"Pay only for what you need": the logic highlighted with the development of ancillary charges within low-cost airlines, and then on a large scale with traditional airlines, still makes sense. Even with business customers. This is illustrated by the latest initiative from British Airways, which is extending its "hand baggage only" system to two London airports particularly popular with business travellers: Heathrow and London City. Paris - Roissy-CDG as well as Orly - is one of the chosen destinations for the scheme, alongside Amsterdam, Stockholm, Barcelona, Rome, Rotterdam, Glasgow and Edinburgh. In concrete terms, the one-way "hand baggage only" fare in Euro Traveller economy class on a Paris CDG-London Heathrow flight starts at 55 euros including tax.
The trial carried out at the beginning of the year at Gatwick therefore seems to have proved conclusive, as confirmed by Robin Glover-Faure, Head of Short-haul at British Airways, who describes it as "a resounding success" and already warns: "If these fares are so well received, we plan to roll them out across our entire short-haul network over the coming months. We are attentive to our passengers' wishes, as demonstrated by our new fare type, the Semi-flex ticket, which comes with a wide range of new options for our passengers, including ticket exchange, at no extra cost, on the day of departure". In fact, British Airways has just unveiled its new Semi-flex fare range, which aims to offer the same benefits as a Standard ticket - particularly in terms of hand luggage allowance, snacks and refreshments - while incorporating several free services: rebooking on the day of departure if the departure and arrival points remain unchanged, choice of seat up to two days before departure, and no exchange fees until the day before departure. Presented as a compromise "halfway between a standard ticket and a flight 100% Flex", the new range is particularly aimed at business travellers.
