Originally Posted by 1Aturnleft

With respect, you will find most carriers (not just BA) have had their capacity restricted at the request of Heathrow Airport Ltd until at least 15AUG. The most frustrating thing about this imposed restriction is that availability still shows in booking sites and on airline/travel agent GDS. To the untrained it does look as though you can secure availability. The fact is as soon as you try to take what appears to be an available seat, the reservation will be denied and the payment process part of the transaction system fails/errors out and you cannot complete the reservation. IROPS are still governed by the same 'ghost' availability.... no seats is no seats however you choose to spin it so I dont think screenshots is going to get you very far.... they won't have been of special hidden inventory. That simply does not exist.

I've lost count over how many customers I've dealt with in recent weeks who've insisted they know best and that I'm effectively lieing to them when I've tried to explain I cannot book them onto a ex LHR departure to a Euro destination until Tuesday next week due to the capacity restrictions. When met with the inevitable ' but I can book it on-line' response, I've happily waited while they've tried to complete the reservation.... so far nobody I've encountered has managed to secure a new or rebooked ex LHR reservation to Euro destinations over the restriction period. BA, EI, KL, IB, TK, TP are the ones I've encountered recently and thry all have the same restrictions imposed on new reservations ex LHR before 15AUG.