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-   -   How to avoid Economy Basic in ITA (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1942483-how-avoid-economy-basic-ita.html)

wilsnunn Nov 26, 2018 11:04 am

How to avoid Economy Basic in ITA
 
Hi all,

I am looking on ITA for flights to USA for next year, I keep finding ones with are economy basic but I would like to be able to pick my seats (especially if I end up on AA and have the option of MCE and bulkhead seats). I am aware that for AA, it is simply a case of adding "f ~bc=B" as their Economy Basic fares are always booked into B class, but with BA, this is not the case (I am happy to be corrected here!).

Any suggestions?

ptr120 Nov 26, 2018 4:05 pm

If all you are seeking to do is to book seats then you'll get that by the function of being a BA Silver card holder.

wilsnunn Nov 26, 2018 4:07 pm

Thanks for your reply @ptr120, it isn't just to book seats, it is to ensure checked baggage as well. From what I understand, as a BA silver, I won't get any checked baggage at all on BA flights but get to pick my seat whereas on AA I get checked baggage but not to pick my seats. The latter is preferable here (my wife cannot pack light) but both would be the most preferable option!

Often1 Nov 26, 2018 7:03 pm

BA status, even AA status, does not get one free seat selection on BE international fares. Either one pays or a seat is randomly assigned at check-in from what is left. Same for domestic, but even with payment, can't make the selection until 48 hours prior to flight time.

These tickets are also a terrible deal as they are wholly inflexible, e.g. must be flown exactly as ticketed or become worthless.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/...ic-economy.jsp

wilsnunn Nov 26, 2018 7:13 pm

@Often1, thanks for that, I had been basing my knowledge off the following table:


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...fcd7882f56.png

(taken from page 5 of here: https://loyaltylobby.com/wp-content/...e-guide_en.pdf) Is this table now out of date?

Lack of flexibility is not that important to me, I am used to buying the cheapest economy tickets and therefore used to having pretty much zero flexibility. But I am trying to avoid these fares anyway, hence looking for a way to exclude them from ITA Matrix!

Foltan Nov 27, 2018 1:46 am

If you're set on flying with BA on a Standard Economy fare, I don't quite see why it matters? The cheapest flight you can find will still be the cheapest flight, because for all of them you'll have to pay a bit extra for the Standard Economy fare.

If it's a choice between AA and BA then surely you'd be foolish not to choose the former, seeing as you have the option of MCE seats?

Andriyko Nov 27, 2018 1:53 am


Originally Posted by wilsnunn (Post 30469387)
Thanks for your reply @ptr120, it isn't just to book seats, it is to ensure checked baggage as well. From what I understand, as a BA silver, I won't get any checked baggage at all on BA flights but get to pick my seat whereas on AA I get checked baggage but not to pick my seats. The latter is preferable here (my wife cannot pack light) but both would be the most preferable option!

But in such a case you do need AA flights. By booking AA marketed but BA operated flights you'll get both free seat selection (operating carrier driven), and free baggage (marketing carrier driven). All you need is to book AA*BA flights.

To answer you question - no, there is no way to avoid BE on BA because BA offers BE up to H class rather than one specific booking class as AA does.

rockflyertalk Nov 27, 2018 2:02 am

I was very confused as to what the checked baggage game entails! The main thread about this didn’t clear it up for me either!

Is not just AA marketed and AA operated to get CB on Sapphire & Emerald?

tobsw Nov 27, 2018 3:06 am

Yep, that table is out of date, it doesn't apply (it was bizarre from the beginning). There is a new table for luggage though (since june 2018) - where luggage is dependent on marketing AND operating carrier as well.

But anyway, for the OP, just add about 80-100 GBP to the total fare per person, that will book you on the "Standard" fare.

Essentially, luggage wise with/on BA:
-with a BA ticket: no free baggage on any carrier with any status.
-if BA is operating your flight, no free baggage with any status (independent of who is marketing your flight).

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b753df0bd9.png

Checked baggage status holders Basic TA fares IB/AY/AA/BA.

wilsnunn Nov 27, 2018 4:19 am


Originally Posted by Foltan (Post 30470718)
If you're set on flying with BA on a Standard Economy fare, I don't quite see why it matters? The cheapest flight you can find will still be the cheapest flight, because for all of them you'll have to pay a bit extra for the Standard Economy fare.

If it's a choice between AA and BA then surely you'd be foolish not to choose the former, seeing as you have the option of MCE seats?

I am not set on flying BA, more set on finding the cheapest tickets that will give me the most in terms of baggage allowance and seat selection, hence looking for standard bundled fares. I have had experience before where Google flights priced the flights correctly and I called BA to book, and the BA agent said that changing to bundled economy made the tickets about £300 more per person, nearly doubling the price of the ticket.

wilsnunn Nov 27, 2018 4:23 am


Originally Posted by Andriyko (Post 30470731)
But in such a case you do need AA flights. By booking AA marketed but BA operated flights you'll get both free seat selection (operating carrier driven), and free baggage (marketing carrier driven). All you need is to book AA*BA flights.

To answer you question - no, there is no way to avoid BE on BA because BA offers BE up to H class rather than one specific booking class as AA does.


Originally Posted by tobsw (Post 30470856)
Yep, that table is out of date, it doesn't apply (it was bizarre from the beginning). There is a new table for luggage though (since june 2018) - where luggage is dependent on marketing AND operating carrier as well.

But anyway, for the OP, just add about 80-100 GBP to the total fare per person, that will book you on the "Standard" fare.

Essentially, luggage wise with/on BA:
-with a BA ticket: no free baggage on any carrier with any status.
-if BA is operating your flight, no free baggage with any status (independent of who is marketing your flight).

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b753df0bd9.png

Checked baggage status holders Basic TA fares IB/AY/AA/BA.

Thank you both, unfortunately it seems that there is quite some confusion surrounding these unbundled fares! @Andriyko do you have experience (or knowledge of somebody who as) managed this as it seems to contradict the new table provided by @tobsw.

And @tobsw, please note what I said in my previous reply, unfortunately it has been the case (on not just one occasion) whereby adding £100 per ticket or so was not representative of the fare difference when I had tried to book with BA on the phone.

Andriyko Nov 27, 2018 4:39 am


Originally Posted by wilsnunn (Post 30470983)
@Andriyko do you have experience (or knowledge of somebody who as) managed this as it seems to contradict the new table provided by @tobsw.

Sorry but I was relying on the old tables, and I believe that you should plan your trip on the basis of the new one.

Richmond_Surrey Nov 27, 2018 5:32 am

I'm not sure the new table is correct. I booked on AA tickets and AA codes and checked bag on BA flight. My reservation had outbound on BA and return on AA + BA as operating carriers. I used original table when booking and I'm silver with BA.

tobsw Nov 27, 2018 5:38 am

The valid table for checked baggage is the one I posted. The other one, posted by Wilsnunn was the first one published in march, but was replaced by the new one (essentially, it was very weird that baggage was only dependent on marketing carrier...).

So if your are Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald, if you want free luggage, make sure to book on AA on AA metal. That way you get free luggage. But then you can not choose seats for free.

tobsw Nov 27, 2018 5:59 am


Originally Posted by Richmond_Surrey (Post 30471137)
I'm not sure the new table is correct. I booked on AA tickets and AA codes and checked bag on BA flight. My reservation had outbound on BA and return on AA + BA as operating carriers. I used original table when booking and I'm silver with BA.

When did you book this itinerary?


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