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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 May 4, 2018, 4:34 am
  #1711  
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Aberdeen
Programs: BA Gold, AF Silver
Posts: 70
Originally Posted by gallagher
Can someone please check LHR-OTP 9th May returning 11th May please?

Departing Flights

Search Departing LHR on 09/05/18 6:00 for OTP
Returning on 11/05/18 6:00
Flying BA
Point of Sale: UK
Departing 09/05/18 - Wednesday
Flight Stops Depart Arrive Aircraft Frequency
Reliability Available Classes
(Click on the class code for details)
0 Connections BA 886 0 LHR
09/05/18 11:40 OTP
09/05/18 17:00 320
Daily
85% / 15m J9 C2 D0 R0 I0 Y9 B9 H3 K0 M0 L0 V0 N0 O0 Q0 S0 G0
0 Connections BA 884 0 LHR
09/05/18 19:00 OTP
10/05/18 0:15 320
Daily
81% / 22m J9 C5 D1 R0 I0 Y9 B9 H9 K6 M0 L0 V0 N0 O0 Q0 S0 G9

Returning Flights

Search Departing LHR on 09/05/18 6:00 for OTP
Returning on 11/05/18 6:00
Flying BA
Point of Sale: UK
Returning 11/05/18 - Friday
Flight Stops Depart Arrive Aircraft Frequency
Reliability Available Classes
(Click on the class code for details)
0 Connections BA 885 0 OTP
11/05/18 8:30 LHR
11/05/18 10:05 320
Daily
83% / 18m J9 C3 D1 R1 I0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M3 L0 V0 N0 Q0 O0 S0 G0
0 Connections BA 887 0 OTP
11/05/18 17:55 LHR
11/05/18 19:25 321
Daily
85% / 21m J9 C2 D0 R9 I0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M2 L0 V0 N0 O0 Q0 S0 G9
HighlandBoy is offline  
Old May 4, 2018, 6:50 pm
  #1712  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver (for now)
Posts: 1,000
Hi

Could someone check Shanghai to London Heathrow BA168 on the 15 May?

W
Will100 is offline  
Old May 5, 2018, 1:56 am
  #1713  
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 533
Originally Posted by Willphipps
Hi

Could someone check Shanghai to London Heathrow BA168 on the 15 May?

W
Assuming I've selected the correct Shanghai...
PVG LHR 05/15/18 11:00 F5 A5 J9 C9 D9 R9 I9 W9 E9 T9 Y9 B9H9 K9 M9 L9 V7 S5 N3 Q0 O0 G0
tinkicker is offline  
Old May 5, 2018, 3:09 am
  #1714  
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 39
Hi,

Could someone check BA2167 LGW - TPA on 19/05/18 and back, BA2166, on 03/06/18.

Looks like BA might still be undecided which 777-200ER will be on these as seat map has changed twice in last week.

Thank you.
stu002 is offline  
Old May 5, 2018, 3:16 am
  #1715  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,092
Originally Posted by stu002
Hi,

Could someone check BA2167 LGW - TPA on 19/05/18 and back, BA2166, on 03/06/18.

Looks like BA might still be undecided which 777-200ER will be on these as seat map has changed twice in last week.

Thank you.
LGW to TPA on 05/19/18
Point of Sale: UK
BA2167
LGW 11:35a → TPA 4:05p
J9 C9 D9 R9 I5 W1 E1 T0 Y0 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0

​​BA2166
TPA to LGW on 06/03/18
Point of Sale: UK
TPA 5:00p → LGW 6:30a
J7 C7 D5 R1 I0 W0 E0 T0 Y9 B9 H7 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0​​​​​​

Apologies if formatting messed up, copy paste on mobile.
BertieBadger is offline  
Old May 5, 2018, 3:30 am
  #1716  
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 39
Originally Posted by BertieBadger
LGW to TPA on 05/19/18
Point of Sale: UK
BA2167
LGW 11:35a → TPA 4:05p
J9 C9 D9 R9 I5 W1 E1 T0 Y0 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0

​​BA2166
TPA to LGW on 06/03/18
Point of Sale: UK
TPA 5:00p → LGW 6:30a
J7 C7 D5 R1 I0 W0 E0 T0 Y9 B9 H7 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0​​​​​​

Apologies if formatting messed up, copy paste on mobile.
Thank you. So if Ive interpreted this correctly the flight out looks like it could be pretty full in the middle and the back but not so busy as the front.

The flight back looks very busy in the middle but not so busy at the back?
stu002 is offline  
Old May 5, 2018, 3:34 am
  #1717  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,092
Originally Posted by stu002


Thank you. So if Ive interpreted this correctly the flight out looks like it could be pretty full in the middle and the back but not so busy as the front.

The flight back looks very busy in the middle but not so busy at the back?
Yes, that's how I'd interpret it. I'd say still fairly busy in WT on return.

I'm no expert on this but I'd anticipate a few folk moving forward on both.
BertieBadger is offline  
Old May 5, 2018, 3:46 am
  #1718  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 166
Could someone pull down:
BA31 LHR-HKG, 09th May
BA28 HKG-LHR, 15th May

Thanks very much
Lenis is offline  
Old May 5, 2018, 3:51 am
  #1719  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,092
Originally Posted by Lenis
Could someone pull down:
BA31 LHR-HKG, 09th May
BA28 HKG-LHR, 15th May

Thanks very much
BA 31
LHR
05/09/18 6:40 PM
HKG
05/10/18 1:40 PM 388
Daily 71% / 36m F2 A1 J9 C6 D3 R0 I0 W9 E9 T9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q0 O0 G9

BA 28
HKG
05/15/18 11:45 PM
LHR
05/16/18 5:30 AM 777
Daily 63% / 23m F3 A2 J9 C9 D9 R9 I0 W9 E9 T9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q0 O0 G9
BertieBadger is offline  
Old May 5, 2018, 6:23 am
  #1720  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: BA Gold IHG Plantium Elite
Posts: 66
Can somebody please check LGW BGI LGW BA2155/4 24MAY18- 03JUN18
thanks
msstendring is offline  
Old May 5, 2018, 10:01 am
  #1721  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: USA and UK
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Silver, Alitalia Freccia Alata
Posts: 1,351
Originally Posted by msstendring
Can somebody please check LGW BGI LGW BA2155/4 24MAY18- 03JUN18
thanks
Oubound:
BA 2155 0 LGW
24/05/18 11:25 BGI
24/05/18 15:05 777
Daily
60% / 25m F0 A0 J1 C0 D0 R0 I0 W9 E6 T4 Y6 B4 H4 K3 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0

Inbound:
BA 2154 0 BGI
03/06/18 17:10 LGW
04/06/18 6:20 777
Su,W,Th,Sa
81% / 22m F3 A2 J6 C6 D4 R0 I0 W0 E0 T0 Y6 B2 H2 K2 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G0

Rather busy all around!
BA0197 is offline  
Old May 5, 2018, 1:02 pm
  #1722  
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: BA Bronze, Marriott LTP
Posts: 125
Please could someone please check LHR-SAN 13th May and back on SAN-LHR on 20th May.
thank you
anyuser is offline  
Old May 5, 2018, 2:54 pm
  #1723  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 215
Originally Posted by anyuser
Please could someone please check LHR-SAN 13th May and back on SAN-LHR on 20th May.
thank you
outboundBA 273LHR 3:25p → SAN 6:40p
F9 A8 J9 C1 D1 R0 I0 W5 E0 T0 Y9 B8 H3 K2 M2 L2 V2 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G9InboundBA 272SAN 8:45p → LHR 3:20p
F1 A0 J9 C9 D8 R7 I3 W4 E0 T0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L6 V4 S0 N0 Q0 O0 G9
barneyb is offline  
Old May 6, 2018, 9:10 am
  #1724  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
I have access to EF so I know the current state of fare buckets for this flight, and can also see from searches on BA.com that there is no award space currently, but hoping someone can help me an understanding of whether BA might open award space in either main cabin or front cabin as the flight approaches.

The flight is FSC-LHR on Sunday June 3. currently shows J9 C5 D2 R0 I0 Y9 B9 H9 K4 M0 L0 V0

We will be in Corsica for a few days and I already have an award ticket for my wife on June 4 LHR-SEA in F that I could add this FSC-LHR flight to instead of having to either buy it or fly on Easyjet into LGW. Adding that first EU segment would also reduce APD on the award ticket by about $170. The award is with AAdvantage miles and I am EXP status so I could add this on at the last minute but trying to make sure I have an insurance plan for backup to get to London at some point on Sunday.

Right now EasyJet is about $170, BA is about $350. The way I look at it is I buy the EasyJet ticket as insurance and then if BA opens space I get a $170 reduction in APD and just toss the EasyJet ticket.

Curious what people think the odds are that BA will open anything more in either cabin on this route?
stephem is offline  
Old May 6, 2018, 11:53 am
  #1725  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
Can someone check BA155 LHR-CAI on Tuesday 8th May?

Mainly asking as Flub Class has opened due to 789 change, so I've gambled on taking one of the eight seats in the hope that I'm not kicked back to a middle
mmxbreaks is offline  


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