Jul 9, 2017, 11:09 am
Last edit by: Tobias-UK
This is community help desk which allows members to assist each other in finding out how many seats are available on any given flight.
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 and probably unauthorised (so buyer beware)
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
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 and probably unauthorised (so buyer beware)
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 BA seat availability and BA flight loads
Sep 14, 2017, 6:01 am
#361
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,531
Code:
Flight Availability Search
Departing NCL on 10/22/17 12:00 AM for LHR
Flying BA
Point of Sale: UK
Connections
BA 1327 0 NCL LHR 320 Daily J9 C8 D4 R7 I0 Y9 B9 H7 K7 M0 L0 V0 N0 Q0 O0 S0 G0
10/22/17 11:25 AM 10/22/17 12:45 PM 87% / 27m
Sep 14, 2017, 6:13 am
#362
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Cardiff, Wales
Programs: BAEC - Blue :-(
Posts: 119
Would someone be kind enough please to check the load for a flight next week?
BA177, LHR to JFK, Date: 21/09/17
I'm in WT+ and just picked my seat (as a bronze member) and had only 3 seats at the rear in the middle block of 4 to choose from - so I'm guessing it's pretty booked up in WT+?
I doubt I can hope for much in terms of a POUG as a) it's a TA booking and b) it's an open jaw (LHR>JFK>PIT>BOS>LHR).
BA177, LHR to JFK, Date: 21/09/17
I'm in WT+ and just picked my seat (as a bronze member) and had only 3 seats at the rear in the middle block of 4 to choose from - so I'm guessing it's pretty booked up in WT+?
I doubt I can hope for much in terms of a POUG as a) it's a TA booking and b) it's an open jaw (LHR>JFK>PIT>BOS>LHR).
Sep 14, 2017, 6:25 am
#363
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Programs: BA Silver - hard drop from GGL :( SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, AC E50k
Posts: 567
Would love some help to check the below if possible:
22/9 Ba149 LHR-BEY
and
26/9 BA148 BEY-LHR
Trying to ascertain how full the Club World cabins will be. 2 class old BMI birds :-)
22/9 Ba149 LHR-BEY
and
26/9 BA148 BEY-LHR
Trying to ascertain how full the Club World cabins will be. 2 class old BMI birds :-)
Sep 14, 2017, 6:33 am
#364
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,201
Would someone be kind enough please to check the load for a flight next week?
BA177, LHR to JFK, Date: 21/09/17
I'm in WT+ and just picked my seat (as a bronze member) and had only 3 seats at the rear in the middle block of 4 to choose from - so I'm guessing it's pretty booked up in WT+?
I doubt I can hope for much in terms of a POUG as a) it's a TA booking and b) it's an open jaw (LHR>JFK>PIT>BOS>LHR).
BA177, LHR to JFK, Date: 21/09/17
I'm in WT+ and just picked my seat (as a bronze member) and had only 3 seats at the rear in the middle block of 4 to choose from - so I'm guessing it's pretty booked up in WT+?
I doubt I can hope for much in terms of a POUG as a) it's a TA booking and b) it's an open jaw (LHR>JFK>PIT>BOS>LHR).
F3 A2
J9 C2 D2 R0 I0
W9 E9 T6
Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O1 G0
No doubt with J9 they'll be open to a few op-ups and POUGs but not guaranteed as economy isn't going to push you forward.
Sep 14, 2017, 6:36 am
#365
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Cardiff, Wales
Programs: BAEC - Blue :-(
Posts: 119
Sep 14, 2017, 7:01 am
#366
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 305
Hi all,
I've been following this thread for a while now to try and see if I can learn to understand and interpret the data being posted. I have read the heading post up top which explains what the codes mean (e.g. W9 T9 E4 = at least 9 seats for sale in WTP, etc.) but I'm still struggling to understand how to "read the tea leaves" and discern the useful conclusions that can be interpreted from this data. Perhaps the challenge here is that people ask for the flight loads but never post back to say what happened on the flight! Is it really possible to work out the likelihood of an upgrade by checking the flight loads several weeks out?
Is there a basic "this is how to interpret FlightExpert data" explanation thread or post somewhere?
Thanks in advance
I've been following this thread for a while now to try and see if I can learn to understand and interpret the data being posted. I have read the heading post up top which explains what the codes mean (e.g. W9 T9 E4 = at least 9 seats for sale in WTP, etc.) but I'm still struggling to understand how to "read the tea leaves" and discern the useful conclusions that can be interpreted from this data. Perhaps the challenge here is that people ask for the flight loads but never post back to say what happened on the flight! Is it really possible to work out the likelihood of an upgrade by checking the flight loads several weeks out?
Is there a basic "this is how to interpret FlightExpert data" explanation thread or post somewhere?
Thanks in advance
Sep 14, 2017, 7:26 am
#367
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,676
And, to be honest, I don't understand anyone who asks for the loads more than a week out. The only logical reason (for me) is to see if a particular bucket is still open.
When you're more than a week out - the loads shift too much to be of much use. For example - my flight on Saturday has gone from F6 to F9 in the space of 24 hours. Still no UUA availability to F though!
If I look at the availability for something in 6 months time - all I'm going to see is a string of 9s - and even if I don't, it doesn't mean anything because of the number of cancellations/changes etc that'll occur. So it doesn't help me.
About 2 weeks out (it seems to me) it starts to settle and it starts to become more readable.
But even then - I've seen flights where I've got to check in and said "looks pretty empty at the back" to be told "no - oversold by 5".
Sep 14, 2017, 8:16 am
#368
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: MME (midway between NCL and LBA)
Programs: BA Gold, AF/KL Gold, Hilton Gold, Nordic Choice Gold
Posts: 743
Results from https://www.ExpertFlyer.com
Code:
Flight Availability Search
Departing NCL on 10/22/17 12:00 AM for LHR
Flying BA
Point of Sale: UK
Connections
BA 1327 0 NCL LHR 320 Daily J9 C8 D4 R7 I0 Y9 B9 H7 K7 M0 L0 V0 N0 Q0 O0 S0 G0
10/22/17 11:25 AM 10/22/17 12:45 PM 87% / 27m
Sep 15, 2017, 2:31 am
#369
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,262
Might one of you helpful folk check my BA274 LAS-LHR on 01/01/2018 ?
My F cabin [based on seat map] has gone from empty to almost full in days, which seems rather strange this far out? Don't want to flame the "downgrade 2-4-1" discussion but this is a little concerning !
Thanks in advance
My F cabin [based on seat map] has gone from empty to almost full in days, which seems rather strange this far out? Don't want to flame the "downgrade 2-4-1" discussion but this is a little concerning !
Thanks in advance
Sep 15, 2017, 3:17 am
#370
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL / GfL
Posts: 3,265
Might one of you helpful folk check my BA274 LAS-LHR on 01/01/2018 ?
My F cabin [based on seat map] has gone from empty to almost full in days, which seems rather strange this far out? Don't want to flame the "downgrade 2-4-1" discussion but this is a little concerning !
Thanks in advance
My F cabin [based on seat map] has gone from empty to almost full in days, which seems rather strange this far out? Don't want to flame the "downgrade 2-4-1" discussion but this is a little concerning !
Thanks in advance
Pilot37
Sep 15, 2017, 3:23 am
#371
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,262
Many thanks - I've got 1A/K
Let's see what happens..
Let's see what happens..
Sep 15, 2017, 9:52 pm
#372
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 36
Hi, can someone please check loads on these flights?
CX343 HKG-LGW 17th July
[Non-oneworld flights redacted]
Thanks!
CX343 HKG-LGW 17th July
[Non-oneworld flights redacted]
Thanks!
Last edited by NWIFlyer; Sep 15, 2017 at 10:43 pm Reason: Remove non-oneworld flights per thread rules
Sep 16, 2017, 12:26 am
#374
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 36
For CX343, is that for tomorrow's flight? I can't seem to find any availability though.
EDIT: Sorry, I meant 17th September!
EDIT: Sorry, I meant 17th September!
Sep 16, 2017, 3:35 am
#375
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Singapore
Programs: HHonors Diamond; A3 *Nothing ; BA Exec. Club Gold
Posts: 1,690
Flying Kuala Lumpur to LHR vv in a little over a week in Club. Wonder if there will be award seats released in F or if there will be a chance to see a POUG or AUP options.
Can someone check for me F availability on:
BA34 KUL-LHR, 25 Sept
BA33 LHR-KUL, 03 Oct
Thanks!
Globalist
Can someone check for me F availability on:
BA34 KUL-LHR, 25 Sept
BA33 LHR-KUL, 03 Oct
Thanks!
Globalist