Change mobile number for 2FA

[MGOR]

Hi Ba IT is driving me nuts! Due to a forthcoming change in mobile number I’m trying to update the number I use for 2fa. I’ve changed the personal details but that hasn’t updated the mobile number for the 2FA. The help function is useless. Any clues please. Thanks

[AJA]

I think you will have a problem doing this.

There is a long thread on FT where people cannot update 2FA to change the mobile phone number.even when they do the 2FA seems to send the text to the old phone number.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-british-airways-club/2140366-two-factor-authentication-2fa-added-executive-club-login-11.html

[AndrewT]

Yep the 2FA number is completely separate from the account contact number – obvious really!

You have to ask for 2FA to be disabled, which takes a few days for a back office team to action. Then when you next log in it will ask you to set a new 2FA number.

[MGOR]

Thanks as appears usual with BA IT how to make a simple job complicated! Can’t wait to deal with the joys of sorting it.

[masaccio]

Oh, and after the reset, you might need to log in from an incognito/private window. Or do a password reset and do the private log in again. It took me a few attempts with OH’s account.

[Ihar]

Personally I use Google’s Authenticator as:
a: I can share it across devices (inc. with my wife)
b: no worries if I lose my phone or don’t have signal

I find 2FA SMS outdated and the least secure, since depending on your security the number can be accessed on the notification screen without unlocking your phone. IMHO.

[freckles]

Ihar wrote:

I find 2FA SMS outdated and the least secure, since depending on your security the number can be accessed on the notification screen without unlocking your phone. IMHO.

That functionality can be easily turned off so that SMS is not visible on your lock screen

Having said that, if I were setting up a 2FA nowadays and offered use of an Authenticator I would probably go down that route

[memesweeper]

freckles wrote:

Ihar wrote:

I find 2FA SMS outdated and the least secure, since depending on your security the number can be accessed on the notification screen without unlocking your phone. IMHO.

That functionality can be easily turned off so that SMS is not visible on your lock screen

Having said that, if I were setting up a 2FA nowadays and offered use of an Authenticator I would probably go down that route

Unfortunately many people allow their SIM to keep working when removed from the phone, so a lock-screen control, whilst a good idea, is not a full solution.

2FA applications are better, but SMS is a huge upgrade on nothing as a second factor.

[masaccio]

Ihar wrote:

Personally I use Google’s Authenticator as:
a: I can share it across devices (inc. with my wife)
b: no worries if I lose my phone or don’t have signal

I find 2FA SMS outdated and the least secure, since depending on your security the number can be accessed on the notification screen without unlocking your phone. IMHO.

I thought BA only supported SMS rather than FIDO or passkeys? I’d certainly prefer that.

Worse than all this is the new trend for sending a code via email. Thanks for making login take even longer.

[Ihar]

I have 2FA with BA via Google Authenticator app.

[masaccio]

Ihar wrote:

I have 2FA with BA via Google Authenticator app.

Ah, I just looked in my passwords safe and there is a key for verification codes. BA obviously screwed that up for me. Their account management is really awful which is surely all their own making.