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Help to check seat availability and flight loads

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

        Old Aug 1, 2016, 10:35 am
          #3391  
         
        Join Date: Feb 2012
        Posts: 47
        Could I ask for a check on the following flights please.....

        23 August BA0177 LHR-JFK

        29 August BA0176 JFK-LHR

        Many thanks!
        BABoy84 is offline  
        Old Aug 1, 2016, 11:49 pm
          #3392  
         
        Join Date: May 2016
        Posts: 28
        No longer needed - thanks!
        scopelenz is offline  
        Old Aug 1, 2016, 11:56 pm
          #3393  
         
        Join Date: Nov 2015
        Programs: BA Gold
        Posts: 166
        Uk pos:

        Ba 177
        lhr 08/23/16 13:10
        jfk 08/23/16 15:50
        744
        f5 a4 j9 c9 d8 r6 ic w9 e9 t5 y9 b9 h9 k9 m7 l4 v1 sc nc qc oc g0

        ba 176
        jfk 08/29/16 19:30
        lhr 08/30/16 7:45
        744
        f1 a0 j9 c9 d9 r9 i6 w9 e5 tc y9 b9 h8 k8 m8 l7 vc sc nc qc oc g0
        Pocalypse is offline  
        Old Aug 2, 2016, 5:39 am
          #3394  
         
        Join Date: Mar 2012
        Location: BHX
        Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
        Posts: 7,324
        Would someone be so kind as to give me the loads for BA197 on 31-08-16?

        Many thanks in advance.
        Wozza2404 is online now  
        Old Aug 2, 2016, 5:42 am
          #3395  
         
        Join Date: Jan 2015
        Location: Cambridge, UK
        Programs: BAEC GGL, Dan Air lifetime Gold
        Posts: 205
        Originally Posted by Wozza2404
        Would someone be so kind as to give me the loads for BA197 on 31-08-16?

        Many thanks in advance.
        Happy to do this -departure and destination though would be helpful
        Mr 1A is offline  
        Old Aug 2, 2016, 5:45 am
          #3396  
         
        Join Date: Feb 2016
        Location: Lewes, UK
        Programs: BA Silver
        Posts: 231
        Originally Posted by wozza2404
        would someone be so kind as to give me the loads for ba197 on 31-08-16?

        Many thanks in advance.
        ba 197
        lhr 31/08/16 14:20
        iah 31/08/16 18:35
        789
        f4 a4 j9 c9 d9 r7 i5 w9 e9 t5 y9 b9 h9 k9 m9 l9 v9 s9 n9 q9 o9 g9
        peterinlewesuk is offline  
        Old Aug 2, 2016, 6:21 am
          #3397  
         
        Join Date: Mar 2012
        Location: BHX
        Programs: BA GGL CCR GfL, SQ Gold, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Cafe Nero Loyalty Card (7 Stamps)
        Posts: 7,324
        Originally Posted by peterinlewesuk
        ba 197
        lhr 31/08/16 14:20
        iah 31/08/16 18:35
        789
        f4 a4 j9 c9 d9 r7 i5 w9 e9 t5 y9 b9 h9 k9 m9 l9 v9 s9 n9 q9 o9 g9
        Thanks very much for that.
        Wozza2404 is online now  
        Old Aug 2, 2016, 4:59 pm
          #3398  
         
        Join Date: Feb 2013
        Posts: 90
        Can someone please check CX807 Aug 4 ord-hkg in first. Thank you. Its so close but the weather in Hong Kong with all the cancelled flights messed up availability.

        Last edited by Sizook; Aug 3, 2016 at 5:27 am Reason: Wrong city listed
        Sizook is offline  
        Old Aug 2, 2016, 7:03 pm
          #3399  
        Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
         
        Join Date: Nov 2010
        Location: TPA/ABZ
        Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
        Posts: 13,237
        Originally Posted by Prospero
        How to look for seat and flight availability?

        www.expertflyer.com. A subscription web-based service that gives you access to the full inventory for flights and also allows you to access seats maps for many airlines (including BA up to T-24).
        Since when did Expertflyer show the up to date seat map right up until departure? I'm at T-1 and it's picked up on the fact that my favourite seat has just become available for me tonight. I thought after T-24 it went under airport control and wasn't published anymore.
        golfmad is offline  
        Old Aug 2, 2016, 9:13 pm
          #3400  
         
        Join Date: Jan 2007
        Location: UK
        Programs: Tufty Club (Gold), BAGA Gymnastics level 4, 440yds swimming certificate
        Posts: 2,533
        Originally Posted by golfmad
        Since when did Expertflyer show the up to date seat map right up until departure? I'm at T-1 and it's picked up on the fact that my favourite seat has just become available for me tonight. I thought after T-24 it went under airport control and wasn't published anymore.
        Since the FLY Departure Control system was rolled out.
        A P Yu is offline  
        Old Aug 3, 2016, 1:16 am
          #3401  
         
        Join Date: May 2016
        Location: UK
        Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold, Global Entry
        Posts: 363
        Originally Posted by Sizook
        Can someone please check CX807 Aug 4 ord-nrt in first. Thank you. Its so close but the weather in Hong Kong with all the cancelled flights messed up availability.
        "This class is closed however the wait list is open, please contact the airline".
        FeedbirdNiner is offline  
        Old Aug 3, 2016, 3:38 am
          #3402  
         
        Join Date: Jun 2007
        Programs: BA Silver
        Posts: 190
        Hello,

        Would anyone be willing to check the below for me thanks!

        BA 219 LHR-DEN
        August 5th.
        bronco122 is offline  
        Old Aug 3, 2016, 3:41 am
          #3403  
         
        Join Date: Feb 2011
        Location: London
        Programs: BA Silver, ZSL Silver
        Posts: 2,549
        Originally Posted by bronco122
        Hello,

        Would anyone be willing to check the below for me thanks!

        BA 219 LHR-DEN
        August 5th.
        Here it is with UK POS:
        F9 A9 J9 C1 DC RC IC W8 E2 TC Y7 B0 H0 K0 M0 LC VC SC NC QC OC G0

        Enjoy Denver. Get yourself up to Rocky Mountain National Park if you haven't been before. Wonderful place.

        Last edited by gustavmahler; Aug 3, 2016 at 3:47 am
        gustavmahler is online now  
        Old Aug 3, 2016, 3:51 am
          #3404  
         
        Join Date: Jun 2007
        Programs: BA Silver
        Posts: 190
        Thank you very much gustavmahler!

        I am still not great at interpreting the meaning on the availability stats - but looks like a op-up from Y is not likely!

        Oh well. Got an exit row!
        bronco122 is offline  
        Old Aug 3, 2016, 3:59 am
          #3405  
         
        Join Date: Feb 2011
        Location: London
        Programs: BA Silver, ZSL Silver
        Posts: 2,549
        Originally Posted by bronco122
        Thank you very much gustavmahler!

        I am still not great at interpreting the meaning on the availability stats - but looks like a op-up from Y is not likely!

        Oh well. Got an exit row!
        Oh I don't know - I'm no expert but looks like Y is pretty full. It may be oversold, but they are still willing to sell 7 at full fare. Still decent availability in W and F is wide open so people may well get moved forward.
        gustavmahler is online now  

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