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Help to check BA seat availability and BA flight loads

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Old Jul 9, 2017, 11:09 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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
  • 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 BA seat availability and BA flight loads

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Old Jan 17, 2018, 3:08 pm
  #1006  
BOH
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,667
Hi, wondering what the load is looking like on the BA2688 from LGW to GOA on Friday 19th January?

Thanks
BOH is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2018, 4:00 pm
  #1007  
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,137
Originally Posted by BOH
Hi, wondering what the load is looking like on the BA2688 from LGW to GOA on Friday 19th January?

Thanks
Here you go.

BA 2688
LGW 01/19/18 7:55 AM
GOA 01/19/18 11:00 AM
319
Su,M,F
100% / 5m

J9 C7 D3 R9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9
N9 Q4 O0 S9 G9
PETER01 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2018, 4:14 pm
  #1008  
BOH
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,667
Originally Posted by PETER01
Here you go.

BA 2688
LGW 01/19/18 7:55 AM
GOA 01/19/18 11:00 AM
319
Su,M,F
100% / 5m

J9 C7 D3 R9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9
N9 Q4 O0 S9 G9
Thank you! That looks pretty lightly loaded?
BOH is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2018, 4:16 pm
  #1009  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: UK - Hampshire & London
Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.
Posts: 2,732
Hello,

Could someone help with:

BA 2798 LGW - SVQ 13/04/18
BA 2799 SVQ - LGW 17/04/18

Thanks
krispy84 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2018, 4:32 pm
  #1010  
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,137
Originally Posted by BOH
Thank you! That looks pretty lightly loaded?
Yes doesn't look too busy at the moment. CE rows 1-3 only has a couple of seats allocated.

PETER01 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2018, 4:40 pm
  #1011  
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,137
Originally Posted by krispy84
Hello,

Could someone help with:

BA 2798 LGW - SVQ 13/04/18
BA 2799 SVQ - LGW 17/04/18

Thanks
13/04/18 - J7 C6 D3 R0 I0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V8
N0 Q0 O0 S0 G0

17/04/2018 - J9 C7 D3 R0 I1 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L4 V0
N0 Q0 O0 S0 G0
PETER01 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2018, 9:04 pm
  #1012  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
My sub has ended so could someone be so kind to check:
BA6412 CPT -JNB 20/01
BA6431 JNB-CPT 20/01

Thanks a ton !
Flame3601 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2018, 9:34 pm
  #1013  
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,137
Originally Posted by Flame3601
My sub has ended so could someone be so kind to check:
BA6412 CPT -JNB 20/01
BA6431 JNB-CPT 20/01

Thanks a ton !
That's what they all say (I'm actually fairly new to EF so exploring all the different parts and happy to help where I can)

Anyhow both flights very wide open as below.

BA (MN) 6412
CPT 01/20/18 1:25 PM
JNB 01/20/18 3:25 PM
738
Daily
66% / 27m

J9 C9 D9 R9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9
S9 N9 Q9 O9 G9

BA (MN) 6431
JNB 01/20/18 6:00 PM
CPT 01/20/18 8:10 PM

J9 C9 D9 R9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9
S9 N9 Q9 O9 G9
PETER01 is offline  
Old Jan 18, 2018, 1:50 am
  #1014  
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 24
Hi everyone!

I'm writing from France, so first of all, excuse my english. I'm here to ask you the best way to book my seats.
I'll flight on BA286 in April on A380. I'll travel with my husband and my 14yo daughter. I bought on the same booking.
I'd like to book my seats in advance, but it's really really expensive.
I heard there are some assigned seats, but my problem is: I really want to seat with my husband and my daughter together in the same row, with nobody between us. My daughter is now as an adut on the ticket, and I'm affraid she wont' get a seat next to us What do you jnow about the seats we get without payong for them?
I was looking to buy 3 seats on the pper deck, but there's no 3x, or I could book the 82GJK, at least we are together....
Could you please give me some advice? I know it can sound a bit strange, but we don't travel often and I really want to be great...
Many thankd for your help,
And best regards from France
Usavril is offline  
Old Jan 18, 2018, 6:31 am
  #1015  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC GGL, HH DIAMOND, AVIS Presidents Club, Karahi Express
Posts: 1,229
Originally Posted by Banie
23rd Jul BA0199 LHR-BOM
26th Jul BA0138 BOM-LHR

BA Gold travelling in WT+
BA 199 0 LHR
23/07/18 9:25 PM BOM
24/07/18 11:10 AM 777
Daily
51% / 27m F9 A9 J9 C9 D9 R9 I9 W9 E9 T5 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N0 Q0 O0 G0

BA 138 0 BOM
26/07/18 1:45 AM LHR
26/07/18 6:55 AM 789
Daily
79% / 46m F8 A7 J9 C9 D9 R9 I9 W9 E9 T8 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q0 O0 G0
deboyzoned is offline  
Old Jan 18, 2018, 8:06 am
  #1016  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
Originally Posted by PETER01
That's what they all say (I'm actually fairly new to EF so exploring all the different parts and happy to help where I can)

Anyhow both flights very wide open as below.

BA (MN) 6412
CPT 01/20/18 1:25 PM
JNB 01/20/18 3:25 PM
738
Daily
66% / 27m

J9 C9 D9 R9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9
S9 N9 Q9 O9 G9

BA (MN) 6431
JNB 01/20/18 6:00 PM
CPT 01/20/18 8:10 PM

J9 C9 D9 R9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9
S9 N9 Q9 O9 G9
Thanks , super light load! I actually had a monthly sub , but expired few days ago and will only renew in April.
Flame3601 is offline  
Old Jan 18, 2018, 8:26 am
  #1017  
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,137
Originally Posted by Flame3601

Thanks , super light load! I actually had a monthly sub , but expired few days ago and will only renew in April.

Yes and hopefully you'll get a row all to yourself

It's very good EF and I just this morning saw a UuA to CW on a return leg opportunity so booked a flight and then inbetween calling and confirming someone had nabbed 53 A on the A380 which was my cunning plan! Ah well, you win some, you lose some. Still in CW though and a real step up from WT+.
PETER01 is offline  
Old Jan 18, 2018, 1:31 pm
  #1018  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Avios
Posts: 57
Hello, I am new to the forum. Thanks to helpful people like yourselves I am redeeming my first ever 2-4-1 voucher. Was able to get CW on the outward journey.

Could someone help with:
BA 10 BKK-LHR 23/02/2018

Hoping to upgrade the return leg to WT to WT+ or CW...!

Many thanks!
MintWasabe is offline  
Old Jan 18, 2018, 1:50 pm
  #1019  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA and UK
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Silver, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 1,351
Originally Posted by Rohini Mathur
Hello, I am new to the forum. Thanks to helpful people like yourselves I am redeeming my first ever 2-4-1 voucher. Was able to get CW on the outward journey.

Could someone help with:
BA 10 BKK-LHR 23/02/2018

Hoping to upgrade the return leg to WT to WT+ or CW...!

Many thanks!
Here you go!

J9 C7 D5 R0 I0 W2 E0 T0 Y9 B7 H7 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0

Doesn't look like WT+ will be of much use I suspect (thought who knows you may get an Airport Upgrade for a certain sum). And just to let you know you can't "double upgrade" from WT to CW. Welcome to the forum!
BA0197 is offline  
Old Jan 19, 2018, 3:48 am
  #1020  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Avios
Posts: 57
Thank you so much! There was no WT+ reward availability when I booked (still hasn't ever been as far as I can see).
very useful to know about the double upgrade situation- ah well. Will need to just get up regularly and stretch my legs if no WT+ is available!

Last edited by MintWasabe; Jan 19, 2018 at 3:58 am
MintWasabe is offline  


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