FAQ: Same Day Changes (SDC) and Free Change on the Day (FCOD) on BA tickets
 

Hi all,

I understand the concept of standby doesn't really exist on BA for non-employees. So I'm thinking about buying a Euro Traveler "plus" fare that includes "change flights for free on day of travel" until "one hour before departure."

So this sounds like a same day confirmed change that many of the US airlines have. But I have searched Flyertalk and the web and can find no discussions of this. BA.com helpfully says the following about plus fares:

"...if your plans change last minute (a meeting ends early, or you want to stay longer) you can change your flight for free on the day of travel, up to one hour before your scheduled departure time. Just make the change via ba.com, the BA mobile app or via your travel agent. Conditions apply."

Nowhere can I find what these conditions are. Does the same fare class has to be available? Or if there is any coach seat available can I take it? Can I make the change at midnight the day of departure or is it 24 hours in advance? The route in question is LHR to VCE.

Thanks

you can make the change as long as there is a seat free in your chosen cabin, regardless of booking class. Midnight on day of departure should in theory be possible, but not tried it that early!

Have a look here:

http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/...horthaul-fares

I think there's quite a lot of discussion about this towards the end of the main thread on these new fares: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...structure.html

It can be any coach seat - doesn't need to be in the same fare class. You can make the change from midnight on the day of departure. It has to be changed at least one hour before your original departure.

Note that it's only available on direct flights, not connections.

More details from the BA trade website:

The link above to the main thread on FT about this provides the answers in depth. In short:

Any seat in the cabin (Eurotraveller that is), on the same route, with some ambiguity as to whether you can change to LGW or not (see thread). It doesn't need to be in the same fare bucket, and this opens after midnight local time on the day of travel, on the dot. If you do it before midnight you may have to pay a fare difference fee, but of course the buckets change hour by hour so you may be able to sneak in before.

Thank you... great and helpful responses all

I've just tried to make a same-day change on a 'Plus' ticket (after midnight on the day of travel) which would have shifted my departure form one London airport to another. System offered a series of possibilities but anything other than same actual airport then triggered a (large) change fee.

Rang exec club to ask what the actual policy was, a very helpful agent said she didn't know but would find out - she came back with the info that at some point in Mar 2016, London airports (and maybe other 'groups' like NYC etc) became 'separate' in the BA systems, and therefore not eligible for same-day no-fee changes.

When I said I'd done this before (eg after the new fares came in) she suggested that was a glitch that BA then ironed out.

So a big possible plus of the new fare structure is now not possible. :(

To be fair, BA's published policies on the new structure have always made clear it's same airport only. See the links above.

It does appear it took a while for BA to implement this rule in the IT.

I'm guessing this may partially be in response to people buying a cheapish fare to/from LGW (which are often much cheaper than LHR/LCY) but changing it to LHR on the day, hence saving a wedge of cash.

I suspect it was the case too, but they do lift the restrictions when there are irrops, and you can go in the other direction (LHR to LGW). In the latter case it seems it's not a "free" move, but since LGW is so much cheaper the fare difference is likely to be below zero anyway.

hmmmmmm bit of an iffy assumption for changes on the day surely?

Both the remaining flights to Glasgow today are £222 from LGW, I could've booked at £70 from LHR originally.

Seems like it is just your stated airport then, I was hoping for LON flexibility. Still very useful I'll be getting more of these fares.

this raises another similar question i have: historically i have learned and just accepted there is no such thing as being able to move to an earlier flight on BA much like you can with AA (for example) domestically and recently on longhaul. it is free for OWE, space permitting.

anyhow the other week i landed at LAX at 9am and have the 9pm on BA back to LHR and before venturing out i went to check in and just asked if i could move to the 330 to LHR despite knowing i was on an ex-DUB restricted ticket. he typed a few things in and without question moved me to the earlier flight.

was this just a generous agent? luck?

It could be either of these. The third option is that if there is bad weather / irrops agents are often given the green light to move shorthaul bookings to other services. This Same Day Change option does NOT apply to tickets on connnections, just point to point, single and returns.

Is there any way of telling before time whether there is a seat available on a particular flight? Is it as simple as if BA is prepared to sell you a ticket online then there is a seat available on that flight and one should be able to switch?