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
#136
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Changes on the day of scheduled departure:
Not permitted. Non-refundable.
Not permitted. Non-refundable.
#137
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: BA Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 305
I understand that but my point was regarding being pragmatic at the airport/gate in getting everyone across to where they need to go.
In that, Qantas have always been very accommodating (even with no/low status); with BA it’s always a no no. I get left behind at the gate and the plane flies with empty seats.
If then things go wrong later in the day, (IROPS), BA has even more pax at the outstation that then need to be taken care of.
In that, Qantas have always been very accommodating (even with no/low status); with BA it’s always a no no. I get left behind at the gate and the plane flies with empty seats.
If then things go wrong later in the day, (IROPS), BA has even more pax at the outstation that then need to be taken care of.
#138
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And the answer to your question, therefore, is "revenue protection", in exactly the same way that that's the reason for the formal rules for the formal fare feature. I don't think anyone needs to have spelled out again what the revenue danger is for an airline that's too ready to dish out on-the-day flexibility for free when it's actually a chargeable item.
Different airlines may have different attitudes towards pragmatism, but they're working with different models anyway. Personally, I haven't experienced QF being so good unless there are already IRROPS happening or expected - precisely the circumstances in which BA is reported as being prepared to be more flexible.
And the US airlines run it differently again because they're playing a different game. The different approaches to overselling/VDB alone demonstrate that.
#140
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,105
SDC after POUG? Or in CE In general?
Can I use Same Day Change if I have bought a POUG?
If routing matters, it's for AMS-LHR.
More generally, is it available in CE these days more widely than a few special routes? I suppose the catering round trip issue might come into play from an outstation.
(yes, CE is fairly pointless AMS-LHR but I might decide I want a top up on tier points).
If routing matters, it's for AMS-LHR.
More generally, is it available in CE these days more widely than a few special routes? I suppose the catering round trip issue might come into play from an outstation.
(yes, CE is fairly pointless AMS-LHR but I might decide I want a top up on tier points).
#141
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#142
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
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I'm assuming that if I POUG the outbound, the return remains as before with the same flexibility. I.e., only that segment which has received a POUG loses its SDC, successive segments are unaffected?
I'm familiar with them on this route as they are offered to me quite often, even on my travel agency tickets - get home early or get an early advance on status next year, decisions, decisions...
#143
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That's correct. However the usual problem in this area is that it is the sort of change which risks the unPOUG'd sector to not be visible to agents at an SDC reservation - in other words the keywords drop off the reservation and on the face of it the SDC facility isn't present. The fare basis layout should give the clue but it's a longstanding bug - you should invite the agent to consider it was a Plus fare to begin with. Same too, incidentally, if you paid for a POUG, decided to remove the POUG (you get nothing back, not even taxes) - you are then back to your old ticket conditions but this sort of rigmarole will also lose the keywords. I think the moral to this story is only POUG if you are not going to change your plans for the sector concerned, and if there are other sectors which you may want to SDC, then be aware of the keyword issue. If BA makes you change your plans due to irrops (etc) then that's different, your upgrade will be preserved.
#144
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: UK - BHD
Programs: BMI Diamond Club refugee: BA-Br; HH-D
Posts: 912
Does SDC work with EI-operated flights bought on ba.com?
I think I have screwed-up a booking for which I had intended to keep the SDC facility as an option...
Basically, I have booked a BHD-LHR return on BA.com for later this week and selected a BA-operated outbound on a 'plus' fare [deliberately] and an EI-operated inbound since it was the last flight of the day. I had foolishly made the assumption that selecting the fare offered in the 'middle-column' (where the plus fare is found) would mean I'd be buying plus fare terms (also, since the flight has a BA2XXX flight number).
But on checking the confirmation email I can find no reference to the cost of flight changes and no reference to the SDC facility. On doing a dummy-booking, the EI-operated flights are only offered in the middle column (at an inflated price compared to aerlingus.com!) but are referred to as 'economy checked baggage' without reference to basic or plus. The fare conditions read:
Belfast to London: Time/date changes permitted at any time before each flight departure for a change fee of £60 or an upgrade fee of £60 plus any difference in fare. Free changes on the day of departure provided changes are for same date/cabin/route/airport.
London to Belfast: Time/date changes permitted at any time for the difference in fare. [nothing else...]
So, does anyone have experience of invoking SDC on an EI-operated flight booked via BA with a BA flight no? Or am I just stuffed?!
Thank you
Basically, I have booked a BHD-LHR return on BA.com for later this week and selected a BA-operated outbound on a 'plus' fare [deliberately] and an EI-operated inbound since it was the last flight of the day. I had foolishly made the assumption that selecting the fare offered in the 'middle-column' (where the plus fare is found) would mean I'd be buying plus fare terms (also, since the flight has a BA2XXX flight number).
But on checking the confirmation email I can find no reference to the cost of flight changes and no reference to the SDC facility. On doing a dummy-booking, the EI-operated flights are only offered in the middle column (at an inflated price compared to aerlingus.com!) but are referred to as 'economy checked baggage' without reference to basic or plus. The fare conditions read:
Belfast to London: Time/date changes permitted at any time before each flight departure for a change fee of £60 or an upgrade fee of £60 plus any difference in fare. Free changes on the day of departure provided changes are for same date/cabin/route/airport.
London to Belfast: Time/date changes permitted at any time for the difference in fare. [nothing else...]
So, does anyone have experience of invoking SDC on an EI-operated flight booked via BA with a BA flight no? Or am I just stuffed?!
Thank you
#145
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SDC isn't available on EI, IB, VY or AY operated services. However some people have got the App to work on AY.
#146
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#148
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no. SDC isn’t included in connecting itineraries like that. It’s only for one way or simple returns for short haul and domestic flights.
#149
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
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I had some recent adventures in same-day change with a non BA FF number on the reservation, which was issue by a TA and I was trying to change the return ticket having flown the outbound on a previous day. Routing LHR-AMS-LHR, with a POUG offered.
I was offered a free SDC but trying to do a same-day change via the BA website with an AA FF number on my reservation failed at the last stage, with a hint that I should add my Executive Club number. This happened even if I used a private browsing tab and did not log into BA.com.
Instead, I tried asking the corporate travel desk at my company to get the corporate TA to change it with hilarious results: they came back with a £290 cost. I declined that.
Changing my FF number to the BAEC number via the Finnair website worked immediately, and then I was able to do the SDC. So, SDC without BAEC number seems not to work in some cases, but the Finnair website does help.
I was then able to use the Finnair site to change my FF number back to the AA one.
Through all this, the POUG was still offered on the new flight. So I took it, I am quite close to the AA EP threshold so it all helps.
I am still waiting for an answer about what value is added by our travel agent.
I was offered a free SDC but trying to do a same-day change via the BA website with an AA FF number on my reservation failed at the last stage, with a hint that I should add my Executive Club number. This happened even if I used a private browsing tab and did not log into BA.com.
Instead, I tried asking the corporate travel desk at my company to get the corporate TA to change it with hilarious results: they came back with a £290 cost. I declined that.
Changing my FF number to the BAEC number via the Finnair website worked immediately, and then I was able to do the SDC. So, SDC without BAEC number seems not to work in some cases, but the Finnair website does help.
I was then able to use the Finnair site to change my FF number back to the AA one.
Through all this, the POUG was still offered on the new flight. So I took it, I am quite close to the AA EP threshold so it all helps.
I am still waiting for an answer about what value is added by our travel agent.
Last edited by flatlander; Dec 12, 2018 at 9:17 am Reason: fix typo, I changed back to AA FF number after
#150
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
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Posts: 391
I had some recent adventures in same-day change with a non BA FF number on the reservation, which was issue by a TA and I was trying to change the return ticket having flown the outbound on a previous day. Routing LHR-AMS-LHR, with a POUG offered.
I was offered a free SDC but trying to do a same-day change via the BA website with an AA FF number on my reservation failed at the last stage, with a hint that I should add my Executive Club number. This happened even if I used a private browsing tab and did not log into BA.com.
Instead, I tried asking the corporate travel desk at my company to get the corporate TA to change it with hilarious results: they came back with a £290 cost. I declined that.
Changing my FF number to the BAEC number via the Finnair website worked immediately, and then I was able to do the SDC. So, SDC without BAEC number seems not to work in some cases, but the Finnair website does help.
I was then able to use the Finnair site to change my FF number back to the BA one.
Through all this, the POUG was still offered on the new flight. So I took it, I am quite close to the AA EP threshold so it all helps.
I am still waiting for an answer about what value is added by our travel agent.
I was offered a free SDC but trying to do a same-day change via the BA website with an AA FF number on my reservation failed at the last stage, with a hint that I should add my Executive Club number. This happened even if I used a private browsing tab and did not log into BA.com.
Instead, I tried asking the corporate travel desk at my company to get the corporate TA to change it with hilarious results: they came back with a £290 cost. I declined that.
Changing my FF number to the BAEC number via the Finnair website worked immediately, and then I was able to do the SDC. So, SDC without BAEC number seems not to work in some cases, but the Finnair website does help.
I was then able to use the Finnair site to change my FF number back to the BA one.
Through all this, the POUG was still offered on the new flight. So I took it, I am quite close to the AA EP threshold so it all helps.
I am still waiting for an answer about what value is added by our travel agent.
I'm also a bit lost as to the consequences when the ticket has been booked by a corporate TA. I recently called on the day of travel to make a same day change (had flown the outbound leg and wished to bring forward the return). It was a "flex" flight I had booked however the TA insisted there was a fee of >£260 to do so. When questioned they advise that booking a flex ticket through a TA nullifies the same day change immediately. I've made a formal complaint to the TA however wondered if I had been able to get through to BA directly (after 20 mins on the silver line on hold I gave up) could they have amended the flight with no charge or should I have gone to the airport and enquired there?