BA has launched a new “hand-baggage only” fare on five short-haul routes. But the cheaper fares will over time be extended over the rest of the short-haul Gatwick network.
The new fares on sale from today, initially from Gatwick to Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, Jersey, Tunis and Turin, start from £39 one-way for travel from February 26.
Peter Simpson, director of Gatwick for BA, said: “The introduction of our hand baggage only fare is all about giving our customers more freedom to choose the kind of flying they want. Many customers on Gatwick short-haul breaks choose not to check in a bag as they’re already taking advantage of our generous two-bag hand luggage policy. Those who still want to check in a bag will simply pay the same price they do now.”
Customers choosing the “hand baggage only” fare can continue to take advantage of the airline’s hand luggage allowance and carry on a case (56cm x 45cm x 25cm), plus a handbag or laptop bag.
Children have the same hand luggage allowance as adults, so families can take advantage of the new fare by combining their allowances. Families can also take buggies to the aircraft side, bring on a child seat and get free seat allocation three days in advance of travel.
To make the new fare clear and easy for customers to identify, www.ba.com has been redesigned with a special symbol flagging the fare throughout the booking process.
