mclachlan4321

I'm watching availability for an F seat next week. I've been watching availability both ways for some weeks.

How come the return leg has lots of availability at about 1 weeks notice, and yet the outbound doesn't have anything for weeks? Surely whilst it summer vacation time, people have to return to the uk don't they so why the abnormality?

LupineChemist

My guess would be US students going over to Europe for study abroad terms. I'm sure plenty either play credit games to get avios or have family with decent balance of avios.

k3v

I'm looking for something in the last week of August, I keep seeing suitable outbound flights but nothing to return to the UK,and I'm looking at the rest of the world as well as the USA

mclachlan4321

The return flights are only opening up in about 5 days from departure.

The outbounds show zero for the most part.

k3v

Thanks for the tip, might have to risk booking any return and swapping it closer to the date

mclachlan4321

Try some dummy flights back from wherever you want to go to within the next week. You'll pick up an idea if availability.

stormguy

I've seen similar. I've been looking for either WT+ or Club having originally booked into economy for 3 adults. This week a lot of Club and WT+ opened up from JFK to LHR between around the 10th of Aug and 18th Aug. So we are now booked back on club. But I've been looking for WT+ or Club for months for the way out and not seen anything to JFK during the period we need.

While upgrading the return today over the phone (changing an avios booking) with BA today I asked about aircraft loads and they told me that from now until about the middle of next week the routes to the USA are very busy. The flight we are currently booked on is showing 9+ available seats in each of WT+ and Club, and 8 in F and only 4 in WT on Flight stats but the BA operator told me there were only 4 seats in WT+ and 6 in club available. Not sure why this should be so different to what Flight Stats shows, maybe the flight is well oversold in WT and they are keeping options open.

mclachlan4321

Another poster on a separate thread made a similar comment regarding discrepancies between BA reality and expertflyer.

I wonder who is right?

nux

There is a big difference between what BA is willing to sell (which is what is shown on ExpertFlyer etc) and how many passengers are actually booked in each class (which only BA internally know).

Both sets of information can be correct.

Globaliser

In addition to what nux says, what ExpertFlyer shows may tell you absolutely nothing about the chances for award seats opening up. EF does not show BA award availability.

"BA reality" can also differ by point of sale, as is well known in these parts. That can explain some discrepancies between what people see on the internet (especially if doing an unsophisticated search, eg using flightstats) and what BA reality is for the specific agent to whom you're talking.

Swiss Tony

There's 1 seat from Montreal on Aug 25th and 7 seats on Sept 2nd in Club.
1 seat from JFK to LCY on Aug 30th.
5 seats in J EWR to LHR on the 26th Aug

pauldb

And 5 CW from EWR on the 26th

k3v

Thanks for looking chaps, I went to new York last year so, unfortunately the girlfriend doesn't want to go even with the lure of flying in the pointy end.

Montreal is an option, must admit I don't know much about the place though.

Swiss Tony

Remember that you can get to the likes of PHL very easily from EWR - quick train ride away.

Montreal is very close to the border with Vermont if you want a driving holiday....

mclachlan4321

Use EWR as your gateway into the US and travel onwards from there to wherever to want.