Nov 17, 2019, 2:13 am
Last edit by: Prospero
Same Day Change (SDC) is known as Free Change on the Day (FCOD) within BA. It is available on Plus and CE revenue tickets, single and return, so long as they are not complicated. It is not available on Avios tickets, redemption tickets issued to other frequent flyer schemes, to open jaw tickets, on carriage (tickets with connections) or any other sort of complexity. Also previously changing a ticket with SDC (FCOD) may make it ineligible for SDC, for example if it now becomes open jaw.
You can change the ticket online, via the Contact Centre or at the airport, but see the thread for details and experiences. You can change only after local midnight - up to one hour before departure - for the leg concerned, and only on to another flight on the same route, you can't switch arrival or departure airport at all. If you want to switch a LHR-NCE to LGW-NCE you would have to pay the fare difference and change fee, though in that example it wouldn't necessarily be a huge cost. If there is bad weather or operational problems BA may allow SDC/FCOD anyway, and that does allow a change to airports.
You can change the ticket online, via the Contact Centre or at the airport, but see the thread for details and experiences. You can change only after local midnight - up to one hour before departure - for the leg concerned, and only on to another flight on the same route, you can't switch arrival or departure airport at all. If you want to switch a LHR-NCE to LGW-NCE you would have to pay the fare difference and change fee, though in that example it wouldn't necessarily be a huge cost. If there is bad weather or operational problems BA may allow SDC/FCOD anyway, and that does allow a change to airports.
FAQ: Same Day Changes (SDC) and Free Change on the Day (FCOD) on BA tickets
Nov 6, 2023, 12:51 am
#751
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 70
If you are changing the first leg of your trip, ie the outbound it will need the be changed through the agent as they will still have control of the ticket, if you have travelled out and want to change the return leg you should be able to do this via whatever channel you prefer
Nov 6, 2023, 12:56 am
#752
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 43,145
If you are changing the first leg of your trip, ie the outbound it will need the be changed through the agent as they will still have control of the ticket, if you have travelled out and want to change the return leg you should be able to do this via whatever channel you prefer
Nov 6, 2023, 1:44 am
#753
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 70
Post outbound travel the original agent or the airline can make changes, the only caveat to that is if you are already checked in you must get yourself "offloaded" before an agent can make a change, in this instance you need to speak to the airline so you may as well change it through them
Nov 6, 2023, 1:49 am
#754
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 43,145
Full control is only limited to pre-outbound. In that instance any changes must be done through whoever you booked the ticket with.
Post outbound travel the original agent or the airline can make changes, the only caveat to that is if you are already checked in you must get yourself "offloaded" before an agent can make a change, in this instance you need to speak to the airline so you may as well change it through them
Post outbound travel the original agent or the airline can make changes, the only caveat to that is if you are already checked in you must get yourself "offloaded" before an agent can make a change, in this instance you need to speak to the airline so you may as well change it through them
SDC is a very specific type of change which involves only a ticket revalidation, rather than a ticket reissue which a normal change would require.
Nov 6, 2023, 2:02 pm
#755
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BA Executive Club, Aeroplan
Posts: 196
You can definitely do a SDC after you have checked in, I do this pretty often. You can do it on the app and will get a new BP to download. The only time I have ever had a problem was when I booked a flight at short notice e.g. <48h but I am not sure if that was actually a function of the timeframe or some other issue with the booking.
Nov 7, 2023, 10:53 am
#756
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,662
Full control is only limited to pre-outbound. In that instance any changes must be done through whoever you booked the ticket with.
Post outbound travel the original agent or the airline can make changes, the only caveat to that is if you are already checked in you must get yourself "offloaded" before an agent can make a change, in this instance you need to speak to the airline so you may as well change it through them
Post outbound travel the original agent or the airline can make changes, the only caveat to that is if you are already checked in you must get yourself "offloaded" before an agent can make a change, in this instance you need to speak to the airline so you may as well change it through them
Theres no issue with calling BA to do free change on the day on a travel agency booking for the outbound flight.
Nov 9, 2023, 5:03 am
#758
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 123
If it is a same day change and an Economy Plus ticket on a simple routing ie Manchester - Heathrow then it can be done online and is free of charge. If it is a multi segment booking or includes a Hotel or Car Hire then it cannot be changed on the day free of charge.
Nov 9, 2023, 5:09 am
#759
Join Date: Jan 2022
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 1,489
Sometimes it will initially say 50 change fee, but if you go through to the next screen, it is free. All assuming it's a normal ticket eligible for SDC.
Nov 9, 2023, 6:03 am
#760
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 123
Hi Karfa
Did you see anything in writing that you cannot make a SDC with a BA Holidays booking ?
I managed to get British Airways Holidays to do this for one booking but it was not easy and they might have done it as a goodwill gesture.
It would be good to see the definitive situation in writing.
Thanks in advance
Did you see anything in writing that you cannot make a SDC with a BA Holidays booking ?
I managed to get British Airways Holidays to do this for one booking but it was not easy and they might have done it as a goodwill gesture.
It would be good to see the definitive situation in writing.
Thanks in advance
Nov 9, 2023, 1:51 pm
#761
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,061
Did you see anything in writing that you cannot make a SDC with a BA Holidays booking ?
I managed to get British Airways Holidays to do this for one booking but it was not easy and they might have done it as a goodwill gesture.
It would be good to see the definitive situation in writing.
I managed to get British Airways Holidays to do this for one booking but it was not easy and they might have done it as a goodwill gesture.
It would be good to see the definitive situation in writing.
Nov 9, 2023, 1:53 pm
#762
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA ExecPlat; AF Gold; UA GS; Hyatt L. Globalist; Marriott Plat; Hilton Diamond; National EE
Posts: 6,185
If I have an AA ticketed one-way flight LHR-JFK, would BA allow a same-day change to either an earlier or later flight?
Nov 9, 2023, 1:58 pm
#763
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 6,037
Any flexbility would be determined by the fare rules on your ticket and would likely involve change fees and fare difference.
Nov 27, 2023, 2:12 am
#764
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 8
As a data point, I was able to do a FCOD at the check-in counter in CPH for CPH-LHR, on a Euro Traveller Plus fare booked through a travel agent and upgraded using Avios.
Obviously not complaining about this, but how does UuA affect the fare rules for FCOD (if at all)?
Obviously not complaining about this, but how does UuA affect the fare rules for FCOD (if at all)?
Nov 27, 2023, 4:12 am
#765
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Near Manchester
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 397
I've just done this at Heathrow for the first time.
Booked CE on the 1730 to Manchester, noticed there was 1 CE seat remaining on the 1255 departure.
Went to the FW and asked the agent if I could change, he rang ticketing up. He kept quoting disruption only but he'll ask. Was on hold for 5 minutes when I said the BA website says you can change for free on the day. He had not heard of this, but read the wording and did it there and then!
Booked CE on the 1730 to Manchester, noticed there was 1 CE seat remaining on the 1255 departure.
Went to the FW and asked the agent if I could change, he rang ticketing up. He kept quoting disruption only but he'll ask. Was on hold for 5 minutes when I said the BA website says you can change for free on the day. He had not heard of this, but read the wording and did it there and then!
Last edited by LancashireFlyer; Nov 27, 2023 at 4:53 am