mcgol

Just called in to use the SDC for my business avios flight today and was told that “we have never heard of SDC, and while this may be possible on a cash ticket, we are not trained for cash bookings and it certainly doesn’t exist for reward bookings”

just as a sanity check, is this true? Any reason why?

can anyone report of success/failure of asking for the SDC at the check in desk on a reward booking - there shud be space on the flight I want to go on as Ba is still selling (cash) tickets for this.

Its not a biggie if not, would just like to take a flight 90 minus earlier back to London today - from BA463 to BA461...

especially after on my outbound flight to Madrid yesterday I got the 777 and was seated in the first cabin - the 461 today would be 777 again while 463 is 321...

thanks for reporting on any success stories of this

orbitmic

corporate-wage-slave

The rules on changes to Avios bookings haven't changed recently, whereas SDC is relatively new. What you could have done, for £35 if not GGL or Premier, is switched service before T-24, but not after. Or made another booking if that was a viable use of resources. Within 24 hours the original booking is fairly inflexible.

Calchas

At LHR, unlikely. Elsewhere, quite possible. Also ask in the lounge if there is a BA-run lounge.

Mike P

Does SDC apply to CE, even on cash tickets? I thought it was just ET cash tickets but stand to be corrected.

orbitmic

No, it's been introduced on point to point CE for a while.

Mike P

OK thanks, that's useful to know.

mcgol

orbitmic

Yes! My guess is that CE customers had become loudly unhappy that ET customers paying much lower fares would be allowed same day changes that they were refused without a fee. Given the importance of flexibility to the corporate market, I think BA had to fix that quickly or see the rare companies which still book short haul CE massively downbuy!

Mike P

That makes a lot of sense and I did think it was slightly odd that cheaper ET tickets had this greater level of flexibility but not more expensive CE tickets. That's something I might well be able to make use of on occasion in future.

orbitmic

It's not that he didn't want, He was absolutely correct, an avios ticket can't just be "changed" for cash, let alone at a time when it is no longer eligible. So yes, you could buy an entirely new ticket but that's not a change, and if that is what you want, quite frankly, you are best off doing it online to avoid paying the exorbitant ticket desk fees.

The lounge will say no too.

EDDLEGLL

I keep finding the fact that Avios RFS have the same checked baggage allowance as the Plus fares but no SDC very confusing! I can never remember if I booked the plus fare, basic or a RFS and have been caught out before.

corporate-wage-slave

If it's a straightforward single or return, then go to MMB (or select Manage My Booking on the App in Manage My Flight). Under the flight line the Baggage entry will clearly show "Hand baggage only" with a red line through the bag. This can only be a revenue Basic fare, no SDC.

If there is a baggage allowance but no TPs or Avios then it's an RFS / redemption. No SDC.

Baggage allowance and tier points = Plus fare and SDC.

The oddity in this is UuA, since it will come up with TPs and Avios (which may or may not be accurate), baggage allowance, but no SDC. However in that specific example, the selling class - visible in "More flight information" - will be U.

EDDLEGLL

Cheers for that clarification. I actually never opened the "more flight information" dialogue..

Would you also happen to know if there is SDC when I accept a (cash) POUG on an Avios booking? I never used to get these but, in recent months, they appear quite frequently and I sometimes accept them on the return to LHR for a bit of a treat. SDC would make those even more compelling.

corporate-wage-slave

No, you wouldn't be able to SDC in that scenario. Your best bet would be to hold off on the POUG until T-24. Before that if there is Avios availability then you can change flight for the £35 fee, after that your Avios booking is totally inflexible anyway, so adding the POUG makes no difference. If you had a POUG on a revenue Plus ticket it's also without SDC, however at least in theory you can reverse the POUG (no refund) and then do an SDC. However I suspect the computer will say no anyway.