feival

Is a hand baggage only fare from LGW-BCN just that if I am a Gold BAEC member? I wasn't sure if I still qualify for free luggage with that status. Sorry to be dumb but I've only just got gold. Thank you.

corporate-wage-slave

The Basic fares - HBO fares as they also known as - have no exceptions for status - if you want to checked in luggage then your new Gold card isn't going to make a difference, you will still have to pay to check in a bag. Plus fares give you addition space and weight allowances and are usually better value if you definitely have to check in a bag.

The two exceptions are when a flight is full and you may get a text or email message a day before travel saying that the HBO restriction has been removed; also if your bags are within the HBO limits for cabin bags normally speaking you can check in a bag to reduce cabin space pressure so long as that is "instead of" rather than "as well as" cabin baggage. But neither is status related.

feival

Brilliant. Thank you for confirming so clearly.

bisonrav

You do get free seat selection at time of booking though

DMPHL

Last year, as a OWE (from AA EXP) traveling on a hand baggage only fare, I got an email the day before telling me that the flight would be full, and so that they recommend I check the bag for free.

When I checked in at F check-in, he said that I was on a Hand Baggage fare, and I mentioned the email. He asked to see it, but when I went to find it, the agent just checked the bag for me for free.

orbitmic

cws mentions this in his post - it happens frequently but is totally unrelated to status: all the passengers on HBO on your flight will have received the same offer.

Frequentflyer99

I know this is an old thread, but it raises a query to which I would appreciate the answer. Assuming ET travel for a GCH on an HBO fare, and the e-mail inviting the baggage to be checked in, I assume that the limit on what could be checked in would be a hand baggage size case (perhaps they might turn a blind eye to slightly larger bag ?). Is that correct?

frandrake

In my experience yes, they are flexible if the carry on is slightly above the limit but you may be refused if the bag is much larger.

Also, I would expect only one piece of luggage to be checked and at that point you should not have anything else to carry on (a part from a personal item), although I guess this can be easily fooled by leaving your carry on hidden somewhere during check in.

snaxmuppet

Again, resurrecting the thread again (sorry)... I know that Basic (HBO) fares are normally late boarding (Group 5?)... and as has been said above status does not give you any extra baggage allowance with a Basic fare (unless HBO restrictions are lifted as explained)... but does status give you priority boarding such as Group 1 or 2 even though you have a Basic fare?

Frequentflyer99

Yes, boarding is by status and the fare is irrelevant.

craigthemif

When boarding is done properly. Otherwise every Bronze and their extended family is in the "priority" queue.