Same day flight change BA
May 3, 2017, 12:08 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 5
Same day flight change BA
Dear all,
I have a flight from London to Milan in british airways (Economy plus ticket) in the evening. I noticed that there is another BA flight on same day in the morning (departing from same london airport and arriving at same airport in Milan as that of my present ticket) and would like to change to that.
The ticket says change of flight on same day is at free cost until 1 hour before the departure of the flight. This "Free" thing is quite hard to believe for me, because generally flight companies always try to make as much money as they can and hide all the conditions somewhere in the corner where people cannot notice.
If anyone in this forum have done same day flight change before could you please share your expereince? is it really free to change the flight on same day or you will be asked to pay extra amount? and changes can be done in online itself or it has to be done only at the airport?
Any information that you have regarding this please let me know.
Thanks,
I have a flight from London to Milan in british airways (Economy plus ticket) in the evening. I noticed that there is another BA flight on same day in the morning (departing from same london airport and arriving at same airport in Milan as that of my present ticket) and would like to change to that.
The ticket says change of flight on same day is at free cost until 1 hour before the departure of the flight. This "Free" thing is quite hard to believe for me, because generally flight companies always try to make as much money as they can and hide all the conditions somewhere in the corner where people cannot notice.
If anyone in this forum have done same day flight change before could you please share your expereince? is it really free to change the flight on same day or you will be asked to pay extra amount? and changes can be done in online itself or it has to be done only at the airport?
Any information that you have regarding this please let me know.
Thanks,
May 3, 2017, 12:11 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Programs: BA Silver - hard drop from GGL :( SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, AC E50k
Posts: 567
Quite easy to do online , as long as you are not HBO. Do not check in for your flight if you intend to change it, makes it a lot harder, since you have to be off loaded before changed...
if issues online, just call BAEC. Change is free as long as there is availability in same class of travel...
if issues online, just call BAEC. Change is free as long as there is availability in same class of travel...
May 3, 2017, 12:12 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Le Club Platinum, SPG Gold, SLH Honoured
Posts: 38
Yup, do this often enough now when meetings finish early. Just call BA on the day of travel itself, and they will change it straight away (assuming there are seats on the flight you want to be on). On a couple of occasions, I had an agent claim it wasn't free, called back and spoke to someone else and it was all sorted.
May 3, 2017, 12:15 pm
#4
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: 63,818
Welcome to Flyertalk pravn.kumar, and welcome to the BA Board. It's good to see you here, and I hope that we will see more of you on this useful resource.
Yes, if it is a Plus fare, it really is changeable for free on the day, the replacement flight needs to have spare seating in EuroTraveller, and the route needs to be identical (so for example you can't swap LHR and LCY from Linate).
The easiest way to make a change is on the BA App, about 10 or 20 minutes after midnight on the day in question. In the past this was a bit flakey, but usually it works for me these days. It may apparently look like there is a charge involved, but if you get the big Consent banner, the final change should be free of charge. It can also be done for free by telephone or at the airport, I would allow a bit more than 1 hour, just so you can get the agent in good time for a system deadline. The actual change is about 6 key strokes, so it's quite quick. Do not, however, check in until you are sure you have sorted your final flight. Check in has to be done no more than an hour before departure, but if you do it at T-24 you can't easily change it online.
The other thing that sometimes catches people out is that they assume they have a Plus ticket and they don't. But from your context it seems clear that you are OK on that one.
Yes, if it is a Plus fare, it really is changeable for free on the day, the replacement flight needs to have spare seating in EuroTraveller, and the route needs to be identical (so for example you can't swap LHR and LCY from Linate).
The easiest way to make a change is on the BA App, about 10 or 20 minutes after midnight on the day in question. In the past this was a bit flakey, but usually it works for me these days. It may apparently look like there is a charge involved, but if you get the big Consent banner, the final change should be free of charge. It can also be done for free by telephone or at the airport, I would allow a bit more than 1 hour, just so you can get the agent in good time for a system deadline. The actual change is about 6 key strokes, so it's quite quick. Do not, however, check in until you are sure you have sorted your final flight. Check in has to be done no more than an hour before departure, but if you do it at T-24 you can't easily change it online.
The other thing that sometimes catches people out is that they assume they have a Plus ticket and they don't. But from your context it seems clear that you are OK on that one.
May 3, 2017, 12:23 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,921
I have done it a few times. Book the cheapest plus ticket available for a flight that I am prepared to take and then on the day change it to a flight I would prefer. There is always a risk there will be no seats available on that flight
May 3, 2017, 12:35 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: US of A
Programs: Delta Diamond, United 1K, BA Blue, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 1,775
Checking in should not make it more difficult to change the flight. Checking in earlier has its benefits, so I wish BA would improve on that.
May 3, 2017, 1:37 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 5
Thank you so much guys, this relieved me a lot.
No, I have not checked in. I plan to checkin only few hours before the flight or when i have sucessfully changed the flight. Actually, the flight that I want to change to, is at higher price, about 150 pounds higher than my current ticket, so I wasn't sure if this would work. But, from you comments it seems that its an easy process.
Just one more question. Is the process of "changing the flight on same day", is same as the one that can be done at anytime in "manage my booking" option? or this process is something different?
Because in one of the link https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...horthaul-fares it shows to enter some SK and OSI keyword. I really dont know what they are. In my ticket its not mentioned. I did the booking online myself (no agent involved).
Thanks in advance to answer my query.
No, I have not checked in. I plan to checkin only few hours before the flight or when i have sucessfully changed the flight. Actually, the flight that I want to change to, is at higher price, about 150 pounds higher than my current ticket, so I wasn't sure if this would work. But, from you comments it seems that its an easy process.
Just one more question. Is the process of "changing the flight on same day", is same as the one that can be done at anytime in "manage my booking" option? or this process is something different?
Because in one of the link https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...horthaul-fares it shows to enter some SK and OSI keyword. I really dont know what they are. In my ticket its not mentioned. I did the booking online myself (no agent involved).
Thanks in advance to answer my query.
May 3, 2017, 2:09 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,499
Thank you so much guys, this relieved me a lot.
No, I have not checked in. I plan to checkin only few hours before the flight or when i have sucessfully changed the flight. Actually, the flight that I want to change to, is at higher price, about 150 pounds higher than my current ticket, so I wasn't sure if this would work. But, from you comments it seems that its an easy process.
Just one more question. Is the process of "changing the flight on same day", is same as the one that can be done at anytime in "manage my booking" option? or this process is something different?
Because in one of the link https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...horthaul-fares it shows to enter some SK and OSI keyword. I really dont know what they are. In my ticket its not mentioned. I did the booking online myself (no agent involved).
Thanks in advance to answer my query.
No, I have not checked in. I plan to checkin only few hours before the flight or when i have sucessfully changed the flight. Actually, the flight that I want to change to, is at higher price, about 150 pounds higher than my current ticket, so I wasn't sure if this would work. But, from you comments it seems that its an easy process.
Just one more question. Is the process of "changing the flight on same day", is same as the one that can be done at anytime in "manage my booking" option? or this process is something different?
Because in one of the link https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...horthaul-fares it shows to enter some SK and OSI keyword. I really dont know what they are. In my ticket its not mentioned. I did the booking online myself (no agent involved).
Thanks in advance to answer my query.
It can be done any time after midnight on the day of your flight.
The page you link to is instructions for travel agents, not passengers!
May 3, 2017, 4:44 pm
#10
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: 63,818
Because in one of the link https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...horthaul-fares it shows to enter some SK and OSI keyword. I really dont know what they are. In my ticket its not mentioned. I did the booking online myself (no agent involved).
and you'll want the second button for the same day change.
May 3, 2017, 7:28 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 5
The screen shot you have put in above post, shows up like that only on the date of travel? because for me it is showing a different screen like this (below/attachment), in which it does not give 3 option. Only option I have is "are you changing the date of flight". Is it something new change in the website? or, Am I missing something? or doing it wrong? Even in BA app it gives me same option. Guys please help me out.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Last edited by pravn.kumar; May 4, 2017 at 7:40 am Reason: added picture and edited sentence
May 13, 2017, 8:59 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 32
Club europe
Does anyone know if free changes on day of departure apply to Club Europe? I changed last week from one to another at airport but wasn't sure if it was I was gold and had extenuating circumstances or if it was because it was allowed (LHR-GLA booked after domestic club Europe launch). Person at LHR seemed to say it was part of ticket but I can't see that anywhere.
Thanks
Thanks
May 13, 2017, 9:05 am
#13
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,477
Does anyone know if free changes on day of departure apply to Club Europe? I changed last week from one to another at airport but wasn't sure if it was I was gold and had extenuating circumstances or if it was because it was allowed (LHR-GLA booked after domestic club Europe launch). Person at LHR seemed to say it was part of ticket but I can't see that anywhere.
Thanks
Thanks
So, I have received a fully deserved slapped wrist from our illustrious Ambassador, the knower of all things BA, c-w-s. It seems BA has extended the same day benefit, something I certainly wasn't aware of.
The correct answer is that CE Same Day changes are now allowed on domestic CE flights and also on LGW services, but not Europe LCY and LHR flights. BA.com is clear when you book as to whether SDC is allowed.
Last edited by NWIFlyer; May 13, 2017 at 9:48 am
May 15, 2017, 4:00 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 32
So, I have received a fully deserved slapped wrist from our illustrious Ambassador, the knower of all things BA, c-w-s. It seems BA has extended the same day benefit, something I certainly wasn't aware of.
The correct answer is that CE Same Day changes are now allowed on domestic CE flights and also on LGW services, but not Europe LCY and LHR flights. BA.com is clear when you book as to whether SDC is allowed.
Jun 15, 2017, 5:11 am
#15
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: LHR
Programs: BAEC GGL & CCR / QF LTG
Posts: 829
Does anyone know if free same day change applies for multi-city flights? I am booking LHR – ARN, OSL – LHR and there is no reference to a free same day seat change in any of the fare conditions.