Well my meeting finished early (2:30pm) so as I was booked on the 7:50pm flight I thought I'd chance it and see if I could get on the 4:15pm flight. I got to the airport at 3:15pm and the international terminal concourse was completely dead - probably less than 15 people for all the airline desks! I asked the agent if there was space on the earlier flight and she said neither flight was full. However when I asked if I could change my ticket she insisted on going through the T's and C's and determined that to change my flight I would have to pay £112. I reasoned with her and the supervisor that it looked like the entire terminal was pretty empty and that there was a chance that they could re-sell my seat on the 7:50pm for more money (and that in any case the cost of me going now compared to the cost to BA of me going at 7:50 was the same). However they point blank refused to negotiate even when I suggested that BA wasn't exactly doing that well right now and delighting customers would be in their interest rather than have me sitting around for hours. I also pointed out that £112 was extortionate change fee for a flight that cost £456 return. In fact given its only one leg then it is £112 / £228 = almost a 50% premium on the already paid fare! I realise that airlines sell tickets at prices and fee structures to balance traffic and enable forward planning but when it's one person on the off chance it seems off. If it had been £30 I would have taken it but they refused to negotiate even on this. Result: BA doesn't get the extra revenue + annoys a customer who then tells everyone about their poor experience.
ps. At 4:05pm They "paged" 10 missing passengers - even more space on the plane!
