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Help to check BA seat availability and BA flight loads

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

Old Mar 14, 2018, 12:16 pm
  #1306  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,625
Originally Posted by mmxbreaks
How is BA213 LHR-BOS on 16 March looking?
Departing LHR on 16/03/18 0:00 for BOS
Flying BA
Direct/Non-Stop Only
Point of Sale: UK


Frequency
Flight Stops Depart Arrive Aircraft Reliability Available Classes
0 Connections
BA 213 0 LHR BOS 777 Su,M,T,Th,F,Sa F8 A7 J9 C0 D0 R0 I0 W8 E0 T0 Y4 B2 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0
Lucanesque is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 7:10 am
  #1307  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 111
Grateful if someone could checl the load on
BA 0696 LHR-VIE Sunday 18 March.

Thanks in advance
Notsofreq is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 7:45 am
  #1308  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: London / Brighton
Programs: BAEC Gold / M-Life Gold / HH Diamond
Posts: 1,625
Originally Posted by Notsofreq
Grateful if someone could checl the load on
BA 0696 LHR-VIE Sunday 18 March.

Thanks in advance
Frequency
Flight Stops Depart Arrive Aircraft Reliability Available Classes
0 Connections
BA 696 0 LHR VIE 320 Daily J9 C7 D4 R9 I9 Y9 B9 H9 K8 M6 L3 V0 N0 Q0 O0 S9 G9
18/03/18 7:05 18/03/18 10:25 95% / 14m
Lucanesque is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 8:00 am
  #1309  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 114
Hi there, would someone be able to check ba218 den - lhr 16th march? thanks in advance!
acrollet is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 8:14 am
  #1310  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,586
Originally Posted by acrollet
hi there, would someone be able to check ba218 den - lhr 16th march? Thanks in advance!
f3 a2 j3 c0 d0 r0 i0 w3 e0 t0 y9 b4 h2 k2 m1 l1 v1 s0 n0 q0 o0 g0
acrollet likes this.
ringingup is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 9:48 am
  #1311  
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: All the usual suspects
Posts: 342
Could somebody have a look at BA278 this Saturday March 17th please?
Thanks in advance!
Soupdragon62 is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 10:41 am
  #1312  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Manchester, UK.
Programs: BAEC Silver, then a handful of points on everything else.
Posts: 185
Originally Posted by Soupdragon62
Could somebody have a look at BA278 this Saturday March 17th please?
Thanks in advance!
Results from https://www.ExpertFlyer.com
Code:
Flight Availability Search
Departing SJC on 03/17/18 12:00 AM for LHR
Flying BA  


                                                                     Frequency
Flight        Stops  Depart             Arrive             Aircraft  Reliability     Available Classes
0 Connections
BA 278        0      SJC                LHR                789       M,T,W,Th,F,Sa   F2 A1 J9 C0 D0 R0 I0 W9 E5 T1 Y9 B8 H5 K3 M1 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G9 
                     03/17/18 7:55 PM   03/18/18 1:10 PM             90% / 15m
internetplumber is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 10:44 am
  #1313  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Manchester, UK.
Programs: BAEC Silver, then a handful of points on everything else.
Posts: 185
Originally Posted by Soupdragon62
Could somebody have a look at BA278 this Saturday March 17th please?
Thanks in advance!
By the way, ExpertFlyer search is on departure and arrival airports, hence this reminder in the wiki:

If you wish to request availability for a specific flight, please state the date and origin/departure airport codes, not just the flight number.
internetplumber is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 10:44 am
  #1314  
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: All the usual suspects
Posts: 342
Originally Posted by internetplumber
Results from https://www.ExpertFlyer.com
Code:
Flight Availability Search
Departing SJC on 03/17/18 12:00 AM for LHR
Flying BA


Frequency
Flight Stops Depart Arrive Aircraft Reliability Available Classes
0 Connections
BA 278 0 SJC LHR 789 M,T,W,Th,F,Sa F2 A1 J9 C0 D0 R0 I0 W9 E5 T1 Y9 B8 H5 K3 M1 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G9
03/17/18 7:55 PM 03/18/18 1:10 PM 90% / 15m
Many thanks!
Soupdragon62 is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 10:49 am
  #1315  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, A3 *Gold
Posts: 887
Hi all - my flight home tomorrow (256 DEL LHR 16/3/18) looks packed in PE, would anyone be kind enough to check it? Thank you!
RobDBA is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 10:49 am
  #1316  
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Ayrshire
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, IHG Spire Ambassador, HH Diamond, Scandic Top Floor
Posts: 139
Could somebody please check the load for BA0080, MCT - LHR for Sun 18th March

Thanks

DtB
Down the back is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 10:58 am
  #1317  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: YOW
Programs: AC-SE100K MM, BA-S HH-D, MB-G LT Sil, IHG-Plt, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 3,795
Originally Posted by Down the back
Could somebody please check the load for BA0080, MCT - LHR for Sun 18th March

Thanks

DtB
F0 A0 J8 C4 D2 R0 I0 W9 E9 T0 Y5 B0
H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0
Seat13F_AC_CRJ is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 11:00 am
  #1318  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: YOW
Programs: AC-SE100K MM, BA-S HH-D, MB-G LT Sil, IHG-Plt, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 3,795
Originally Posted by RobDBA
Hi all - my flight home tomorrow (256 DEL LHR 16/3/18) looks packed in PE, would anyone be kind enough to check it? Thank you!
Not much space left.
F1 A0 J2 C0 D0 R0 I0 W1 E0 T0 Y5 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0
Seat13F_AC_CRJ is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 11:06 am
  #1319  
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Ayrshire
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, IHG Spire Ambassador, HH Diamond, Scandic Top Floor
Posts: 139
Originally Posted by Seat13F_AC_CRJ
Thanks,

I guess no no chance of op-up to First from CW ☹️

Regards

DtB

Down the back is offline  
Old Mar 15, 2018, 11:13 am
  #1320  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, A3 *Gold
Posts: 887
Originally Posted by Seat13F_AC_CRJ
Not much space left.
F1 A0 J2 C0 D0 R0 I0 W1 E0 T0 Y5 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0
many thanks, praying to the upgrade gods!
RobDBA is offline  

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