BA launches new booking initiative
British Airways is now allowing customers to hold a fare for up to 72 hours for £5 for short-haul flights and £10 for long-haul flights.
The new scheme is only available through its own website and is designed to give travellers the time to make sure they’re happy with their flight choices before paying.
If within 72 hours customers want to pay for their flights, the hold deposit is refunded and the ticket can be bought.
If they decide not to go ahead with the booking, they lose the deposit.
"There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing a great flight price but not being able to book it straight away, either because you may need to get the time off work or check it’s ok with family or friends – then coming back and finding there are no seats left or the price has changed," said Drew Crawley, BA’s chief commercial officer.
"Now customers can see the price, hold their seats and be sure that’s all they’ll pay, up to three days later."
Only one person’s name is needed to hold the flights and the names of everyone travelling can be added within 72 hours of the booking being held.
The new hold option is the result of a joint project between BA and its sister airline Iberia, both owned by IAG.
It applies to reservations for all flights operated by BA, including code-sharing flights, Iberia, Iberia Express, and Air Nostrum, including any combinations of flights of BA and Iberia, as long as they are on the same ticket.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports