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Help to check seat availability and flight loads

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Old Jan 1, 2014, 6:10 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: NWIFlyer
If you wish to request availability for a specific flight, please state the date and origin/departure airport codes, not just the flight number.

Please also restrict requests to BA/oneworld flights - flights for other airlines may be removed to avoid cluttering the thread and taking it away from BAEC.


As of 15 Oct 2014 flightstats.com no longer displays flight availability.

Fare class availability can be queried in various ways*:

        * Please update wiki if you know of any others.
        ** Origin of data concealed


        What do the codes mean?
        Suppose we have a result as F1 A0 J9 C7 D0 RC IC W9 E9 T4 Y9 BC HC ...

        This means:
        There is 1 seat in the F bucket for sale
        There are 0 seats in the A and D bucket for sale, but you can join the waitlist in case seats get released later.
        There are at least 9 seats in the J, W, E and Y buckets.
        The R, I, B and H buckets are closed to waitlisting.

        There are two important things to note about how to interpret these numbers that many people don't understand as it is very counter intuitive:
        1) There is NO direct relation to the actual number of seats available on the specific flight. They only mean that the airline is willing to sell this many seats on that specific flight. The airline may intend to oversell seats or withhold seats from sale for many reasons.

        2) In the example above, the results show W9 E9 T4 (which are all WT+ buckets). This does not mean that there are 9+9+4=22 seats for sale. Interpret these numbers as "there are at least 9 seats for sale in WT+". There could really be anywhere between 9 and 22 seats for sale - we just can't tell from the numbers the system gives us. Therefore, the conservative approach of assuming that there are at least 9 seats for sale is usually the best one.

        What does the "C" mean?
        Closed to waitlisting.
        In the example above we have RC, IC, BC and HC. This is different to A0 and D0: The A and D buckets are "full" but you can apply to join their waitlists (if your fare permits waitlisting). With R, I, B and H you cannot even request a seat.

        The carrier will determine how to confirm your seat if it wishes. Sometimes this may happen immediately, other times only a few minutes before the flight's departure. The order of the waitlist is determined by the carrier privately, but your Executive Club status will push you towards the front of the queue. Many cheap fares do not allow waitlisting.

        Differences for non-BA airlines
        • Some carriers (those using Sabre such as AA) only show a maximum of 7 available seats (not 9). Others only show a maximum of 5.
        • Some carriers use "L" instead of "0" (e.g., CL DL YL) to indicate you may waitlist for the seat. This tends to happen when the entire flight is on a list basis.
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        Help to check seat availability and flight loads

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        Old Mar 16, 2015, 9:58 am
          #751  
        FlyerTalk Evangelist
         
        Join Date: Mar 2013
        Location: London
        Posts: 17,007
        Originally Posted by Paralytic
        I can't see any eticket numbers on checkmytrip, though it is a simple EDI-LHR-BLR return booked via corporate TA and not changed since booked. I had no issue on the outbound flight.

        There was some funny thing when I booked, however, in that the TA system would not let me select the same EDI-LHR flight as showing on ba.com (I had to select a tighter connection) and when I phoned the TA to change it, they said they couldn't due to married segment rules. That was for the outbound though.

        And, overnight, the aircraft has changed, and I got seat-shifted

        Should I be concerned about the lack of eticket number on checkmytrip?
        It would concern me! Although if you managed to do part of the journey already maybe you are a-okay?

        Try obtaining the eticket receipt from MMB.
        Calchas is offline  
        Old Mar 16, 2015, 11:11 am
          #752  
         
        Join Date: Jan 2009
        Location: Near Edinburgh
        Programs: BA Silver
        Posts: 9,034
        Originally Posted by Calchas
        It would concern me! Although if you managed to do part of the journey already maybe you are a-okay?

        Try obtaining the eticket receipt from MMB.
        "Sorry, an e-ticket receipt is not available for the method of payment used for this booking."

        Hmmm.
        Paralytic is offline  
        Old Mar 16, 2015, 11:23 am
          #753  
        FlyerTalk Evangelist
         
        Join Date: Mar 2013
        Location: London
        Posts: 17,007
        Originally Posted by Paralytic
        "Sorry, an e-ticket receipt is not available for the method of payment used for this booking."

        Hmmm.
        Yes maybe get on with BA and get them to check you are ticketed properly! Perhaps ask for the ticket number if they are evasive about it.

        Edit: 6800th post, I am on getting on a bit here
        Calchas is offline  
        Old Mar 16, 2015, 2:43 pm
          #754  
         
        Join Date: Aug 2009
        Posts: 648
        Please could someone check BA39 LHR-PEK on 21/03 and BA38 PEK-LHR on 27/03? Thanks in advance!
        polochick is offline  
        Old Mar 16, 2015, 5:51 pm
          #755  
         
        Join Date: Aug 2013
        Location: London
        Programs: BAEC Gold, Mucci: Classe de la Luxe Eternelle
        Posts: 816
        I would be grateful if some terribly clever person could check the seat loads for BA0217 on April 2nd - and tell me whether CW is looking like it might be approaching oversold

        I suppose it might be a bit early to tell on a presumably busy CW route like this..
        noFODplease is offline  
        Old Mar 16, 2015, 6:05 pm
          #756  
        Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
         
        Join Date: Nov 2010
        Location: TPA/ABZ
        Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
        Posts: 13,250
        Originally Posted by noFODplease
        I would be grateful if some terribly clever person could check the seat loads for BA0217 on April 2nd - and tell me whether CW is looking like it might be approaching oversold

        I suppose it might be a bit early to tell on a presumably busy CW route like this..
        Not sure about the 'terribly clever' part but I suppose flattery isn't a bad approach

        F3 A2 J9 C5 D3 RC IC W9 E4 T1 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q5 O9 G0 with a UK point of sale.

        And yes, I suspect it's a little early to jump to any conclusions or maybe you need the 'terribly clever' person for that part and I can't help you there
        golfmad is offline  
        Old Mar 17, 2015, 3:28 am
          #757  
         
        Join Date: Aug 2009
        Posts: 648
        Originally Posted by polochick
        Please could someone check BA39 LHR-PEK on 21/03 and BA38 PEK-LHR on 27/03? Thanks in advance!
        Could anyone help with this? Many thanks
        polochick is offline  
        Old Mar 17, 2015, 3:39 am
          #758  
         
        Join Date: Feb 2011
        Location: London
        Programs: BA Silver, ZSL Silver
        Posts: 2,552
        Hi polochick.

        here you go:

        BA 39 0 LHR
        21/03/15 16:30 PEK
        22/03/15 10:25 777
        F0 A0 J0 C0 DC RC IC W0 EC TC Y0 B0 H0 K0 M0 LC VC SC NC QC OC G0

        BA 38 0 PEK
        27/03/15 12:10 LHR
        27/03/15 15:35 777
        F3 A3 J5 C0 DC RC IC W0 EC TC Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9 G9
        gustavmahler is offline  
        Old Mar 17, 2015, 4:28 am
          #759  
         
        Join Date: Aug 2009
        Posts: 648
        Originally Posted by gustavmahler
        Hi polochick.

        here you go:

        BA 39 0 LHR
        21/03/15 16:30 PEK
        22/03/15 10:25 777
        F0 A0 J0 C0 DC RC IC W0 EC TC Y0 B0 H0 K0 M0 LC VC SC NC QC OC G0

        BA 38 0 PEK
        27/03/15 12:10 LHR
        27/03/15 15:35 777
        F3 A3 J5 C0 DC RC IC W0 EC TC Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9 G9
        Thanks a lot, will not rely on my usual get to the airport just in time strategy!

        Btw what does C mean? Closed for new bookings?
        polochick is offline  
        Old Mar 17, 2015, 4:51 am
          #760  
         
        Join Date: Jan 2009
        Location: Near Edinburgh
        Programs: BA Silver
        Posts: 9,034
        Could some really really clever person check the BA118 (BLR-LHR) on March 19th. I got the figures a few days ago but the flight has had an aircraft change (along with a seat-shift for me).
        Paralytic is offline  
        Old Mar 17, 2015, 6:00 am
          #761  
        Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
         
        Join Date: Nov 2010
        Location: TPA/ABZ
        Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
        Posts: 13,250
        Originally Posted by Paralytic
        Could some really really clever person check the BA118 (BLR-LHR) on March 19th. I got the figures a few days ago but the flight has had an aircraft change (along with a seat-shift for me).
        Looks wide open (UK pos) apart from discounted WT+ and discounted Y.

        J9 C9 D9 R9 I9 W9 E1 TC Y9 B8 H8 K8 M8 L8 V6 S4 N2 QC OC G0
        golfmad is offline  
        Old Mar 17, 2015, 6:08 am
          #762  
        formerly rxfleming
         
        Join Date: Jan 2009
        Location: AUH, DXB (and GLA)
        Programs: BA GGL, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat Elite
        Posts: 2,456
        Can someone please help me with the following loads:

        BA490 LHR-GIB 10th April
        BA491 GIB-LHR 13th April
        BA15 10th October
        BA16 24th October
        travelwithross is offline  
        Old Mar 17, 2015, 6:16 am
          #763  
         
        Join Date: Jan 2006
        Location: Glasgow / London
        Programs: BA GGL
        Posts: 3,457
        Here you go

        BA490 LHR-GIB 10th April
        J9 C8 D4 R9 IC Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 N9 QC OC S9 G9

        BA491 GIB-LHR 13th April
        J9 C7 D4 R9 IC Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 VC NC QC OC S9 G9

        BA15 10th October
        F9 A9 J9 C8 D6 R4 IC W9 E4 TC Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L6 VC S6 NC QC OC G0

        BA16 24th October
        F9 A9 J9 C7 D5 R3 IC W9 E9 T6 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L6 VC S9 N9 Q5 O9 G0
        Filthy Monkey is offline  
        Old Mar 17, 2015, 6:20 am
          #764  
        formerly rxfleming
         
        Join Date: Jan 2009
        Location: AUH, DXB (and GLA)
        Programs: BA GGL, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Plat Elite
        Posts: 2,456
        Originally Posted by Filthy Monkey
        Here you go

        BA490 LHR-GIB 10th April
        J9 C8 D4 R9 IC Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 N9 QC OC S9 G9

        BA491 GIB-LHR 13th April
        J9 C7 D4 R9 IC Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 VC NC QC OC S9 G9

        BA15 10th October
        F9 A9 J9 C8 D6 R4 IC W9 E4 TC Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L6 VC S6 NC QC OC G0

        BA16 24th October
        F9 A9 J9 C7 D5 R3 IC W9 E9 T6 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L6 VC S9 N9 Q5 O9 G0
        What a guy!
        travelwithross is offline  
        Old Mar 19, 2015, 7:49 am
          #765  
         
        Join Date: Feb 2014
        Posts: 140
        Can someone please help me with the following load:

        BA169 LHR-PVG 27 March


        Thanks
        LionRed is offline  


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