Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > British Airways | Executive Club
Reload this Page >

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.
Print Wikipost

Help to check BA seat availability and BA flight loads

Old Nov 5, 2017, 12:32 pm
  #661  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,669
Originally Posted by donglemouse
Would a kind soul be able to check this flight for availability:

BA 0256 Delhi to London Monday 27th Nov departs 11:05

BA have moved my 2 reserved seats in premium economy from window + adjacent seat, to two seats in the centre block.

No window seats now showing available in premium economy.

Contemplating trying to get downgraded into economy to get a window seat as that's my priority.

Thanks
dm
No windows in PE except the bassinet positions. Plenty available in Y, of course.

But very little availability except in F and J ... F9 A9 J9 C9 D9 R9 I9 W1 E0 T0 Y4 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0
SeattleDavid is offline  
Old Nov 6, 2017, 10:29 am
  #662  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 845
Can anyone please check BA283 (LHR-LAX) on November 8?
B747forever is offline  
Old Nov 6, 2017, 10:36 am
  #663  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: BA Gold for Life
Posts: 1,382
Originally Posted by B747forever
Can anyone please check BA283 (LHR-LAX) on November 8?
Results from ExpertFlyer.com
Flight Availability Search
Departing LHR on 11/08/17 12:00 AM for LAX


BA 283 F9 A8 J9 C0 D0 R0 I0 W9 E0 T0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M8 L6 V3 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G9
Rubecula is offline  
Old Nov 6, 2017, 12:22 pm
  #664  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 845
Originally Posted by Rubecula
Results from ExpertFlyer.com
Flight Availability Search
Departing LHR on 11/08/17 12:00 AM for LAX


BA 283 F9 A8 J9 C0 D0 R0 I0 W9 E0 T0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M8 L6 V3 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G9
Thanks!
B747forever is offline  
Old Nov 6, 2017, 1:23 pm
  #665  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: East Sussex
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 69
Please can someone check BA 279 LHR - SJC on 18/11/17 please.
Sparky_ is offline  
Old Nov 6, 2017, 1:43 pm
  #666  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,669
Originally Posted by sparky_
please can someone check ba 279 lhr - sjc on 18/11/17 please.
f5 a4 j4 c2 d0 r0 i0 w8 e0 t0 y9 b9 h9 k9 m9 l9 v9 s7 n0 q0 o0 g0
SeattleDavid is offline  
Old Nov 6, 2017, 2:06 pm
  #667  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: East Sussex
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 69
Originally Posted by SeattleDavid
f5 a4 j4 c2 d0 r0 i0 w8 e0 t0 y9 b9 h9 k9 m9 l9 v9 s7 n0 q0 o0 g0
Thanks
Sparky_ is offline  
Old Nov 7, 2017, 9:34 am
  #668  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Glasgow
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 530
Please could someone check BA42 (CPT to LHR) on 12 Nov

Thanks
MsCapricorn is offline  
Old Nov 7, 2017, 10:06 am
  #669  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London
Programs: Many. Too many. I came here to cut them down. I failed.
Posts: 2,998
Sun 12nov17 cape town /london area
2 cpt lhr 2120#0710 ba 42
f3 a0 j2 c0 dc rc ic w2 ec tc y5 b0 h0 k0 m0 lc vc sc nc qc oc g0
Sam Bee is offline  
Old Nov 7, 2017, 10:29 am
  #670  
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 3
Hi can somebody please check

LGW - MCO Jan 15 BA2037
MCO - LGW Jan 25 BA2036

Thanks in advance
David173 is offline  
Old Nov 7, 2017, 11:10 am
  #671  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Glasgow
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 530
Originally Posted by Sam Bee
Sun 12nov17 cape town /london area
2 cpt lhr 2120#0710 ba 42
f3 a0 j2 c0 dc rc ic w2 ec tc y5 b0 h0 k0 m0 lc vc sc nc qc oc g0
Thanks. Looks like I should do OLCI early
MsCapricorn is offline  
Old Nov 7, 2017, 11:53 am
  #672  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,669
Originally Posted by david173
hi can somebody please check

lgw - mco jan 15 ba2037
mco - lgw jan 25 ba2036

thanks in advance
ba2037. J1 c1 d1 r0 i0 w4 e1 t1 y9 b9 h9 k9 m9 l9 v9 s9 n9 q9 o9 g9

ba2036. J9 c9 d9 r9 i9 w9 e9 t8 y9 b9 h9 k9 m9 l9 v9 s9 n9 q9 o9 g9
SeattleDavid is offline  
Old Nov 7, 2017, 3:31 pm
  #673  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 160
Can someone please check the loads on ba 143 lhr to DEL on Friday 10 Nov? Many thanks!
tc69 is online now  
Old Nov 7, 2017, 4:41 pm
  #674  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,669
Originally Posted by tc69
can someone please check the loads on ba 143 lhr to del on friday 10 nov? Many thanks!
f1 a1 j5 c0 d0 r0 i0 w2 e0 t0 y8 b2 h2 k2 m0 l0 v0 s0 n0 q0 o0 g0
SeattleDavid is offline  
Old Nov 8, 2017, 11:09 am
  #675  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 16
Iah / lhr

BA0196 IAH/LHR 9th November.


Thanks in advance
Ngl100 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.