British Airways announced today that anyone searching for airline deals on BA.com will now be able to hold their flights for up to 72 hours with a deposit of $10.
This new option gives customers the time and flexibility to make sure they’re happy with their flight choice without losing the original price. If within 72 hours customers want to pay for their flights, the hold deposit is refunded and the ticket can be bought.
Only one person’s name is needed to hold the flights. The names of everyone traveling can be added within 72 hours of the booking being held. Seats can be held up to 21 days before departure.
The new hold option is the result of a joint project between British Airways and Iberia, both owned by IAG. It applies to reservations for all flights operated by British Airways, including code-sharing flights, Iberia, Iberia Express, and Air Nostrum, including any combinations of flights of British Airways and Iberia, as long as they are on the same ticket.
But according to the London Telegraph: “It is not possible to hold last-minute flights, in this case, those being booked less than 21 days before departure. There are also some destinations to which flights cannot be held “because of complex fluctuating tax calculations”. These include Antigua, Barbados, Punta Cana, St Kitts, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Monrovia, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Lagos, Freetown and Abuja. Other destinations for which flights cannot be held at the moment but will soon be added to the scheme are: Israel, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.”