If within 72 hours customers want to pay for their flights, the hold deposit is refunded and the ticket can be bought.
Holding reservations per person on short-haul flights costs just £5, while those wanting to secure seats on long-haul flights would pay £10 per person*.
Drew Crawley, British Airways’ chief commercial officer, said: “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.
“Now customers can see the price, hold their seats and be sure that’s all they’ll pay, up to three days later.
“Feedback from customers means we are confident that this reassurance will prove very popular and give them the time to book the flights they want and give certainty they have a great deal.”
Only one person’s name is needed to hold the flights. The names of everyone travelling 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.
You can only use this feature at least 21 days before departure (generally prices will change most within 21 days of departure, when this would be most useful)
This is latest in a series of initiatives by British Airways to make flying even easier and more convenient.
The airline recently introduced weekend-only Day Tripper return fares to many European destinations, from just £79 for a special day away, while hand baggage only fares now also give customers the option to fly for less if they don’t check luggage into the hold.
The airline has also invested in newly-designed seats and cabin interiors for 95 of its short-haul aircraft flying across its European and domestic networks from Heathrow and Gatwick.
And with new routes starting from Gatwick to Fuerteventura, Grenoble, Friedrichshafen, Cagliari, Rhodes, Crete, Bodrum and Dalaman it’s easier than ever to fly when and where customers want with British Airways.
