v odd fares ?!?
Jun 27, 19, 7:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: EDI
Programs: KL, BD, BA, CO
Posts: 352
v odd fares ?!?
Couple of times, I've noticed now that if I book, say EDI to LCY, the "hand baggage only - last to board - allocated seats" fare will be £239 whilst the "checked baggage - standard" fare is £138. Glitch or am I missing something?
Jun 27, 19, 8:19 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: LCY/DUB
Posts: 3,107
Is this the booking algorithm recognising (or failing to recognise?) that certain routes with high levels of corporate travel with strict HBO policy rules (e.g. LCY) mean that demand for the HBO fares are much higher and effectively uncorrelated with the demand for Plus fares?
or it could simply be BA’s IT infrastructure
or it could simply be BA’s IT infrastructure
Jun 27, 19, 4:31 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Former BA/AA/CP/LY employee, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Platinum, Samsung Platinum
Posts: 3,027
Shouldn't be inverted like that: for O/N/V/L/M/K/H/B booking classes there are HBO (Basic) and Standard (Plus) fares, so if only K class and higher is available, it should be the K- and K+ fares selling, not B- with M+
Jun 28, 19, 1:36 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: North of Watford Gap
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 602
Originally Posted by JAXBA
Shouldn't be inverted like that: for O/N/V/L/M/K/H/B booking classes there are HBO (Basic) and Standard (Plus) fares, so if only K class and higher is available, it should be the K- and K+ fares selling, not B- with M+
Jun 28, 19, 2:02 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: BAEC Bronze, Honors Diamond
Posts: 625
I noticed this recently when looking at fares to MAN (I think on the flight from LCY) Plus fare showing as £10 less than Basic. I didn’t pursue both right through the booking process to see if they would have actually booked like this.
Jun 28, 19, 2:14 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Macau SAR. HKG (office) and Kendal, Cumbria
Programs: BA Gold, Asia Miles, Avis Preferred Plus, PC Spire Ambassador
Posts: 714
MAN to HKG June 4 was cheaper W baggage than WO. But to nothing like the OP's extent. Outbound it was cheaper than that EDI-LCY HBO fare!
Jun 28, 19, 2:22 am
#7
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 47,300
This is supply / demand driven, and is typically seen either close to departure or for flights which are jammed up in advance for specific events such as around rugby/football games or mega conferences. It typically doesn't persist for long, when Basic is above Plus for more than a day or two the next step is for the Basic fare to vanish altogether, and in terms of overhead locker space that makes sense. The only thing odd I have noticed is that when it becomes Plus only , sometimes the Plus fare drops! So you may get something like
5 days before departure: Plus £250, Basic £280
4 days before departure: Plus £260, Basic £300
3 days before departure: Plus £270 no basic offered
2 days before departure: Plus £250
1 days before departure: Plus £230
And everything in between. That said these are data outliers, on your typical 90% loaded aircraft Basic and Plus maintain the usual differential, with the fare of both gently climbing upwards as the aircraft fills up.
5 days before departure: Plus £250, Basic £280
4 days before departure: Plus £260, Basic £300
3 days before departure: Plus £270 no basic offered
2 days before departure: Plus £250
1 days before departure: Plus £230
And everything in between. That said these are data outliers, on your typical 90% loaded aircraft Basic and Plus maintain the usual differential, with the fare of both gently climbing upwards as the aircraft fills up.
