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
Mar 20, 2019, 1:26 pm
#196
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,657
I have a quick one on same day changes- I've started reading the thread but not sure if the answer's somewhere in the depths of it --
Can you make a same day change for *some* pax on a booking, but not others?
i.e. if there are 4 of us booked onto the last flight of the day, but 2 need to fly earlier, is this possible, or does this break things?
Thanks very much in advance.
Can you make a same day change for *some* pax on a booking, but not others?
i.e. if there are 4 of us booked onto the last flight of the day, but 2 need to fly earlier, is this possible, or does this break things?
Thanks very much in advance.
Mar 21, 2019, 3:00 am
#197
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: QF, TK, VA, SQ
Posts: 695
Thank you both for the sage advice - forgot about the split booking thing!
There's a chance all the flights of the day will be full anyway, and we would still be able to fly the original booking- just 2 of us might be more well rested if we got home earlier that day.
Oh one last thing -- I know there was mention of it not being valid on non-return trips (e.g. PAR-LHR-AMS I think was the example).
We'd be doing LCY-MUC-LHR- is that also enough to be a dealbreaker?
There's a chance all the flights of the day will be full anyway, and we would still be able to fly the original booking- just 2 of us might be more well rested if we got home earlier that day.
Oh one last thing -- I know there was mention of it not being valid on non-return trips (e.g. PAR-LHR-AMS I think was the example).
We'd be doing LCY-MUC-LHR- is that also enough to be a dealbreaker?
Mar 21, 2019, 3:13 am
#198
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: 63,735
That should be OK, it would have said so on screen at the time of booking. It is often done in a domestic context where GLA and EDI have services to 3 London airports and so long as you stick to the same arrival and same departure airports it should be fine.
Mar 21, 2019, 3:31 am
#199
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: QF, TK, VA, SQ
Posts: 695
That should be OK, it would have said so on screen at the time of booking. It is often done in a domestic context where GLA and EDI have services to 3 London airports and so long as you stick to the same arrival and same departure airports it should be fine.
Mar 22, 2019, 8:00 am
#200
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: Honors Diamond
Posts: 1,636
Apr 2, 2019, 7:18 am
#201
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Leeds
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 54
Having read this thread I'll admit to still being a bit confused about whether you can SDC a CE ticket. Can anybody help de-confuse me?
I'm travelling on the 16.15 MUC-LHR then connecting to the 20.40 to MAN. I arrived at MUC exceptionally early and over an hour before the 12.45 departure.
I figured it was worth asking at the airport about a SDC to the earlier flight. The lovely check-in agent told me that my CE ticket is non-flexible but she would happily move me to the 12.45 as a goodwill gesture. Fantastic! But after a few minutes of glaring at the screen she said that she couldn't make the change because I am connecting onto Manchester.
No complaints from me, as the new lounge in MUC is lovely. But I'm confused about:
1. Whether it's possible to SDC a CE ticket, and
2. Why a connection at LHR would mean that she couldn't change my MUC-LHR segment.
Can anybody help de-confuse me?
I'm travelling on the 16.15 MUC-LHR then connecting to the 20.40 to MAN. I arrived at MUC exceptionally early and over an hour before the 12.45 departure.
I figured it was worth asking at the airport about a SDC to the earlier flight. The lovely check-in agent told me that my CE ticket is non-flexible but she would happily move me to the 12.45 as a goodwill gesture. Fantastic! But after a few minutes of glaring at the screen she said that she couldn't make the change because I am connecting onto Manchester.
No complaints from me, as the new lounge in MUC is lovely. But I'm confused about:
1. Whether it's possible to SDC a CE ticket, and
2. Why a connection at LHR would mean that she couldn't change my MUC-LHR segment.
Can anybody help de-confuse me?
Apr 2, 2019, 7:44 am
#202
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: 63,735
Yes, I can see the frustration, but yes if it is a through ticket it typically will not have SDC. Point to point typically will, so if you have separate MUC-LHR // LHR-MAN then that would have been fine.
From what I can make out, the reason that BA got all relaxed about this SDC functioanlity was the fact that if a ticket can be revalidated on to a new service, it is less costly, less problematic and doesn't require specialist staff, compared to revalidation. Which also explains why switching airports from EDI-LGW to EDI-LCY can't happen under SDC, a route change need a reissued ticket.
From what I can make out, the reason that BA got all relaxed about this SDC functioanlity was the fact that if a ticket can be revalidated on to a new service, it is less costly, less problematic and doesn't require specialist staff, compared to revalidation. Which also explains why switching airports from EDI-LGW to EDI-LCY can't happen under SDC, a route change need a reissued ticket.
Apr 2, 2019, 12:47 pm
#204
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Leeds
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 54
Thanks CWS and scottishpoet. That helps clarify a lot of situations where I I couldn't change previous bookings. And it's really useful going forward because I often assume that selecting Economy Plus on the domestic leg of a connecting service will mean that you get SDC on the ticket. I now realise the importance of them naming the ticket "Euro Traveller" rather than "Economy Plus"
No gripes from me, as I had a most enjoyable and surprisingly work-productive afternoon in MUC and just clinging onto the right side of wrong while I wait for the connection to MAN.
No gripes from me, as I had a most enjoyable and surprisingly work-productive afternoon in MUC and just clinging onto the right side of wrong while I wait for the connection to MAN.
Apr 2, 2019, 3:23 pm
#205
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,657
Thanks CWS and scottishpoet. That helps clarify a lot of situations where I I couldn't change previous bookings. And it's really useful going forward because I often assume that selecting Economy Plus on the domestic leg of a connecting service will mean that you get SDC on the ticket. I now realise the importance of them naming the ticket "Euro Traveller" rather than "Economy Plus"
No gripes from me, as I had a most enjoyable and surprisingly work-productive afternoon in MUC and just clinging onto the right side of wrong while I wait for the connection to MAN.
No gripes from me, as I had a most enjoyable and surprisingly work-productive afternoon in MUC and just clinging onto the right side of wrong while I wait for the connection to MAN.
Apr 25, 2019, 4:15 am
#207
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,879
Not sure you can tell from the booking class if it includes same day change or not, it needs to be a point to point "plus" fare. I think you could potentially get an "N" class on connecting flights and no same day change is available on connecting flights.
If it is changeable, since it has to be changed on the day of the booking it is probably best done by BA as the ticket would have moved under them at T-24. Also BA agents sometimes struggle the rules (I have been told I needed to pay as the fare bucket I bought in was not available, until I pointed that is was OK to change provided that there was availability in the cabin, not the fare bucket) so a TA may struggle even more.
I am assuming you want to change a flight for today? if not that's why its not working online. It needs to be changed on the same day as the flight
If it is changeable, since it has to be changed on the day of the booking it is probably best done by BA as the ticket would have moved under them at T-24. Also BA agents sometimes struggle the rules (I have been told I needed to pay as the fare bucket I bought in was not available, until I pointed that is was OK to change provided that there was availability in the cabin, not the fare bucket) so a TA may struggle even more.
I am assuming you want to change a flight for today? if not that's why its not working online. It needs to be changed on the same day as the flight
Apr 25, 2019, 4:19 am
#208
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 37
Thanks. It's point-to-point, but I don't know how to tell if it is "plus" or not. Any suggestions?
It is later today - I specifically queried the BA agent to whom I spoke ("It's within 24 hours of departure so BA has control") but she referred me to TA. TA wanted cash and refused to acknowledge existence of free same-day change.
It is later today - I specifically queried the BA agent to whom I spoke ("It's within 24 hours of departure so BA has control") but she referred me to TA. TA wanted cash and refused to acknowledge existence of free same-day change.
Apr 25, 2019, 4:28 am
#209
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,879
is it HBO (basic)? if its not HBO its likely to be a plus fare, but its complicated with TA as it may be a special TA fare that is HBO but includes a bag. You would need to ask the TA or check what your confirmation says.
The ba guide to whats included may help :
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...ort-haul-fares
or get to the airport early and see what they say at the desk
The ba guide to whats included may help :
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...ort-haul-fares
or get to the airport early and see what they say at the desk
Apr 25, 2019, 4:36 am
#210
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,888
There seem to be some notes on the speedbirdclub about how the TA is supposed to process SDC if it’s a plus fare
https://www.speedbirdclub.com/en/res...eting/shfares/
Just select “I don’t have an IATA number” to view.
https://www.speedbirdclub.com/en/res...eting/shfares/
Just select “I don’t have an IATA number” to view.