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
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.
Help to check seat availability and flight loads
#4801
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, Priority Club Gold, Herts Pres Circle
Posts: 492
#4802
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Cirencester
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 234
Lhr-ord ba295
f2 a1 j9 c0 d0 r0 i0 w9 e0 t0 y9 b8 h4 k3 m0 l0 v0 s0 n0 q0 o0 g5
f2 a1 j9 c0 d0 r0 i0 w9 e0 t0 y9 b8 h4 k3 m0 l0 v0 s0 n0 q0 o0 g5
#4803
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, Avis Preferred Plus, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 114
#4804
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,172
Right. Time to be a bit of a cow. Why do people not download Expertflyer? You've got the information instantly. Do the cognoscenti here not reckon it?
#4805
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,248
#4806
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,172
#4807
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,248
I think you're asking why people don't subscribe to Expertflyer and access the information themselves rather than ask on this thread? It's a very good question and I honestly don't know the answer. It's an invaluable tool for anyone flying a decent amount. I wouldn't be without it.
#4808
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,172
I think you're asking why people don't subscribe to Expertflyer and access the information themselves rather than ask on this thread? It's a very good question and I honestly don't know the answer. It's an invaluable tool for anyone flying a decent amount. I wouldn't be without it.
#4809
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, Avis Preferred Plus, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 114
Happy to be shown the error of my ways if I have this wrong.....
#4810
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, Priority Club Gold, Herts Pres Circle
Posts: 492
This is probably suited elsewhere but although I don't fly too much in a year, only leisure travel. I have found the features of expertflyer invaluable for me so far.
Cost $100 for the annual sub and I find the value just in the ability to alert me to Award Inventory.
I also like to contribute to the community in a small way so do post here when i can. I do find it would be helpful if people followed the wiki instructions when asking for Flight Availability.
Cost $100 for the annual sub and I find the value just in the ability to alert me to Award Inventory.
I also like to contribute to the community in a small way so do post here when i can. I do find it would be helpful if people followed the wiki instructions when asking for Flight Availability.
#4811
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, Avis Preferred Plus, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 114
This is probably suited elsewhere but although I don't fly too much in a year, only leisure travel. I have found the features of expertflyer invaluable for me so far.
Cost $100 for the annual sub and I find the value just in the ability to alert me to Award Inventory.
I also like to contribute to the community in a small way so do post here when i can. I do find it would be helpful if people followed the wiki instructions when asking for Flight Availability.
Cost $100 for the annual sub and I find the value just in the ability to alert me to Award Inventory.
I also like to contribute to the community in a small way so do post here when i can. I do find it would be helpful if people followed the wiki instructions when asking for Flight Availability.
#4812
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: BA Executive Club, Bronze
Posts: 438
Trying to book a RTW but having issues with my LHR-GIG flights, can someone confirm availability on the above flight in L class on 4th, 5th and 6th August 2017?
#4813
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, Priority Club Gold, Herts Pres Circle
Posts: 492
#4815
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, Priority Club Gold, Herts Pres Circle
Posts: 492