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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 Jun 8, 2017, 6:49 pm
          #5281  
         
        Join Date: Jul 2013
        Location: UK
        Posts: 221
        Originally Posted by Down the back
        Could somebody please check load for BA 0799 FRi 9th Jun HEL to LHR


        Thanks

        DTB
        J4 C0 D0 R0 I0 Y9 B5 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 N0 Q0 O0 S0 G3
        gingeola is offline  
        Old Jun 10, 2017, 2:14 am
          #5282  
         
        Join Date: Apr 2012
        Location: Glasgow
        Programs: BA Silver
        Posts: 531
        Please could someone check BA 1487 GLA - LHR on 17/6.

        Thanks
        MsCapricorn is offline  
        Old Jun 10, 2017, 2:20 am
          #5283  
         
        Join Date: Dec 2015
        Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
        Programs: Lufthansa , British Airways, IHG, Hilton, Marriott
        Posts: 161
        Originally Posted by MsCapricorn
        Please could someone check BA 1487 GLA - LHR on 17/6.

        Thanks
        Completely full

        BABA/BAW 125 BRITISH AIRWAYS1487 JL YL BL HL KL ML GL /GLA M LHR 5 1405 1535
        bazza1603 is offline  
        Old Jun 10, 2017, 3:28 am
          #5284  
         
        Join Date: Apr 2012
        Location: Glasgow
        Programs: BA Silver
        Posts: 531
        Originally Posted by bazza1603
        Completely full

        BABA/BAW 125 BRITISH AIRWAYS1487 JL YL BL HL KL ML GL /GLA M LHR 5 1405 1535
        Thanks. Was curious as seat map is wide open but no seats for sale.
        MsCapricorn is offline  
        Old Jun 11, 2017, 1:11 pm
          #5285  
         
        Join Date: Jul 2016
        Posts: 11
        Originally Posted by gingeola
        Here you go!
        Thank you! Much appreciated
        ken711129 is offline  
        Old Jun 12, 2017, 12:26 pm
          #5286  
        FlyerTalk Evangelist
         
        Join Date: Mar 2010
        Location: JER
        Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
        Posts: 32,145
        Quick help please

        Originally Posted by Sam Bee
        I'm on a GDS so the seat map won't copy and paste - but nabbing a J Class seat (F not being sold but cabin showing - with ALL seats blocked out) - what would you mean as better seats? i.e. 12/13/14D-G showing available, and 13 A,B,J,K showing on way out.

        Very similar on return. Let me know if specific seats you had in mind I can check.
        14 Jun BA2157 LGW-ANU
        21 Jun BA2256 ANU-LGW

        Suddenly MMB is showing the F cabin available in MMB for selection! Although we're in J.
        Last help here had a fairly light load, so I'm guessing the display of the F cabin is just a<nother> IT glitch.

        the last thing we want to do is re-allocate ourselves to the F cabin, losing our half-decent J seats, and then find we're scattered all over the J cabin [which has happened to us before].

        Gold Line lady seems puzzled. Any clues here, please?
        T8191 is offline  
        Old Jun 12, 2017, 12:49 pm
          #5287  
         
        Join Date: Aug 2012
        Posts: 2,676
        Originally Posted by T8191
        14 Jun BA2157 LGW-ANU
        21 Jun BA2256 ANU-LGW

        Suddenly MMB is showing the F cabin available in MMB for selection! Although we're in J.
        Last help here had a fairly light load, so I'm guessing the display of the F cabin is just a<nother> IT glitch.

        the last thing we want to do is re-allocate ourselves to the F cabin, losing our half-decent J seats, and then find we're scattered all over the J cabin [which has happened to us before].

        Gold Line lady seems puzzled. Any clues here, please?
        According to the ba source - there are 4 777s at LGW that have an F cabin (G-VIIV->Y) - so it's entirely possible it's simple a configuration swap and F as J is right.

        It's risk/reward right ... the only business seats remaining are middles and middle aisles - so moving forward to get moved back is a risk.
        MPH1980 is offline  
        Old Jun 12, 2017, 12:57 pm
          #5288  
        FlyerTalk Evangelist
         
        Join Date: Mar 2010
        Location: JER
        Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
        Posts: 32,145
        Originally Posted by MPH1980
        According to the ba source - there are 4 777s at LGW that have an F cabin (G-VIIV->Y) - so it's entirely possible it's simple a configuration swap and F as J is right.

        It's risk/reward right ... the only business seats remaining are middles and middle aisles - so moving forward to get moved back is a risk.
        That was our perception too. With middles still available, 36 hours out, it seems strange to consider opening the F cabin for J peasants! I could guess that light load in J allows them to use one of the 12 J airframes if it's not needed elsewhere. Light load = less fuel burn = more money.

        Many thanks ... I'll keep tracking.

        Last edited by NWIFlyer; Jun 12, 2017 at 1:03 pm Reason: Remove reference to WW money comment - rule 16
        T8191 is offline  
        Old Jun 12, 2017, 1:02 pm
          #5289  
         
        Join Date: Oct 2015
        Programs: BA Gold for Life
        Posts: 1,390
        Originally Posted by T8191
        That was our perception too. With middles still available, 36 hours out, it seems strange to consider opening the F cabin for J peasants! I could guess that light load in J allows them to use one of the 12 J airframes if it's not needed elsewhere. Light load = less fuel burn = more ****** money.

        Many thanks ... I'll keep tracking.
        Expertflyer is showing plenty of available seats in CW and WT+ but all seats in WT are occupied or blocked. Perhaps there is going to be some roll forward but I would not risk changing seats just yet.
        Rubecula is offline  
        Old Jun 12, 2017, 1:11 pm
          #5290  
        FlyerTalk Evangelist
         
        Join Date: Mar 2010
        Location: JER
        Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
        Posts: 32,145
        Originally Posted by Rubecula
        Expertflyer is showing plenty of available seats in CW and WT+ but all seats in WT are occupied or blocked. Perhaps there is going to be some roll forward but I would not risk changing seats just yet.
        Further thanks!

        The lady on the Gold Line was talking about 'extra crew' if F was opened, so I would guess that would be BA's last resort!

        OLCI tomorrow morning at 0705 [for the JER-LGW leg] ... I'll try to find out how things are then.
        T8191 is offline  
        Old Jun 12, 2017, 6:40 pm
          #5291  
         
        Join Date: Oct 2010
        Location: West Coast USA
        Programs: BAEC
        Posts: 559
        Please can someone check BA282 LAX-LHR 6/29/17.
        TangoOneSeven is offline  
        Old Jun 13, 2017, 12:12 am
          #5292  
         
        Join Date: Sep 2012
        Posts: 2,574
        Originally Posted by Rubecula
        Expertflyer is showing plenty of available seats in CW and WT+ but all seats in WT are occupied or blocked. Perhaps there is going to be some roll forward but I would not risk changing seats just yet.
        Judging by how the WT cabin is nearly fully allocated more than 24hrs out, the WT+ cabin quite empty & J about 50% I think there will be a good amount of roll forward - although the flight is J9 C9 D5 which suggests J isn't that busy if they're willing to sell 9.

        Could go either way I'd say - but it could easily end up that the J cabin is packed full with you in sub optimal seats if they can squeeze everyone in without using F . I'd probably wait until the airport. As a Gold you could pro-actively be reseated in the F cabin manually also
        sammyg901 is offline  
        Old Jun 13, 2017, 1:44 am
          #5293  
        FlyerTalk Evangelist
         
        Join Date: Mar 2010
        Location: JER
        Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
        Posts: 32,145
        Oh, well. OLCI completed successfully. If they want to move us, they'll tear up the BPs or just scribble on them with new seat numbers. It's happened to us a few times at LGW
        T8191 is offline  
        Old Jun 13, 2017, 2:05 am
          #5294  
         
        Join Date: Nov 2016
        Programs: UA*S, AA Plat, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Explorist
        Posts: 256
        Originally Posted by arh1
        Please can someone check BA282 LAX-LHR 6/29/17.
        Seems packed. KVS:

        F2 J2 W4 Y5 B3 H2
        jimmielin is offline  
        Old Jun 13, 2017, 5:58 am
          #5295  
         
        Join Date: Oct 2010
        Location: West Coast USA
        Programs: BAEC
        Posts: 559
        Originally Posted by jimmielin
        Seems packed. KVS:

        F2 J2 W4 Y5 B3 H2
        Thought so. Only 1 seat available to select in club earlier
        TangoOneSeven is offline  


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