 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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This has been available for many years. There’s sometimes a big saving in booking a very early/very late flight, and changing to the one you actually want, but it’s not without risk.
I’ve used it a few times, it’s very easy on the app, but as the FlyerTalk thread makes clear, there’s a bunch of potential “gotchas” (connecting flights, tickets you’ve already changed, lack of availability, a relatively narrow window to make changes etc).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@James the Last, I didn’t know about it, thanks. I usually use BA for hand luggage only short hauls for me or family trips needing four tickets so likely be of limited use but handy to know.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@James the Last, it used to be just Gold cards that could do it but then became general. You can donor on the app from 1 min past midnight.
I used to always book the 21:40 flight from Gatwick to Glasgow. Business class was cheaper than the 18:00 economy.
Then I would turn up and ask if there was availability for the early flight. Even happy to downgrade.
If not I just sat in the lounge for a few hours having some food and a couple of glasses 
I think I only changed on the app twice.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@GlasgowCyclops, can you do it if you've already checked in?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Hurtle, I’ve only done it as a gold card holder so the rules may be different.
As a silver they used to want to charge me the fare difference but as a GCH it was never a problem.
If you have checked in and only have hand luggage it is okay. I’ve done it loads at the airport lounge. If you have checked in hold luggage it is a no I’m afraid.
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@GlasgowCyclops, according to the above, you can't do it at all on a hand luggage only deal. Guess I should look at the website and not try to work out the position from a mixture of in-date and out-of-date info! 
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@Hurtle, Ahhh I should have clarified. BA with a connection is business or economy plus. BA to and from London have a HBO fare. Hand baggage only.
What I meant was a normal economy plus fare (which allows you to take a hold bag) but don’t take a hold bag, just take a cabin bag and a small under seat bag.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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You can do similar on EasyJet flexi fares. I’ve used it to my advantage when arriving at Geneva airport way too early and then being able to hop on an earlier flight at no cost.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@GlasgowCyclops, thanks. I'd probably have got there in the end!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| @GlasgowCyclops, can you do it if you've already checked in? |
If I remember correctly, it won't work via the app if you've already done online check-in. You can do it, but you'll need to phone to get them to un-check you in.
I've been using the Economy Plus free change functionality since it was introduced in 2016 - I always book the cheapest flights to/from Geneva (often the earliest or latest departures of the day). I then change to the flight I actually want at midnight. I've saved a lot of money by doing this and the flight I want has always been available to change to - however, I never fly during busy holiday periods etc.
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This is indeed a wizard wheeze!
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You know it makes sense.
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@musehead, that is exactly what I did. The “expensive flight” is always the last one to fill up so there is normally seats available.
I’ve not done it on the phone but have done it in the Airport Lounge. Both the 1st class lounge and the Business lounge in LHR have staff and in Gatwick the staff at the lounge can also do it.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Wish this worked with lowest Economy tier. Done it a few times from GVA to LHR when I've travelled with luggage. It shortened the travel day by a few hours which was nice, but not enough to tempt me to a higher price ticket if I'm just travelling with hand luggage.
Does anyone knows if it works with BA tickets bought through BA Holidays, eg, flight and car hire combos?
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Poster: A snowHead
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@rob@rar, No, it doesn't. Only works with flight-only bookings.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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As I'm flying with BA today LHR-GVA, out of curiosity I took a look. All the flights have free changes apart from one that would attract a change fee (56 chf in my case).
It is actually the cheapest of the flights by a long way if I were to book it independently today, but perhaps the fee is because it is from LGW with BA Euroflyer rather than LHR with BA.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Whitters, are you confusing flexible fares (change at any time to any equivalent flight) with “free change on the day”? If you’re looking to book the same day that you’re flying, usually the only fares are the expensive fully flex tickets.
Euroflyer flights from Gatwick have the same “free change on the day” option as Ba mainline flights. You can theoretically swap between euroflyer and mainline as well, but reports on FlyerTalk suggest this needs to be done over the phone rather than via the app.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| musehead wrote: |
| @rob@rar, No, it doesn't. Only works with flight-only bookings. |
Thanks, that's a shame.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| musehead wrote: |
| @rob@rar, No, it doesn't. Only works with flight-only bookings. |
Thanks, that's a shame. |
I’ve had BA hols change a flight on the day for free (via the duty office phone number that they send you just before travelling). It’s not an automatic entitlement but can be worth a try.
A note of caution on the whole approach though- the high load factors on most BA flights nowadays, mean that I wouldn’t plan around same day change being successful whatever way you go about it, particularly if there’s more than one of you on a booking.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| snowdave wrote: |
| rob@rar wrote: |
| musehead wrote: |
| @rob@rar, No, it doesn't. Only works with flight-only bookings. |
Thanks, that's a shame. |
I’ve had BA hols change a flight on the day for free (via the duty office phone number that they send you just before travelling). It’s not an automatic entitlement but can be worth a try.
A note of caution on the whole approach though- the high load factors on most BA flights nowadays, mean that I wouldn’t plan around same day change being successful whatever way you go about it, particularly if there’s more than one of you on a booking. |
Thanks for that, noted for future reference.
On the couple of occasions (travelling alone) when I was able to make the change on the day it meant I flew three or four hours earlier than I'd booked without having to pay a premium. A little bonus to shorten the travel day, but not something I'd expect to always be available.
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@snowdave, well it was just an experiment to see if I could change my existing flight for free today if I wanted to, and all but the BA euroflyer from LGW were free.
I had hold luggage but, to my knowledge, it wasn’t a fully flexible fare, so this is good to know for future reference in case I want to take an earlier or later flight.
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@Whitters, sorry, I misunderstood your comment; I thought you meant you’d looked at making a new booking today to see what the terms were.
Free change on the day historically hasn’t allowed any airport change, so your issue may be that you were looking at an LGW flight on an LHR ticket.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Slightly off topic, but when I was regularly flying around europe in Business/Club back in the '80s (to then go offshore), it was common practice to switch airline on the day (on the same route). You rocked up to the airport, checked the board for the first flight to your destination, presented your full-fare business ticket from any airline at the relevant check-in desk, and they put you on their flight if there were seats  . I assume there was some kind of reciprocal agreement between the main (national?) european carriers. This thread has made me wonder if that still exists?
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| snowdave wrote: |
I’ve had BA hols change a flight on the day for free (via the duty office phone number that they send you just before travelling). It’s not an automatic entitlement but can be worth a try. |
Many thanks for this tip. Worked a treat today, bringing forward my flight from GVA by three hours, free of charge. I rang the BA Holidays number they sent me by text and the rep said I was entitled to change my flight on the day, if there was space on an earlier flight. Have at least another couple of bookings this season so will see if it works again, although they’ll probably be on busier days.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@rob@rar, glad it worked!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Oh this is good to know! Thanks
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Oh this is good to know! Thanks
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You know it makes sense.
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@rob@rar, Interesting, thanks! I had thought it was not possible so that's good to know.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I had an Avios flight today. Had already checked in. The airport desk ‘unchecked’ me and said I could then go ion the app and make a change of time as there were seats available. App wouldnt let me do it - very helpful person on the BA exec club explained not possible on Avios
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Poster: A snowHead
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@alti - dude, FCOD via the app has never been possible on Avios, but if there are Avios seats on alternative flights, I've managed to change via the call centre. Depending on your status with BA, whether there's any disruption/delays that day, and whether the rep is feeling generous, there's either a £35 fee, or its free.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Has anybody tried this when you are more than a singleton travelling? Wondering how you do from the app and how easy it is ti make sure there are seats for the whole group as last thing want to end up doing is splitting the group
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@NickyJ, yep, done it for the whole family, albeit via the call centre. I think I've done it through the app for two of us, but can't be absolutely sure.
When you say "seats for the whole group", do you mean sitting together? or just space on the plane? If it's the former, that's likely to be a struggle unless it's a very empty flight.
This can be a downside of business class tickets- there are (many) fewer business class seats than economy, so it can be harder to find availability for a same-day-change. The airport staff can effect a downgrade to open more availability, but I don't think that's possible in the app.
For more info and 66 pages of questions... see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1771960-faq-same-day-changes-sdc-free-change-day-fcod-ba-tickets.html
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FAQ
