO so you get what amounts to a good price plus status benefits. If these now start booking into HBO it would be a problem for status holders.
Feb 25, 2016, 5:58 am
#49
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, HH Diamond, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,219
Let's be clear on this:
The non-flexible fare has been removed completely, meaning that BAEC members can't choose their seats unless they buy a semi-flex ticket (which will be significantly pricier than HBO usually) or pay for the selection like a regular customer.
Hopefully seat selection will continue for BA Holidays and RFS redemptions, which are the majority of my shorthaul-only bookings, but this still can't be a great thing for the budget, European traveller.
The non-flexible fare has been removed completely, meaning that BAEC members can't choose their seats unless they buy a semi-flex ticket (which will be significantly pricier than HBO usually) or pay for the selection like a regular customer.
Hopefully seat selection will continue for BA Holidays and RFS redemptions, which are the majority of my shorthaul-only bookings, but this still can't be a great thing for the budget, European traveller.
Feb 25, 2016, 6:04 am
#50
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
Let's be clear on this:
The non-flexible fare has been removed completely, meaning that BAEC members can't choose their seats unless they buy a semi-flex ticket (which will be significantly pricier than HBO usually) or pay for the selection like a regular customer.
Hopefully seat selection will continue for BA Holidays and RFS redemptions, which are the majority of my shorthaul-only bookings, but this still can't be a great thing for the budget, European traveller.
The non-flexible fare has been removed completely, meaning that BAEC members can't choose their seats unless they buy a semi-flex ticket (which will be significantly pricier than HBO usually) or pay for the selection like a regular customer.
Hopefully seat selection will continue for BA Holidays and RFS redemptions, which are the majority of my shorthaul-only bookings, but this still can't be a great thing for the budget, European traveller.
Regarding seating, we don't yet know if the 'Free seat selection from 48 hours prior to departure' also applies to status members, or we'll be able to select at time of purchase as now. Hopefully there will be some clarification when we get the e-mail from British Airways!
I think we need all the facts before we can truly make a judgement on these changes.
Feb 25, 2016, 6:09 am
#51
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,774
Yes, that's about right. The big question is whether lounge access will eventually fall down the hole too.
Feb 25, 2016, 6:18 am
#52
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,212
Those with status seem to be the ones worrying the most...but they always do.
Feb 25, 2016, 6:26 am
#53
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: London
Posts: 344
I assume this doesn't affect reward flights? If not, the change looks good to me. I occasionally pay cash fares for ba short haul, when doing positioning flights for ex-EU. For those flights I need luggage anyway, and the flexibility of free flight changes on the day should be great for dealing with delays on the way home
Feb 25, 2016, 6:28 am
#54
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland
Programs: BA gold
Posts: 3,902
Like most weary FTers on here, at first glance it looks like a genuine enhancement.
As ever, the devil is in the details if it's just a normal enhancement, so will be interesting to see what answers come up for the questions that's been asked.
As ever, the devil is in the details if it's just a normal enhancement, so will be interesting to see what answers come up for the questions that's been asked.
Feb 25, 2016, 6:28 am
#55
Join Date: Aug 2015
Programs: BA Gold, BCFC Season ticket
Posts: 70
I find it interesting that the fully flex ticket will allow access to BA lounges. It doesn't explicitly say that the other tickets won't allow access but one has to wonder....
Feb 25, 2016, 6:32 am
#56
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 308
As I read it only fully flex tickets on UK domestic routes come with lounge access. Presumably this is because there is no Club class on these flights.
Feb 25, 2016, 6:36 am
#57
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: London. Edinburgh, Cornwall
Programs: BA GGL, British Midland Lifetime* Loser
Posts: 7,950
Sussex Bantam you're thinking of lounge access independent of status. The discussion is about whether BA will eventually withdraw lounge access for status card holders on HBO or semi-flex fares.
I'm unhappy but would tolerate HBO with paid-for choice of seat provided all others benefits (lounge access, tier points, avios) remain as now.
I'm unhappy but would tolerate HBO with paid-for choice of seat provided all others benefits (lounge access, tier points, avios) remain as now.
Feb 25, 2016, 6:37 am
#58
Join Date: Aug 2015
Programs: BA Gold, BCFC Season ticket
Posts: 70
Feb 25, 2016, 6:40 am
#59
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Of course, many others get lounge access by virtue of status.
Feb 25, 2016, 6:42 am
#60
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That's what I am guessing too: some people read this as "now for the extra £10 of with luggage fee, you can get a semi flexible ticket with free changes on departure day" while I read it as "now, all cheap fares will be HBO and anyone wanting to add a cabin bag will either need to pay the much higher luggage fee or move to semi-flex ticket categories with a significant price difference.