Changing flight time on the day
May 21, 2023, 9:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 13
Changing flight time on the day
I’m due to fly to Glasgow tomorrow evening, and am hoping to do an on-the-day change to an earlier flight (I’ve booked economy plus). Does anyone know what BA’s definition of on the day is ie. Is it worth staying up until midnight tonight to try then or do I need to wait until the morning? Can’t find the answer on BA website.
thanks for any help
thanks for any help
May 21, 2023, 9:20 am
#2
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,155
See this thread and note the details in the Wiki which I've copied below.
FAQ: Same Day Changes (SDC) and Free Change on the Day (FCOD) on BA tickets
Same Day Change (SDC) is known as Free Change on the Day (FCOD) within BA. It is available on Plus and CE revenue tickets, single and return, so long as they are not complicated. It is not available on Avios tickets, redemption tickets issued to other frequent flyer schemes, to open jaw tickets, on carriage (tickets with connections) or any other sort of complexity. Also previously changing a ticket with SDC (FCOD) may make it ineligible for SDC, for example if it now becomes open jaw.
You can change the ticket online, via the Contact Centre or at the airport, but see the thread for details and experiences. You can change only after local midnight - up to one hour before departure - for the leg concerned, and only on to another flight on the same route, you can't switch arrival or departure airport at all. If you want to switch a LHR-NCE to LGW-NCE you would have to pay the fare difference and change fee, though in that example it wouldn't necessarily be a huge cost. If there is bad weather or operational problems BA may allow SDC/FCOD anyway, and that does allow a change to airports.
FAQ: Same Day Changes (SDC) and Free Change on the Day (FCOD) on BA tickets
Same Day Change (SDC) is known as Free Change on the Day (FCOD) within BA. It is available on Plus and CE revenue tickets, single and return, so long as they are not complicated. It is not available on Avios tickets, redemption tickets issued to other frequent flyer schemes, to open jaw tickets, on carriage (tickets with connections) or any other sort of complexity. Also previously changing a ticket with SDC (FCOD) may make it ineligible for SDC, for example if it now becomes open jaw.
You can change the ticket online, via the Contact Centre or at the airport, but see the thread for details and experiences. You can change only after local midnight - up to one hour before departure - for the leg concerned, and only on to another flight on the same route, you can't switch arrival or departure airport at all. If you want to switch a LHR-NCE to LGW-NCE you would have to pay the fare difference and change fee, though in that example it wouldn't necessarily be a huge cost. If there is bad weather or operational problems BA may allow SDC/FCOD anyway, and that does allow a change to airports.
May 21, 2023, 11:57 am
#4
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,155
I hope any changes go smoothly and please do report back if possible. Oh and a warm welcome to Flyertalk and over here on the BA Board pp2584 
A fantastic source of knowledge and information of all BA and oneworld related queries and much of that is in the BA Forum Dashboard and we'll worth a look (if required)
A fantastic source of knowledge and information of all BA and oneworld related queries and much of that is in the BA Forum Dashboard and we'll worth a look (if required)
May 21, 2023, 12:11 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN
Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 5,902
There’s good availability on most flights tomorrow but the 1.15pm and 6.15pm are almost full. If you want to be on one of those, I recommend you go to manage my booking at midnight tonight. It’s very easy to make the change in most cases. Otherwise you’ll have availability on most other flights when you wake up in the morning.
May 21, 2023, 12:21 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 34
I am also planning to do this for an upcoming flight, I have a booking that is round trip originating in London. The booking departs LHR, but arrives back into LCY. I understand open jaw tickets aren't eligible, but will I be OK to do an SDC for the outbound LHR leg? Or is the booking considered open jaw as the departure / arrival are technically 2 separate airports (albeit both in London)?
May 21, 2023, 12:24 pm
#7
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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That's handled in the main thread - this will almost certainly be priced as a LON fare and therefore LHR/LCY isn't considered open jaw. However you cannot swap airports, you have to stick to services from the original departure and end points.
May 21, 2023, 1:04 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 13
thanks for the tip… will see what’s available at midnight!
There’s good availability on most flights tomorrow but the 1.15pm and 6.15pm are almost full. If you want to be on one of those, I recommend you go to manage my booking at midnight tonight. It’s very easy to make the change in most cases. Otherwise you’ll have availability on most other flights when you wake up in the morning.