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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 Jun 28, 2018, 8:06 am
  #2026  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
Originally Posted by peterinlewesuk


I wouldn't hold your breathe.!

May be worth comparing the economy and Club fares on the later flight as there is some availability in the cheaper less flexible Club fare classes on that compared to only the highest fully flexible economy.
Ordinarily I would agree, but there have been reports today of really odd pricing across lots of short haul routes, so in this particular instance it is possible prices will drop.

See for example:

Weird Pricing

Whats happening in AMS on the 17th/18th July???

So it is maybe a systemic issue that will be resolved? But I don't have a crystal ball, so offer this only as an observation, not a recommendation!
BertieBadger is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2018, 8:10 am
  #2027  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LHR, LGW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,412
Hi,

Could some please kindly look up BA116 JFK - LHR for this Saturday (30th).

(I'm getting a POUG from Y to W but its Ł279 each. Not great at all however, its an 86J so I wonder if the gods might play kind and get a double op up to J. Wishful thinking I know!)

Thanks anyway.
rockflyertalk is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2018, 8:13 am
  #2028  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
Originally Posted by rockflyertalk
Hi,

Could some please kindly look up BA116 JFK - LHR for this Saturday (30th).

(I'm getting a POUG from Y to W but its Ł279 each. Not great at all however, its an 86J so I wonder if the gods might play kind and get a double op up to J. Wishful thinking I know!)

Thanks anyway.
Here you go (UK POS)

BA 116
JFK
06/30/18 8:10 PM
LHR
07/01/18 8:20 AM
744
Daily
90% / 11m
F4 A3 J9 C2 D0 R0 I0 W9 E9 T8 Y9 B7 H3 K3 M3 L3 V3 S3 N3 Q3 O3 G3

And for US POS:

F4 A3 J9 C1 D0 R0 I0 W9 E6 T0 Y9 B8 H7 K4 M4 L4 V4 S4 N0 Q0 O0 G3
BertieBadger is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2018, 8:52 am
  #2029  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LHR, LGW
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,412
Originally Posted by BertieBadger
Here you go (UK POS)

BA 116
JFK
06/30/18 8:10 PM
LHR
07/01/18 8:20 AM
744
Daily
90% / 11m
F4 A3 J9 C2 D0 R0 I0 W9 E9 T8 Y9 B7 H3 K3 M3 L3 V3 S3 N3 Q3 O3 G3

And for US POS:

F4 A3 J9 C1 D0 R0 I0 W9 E6 T0 Y9 B8 H7 K4 M4 L4 V4 S4 N0 Q0 O0 G3
Interesting thanks. Expertflyer shows W completely occupied including 4 blocked out. Yet this shows clear availability. Hmm
rockflyertalk is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2018, 9:01 am
  #2030  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
Originally Posted by rockflyertalk


Interesting thanks. Expertflyer shows W completely occupied including 4 blocked out. Yet this shows clear availability. Hmm
Well, do remember - and you may well appreciate this already - that's just what BA are prepared to sell in each fare class, not necessarily where they will finally seat any such passengers. With F4/J9, there is scope to move WTP passengers forward as needed if the cabin is oversold
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BertieBadger is offline  
Old Jun 29, 2018, 5:33 am
  #2031  
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: UK - the nearest airport is named after a motorway !
Posts: 4,230
start of the holidays?

Could someone have a look at the LHR-JNB flights (BA 55/57) on 22 July please? Can't see any availability in Y at all, which is strange this far out - not sure if it's 'start of the holidays' or just something up with ba.com ...

Thanks
Stewie Mac is offline  
Old Jun 29, 2018, 5:36 am
  #2032  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Lewes, UK
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 231
Originally Posted by stewie mac
could someone have a look at the lhr-jnb flights (ba 55/57) on 22 july please? Can't see any availability in y at all, which is strange this far out - not sure if it's 'start of the holidays' or just something up with ba.com ...

Thanks
ba 55
lhr 22/07/18 19:05
jnb 23/07/18 7:05
388
f5 a0 j9 c9 d5 r0 i0 w0 e0 t0 y0 b0 h0 k0 m0 l0 v0 s0 n0 q0 o0 g0

ba 57
lhr 22/07/18 21:25
jnb 23/07/18 9:15
744
f9 a6 j0 c0 d0 r0 i0 w0 e0 t0 y0 b0 h0 k0 m0 l0 v0 s0 n0 q0 o0 g0
Stewie Mac likes this.
peterinlewesuk is offline  
Old Jun 29, 2018, 6:18 am
  #2033  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,176
Thanks in advance would appreciate a check as follows

Tuesday 3rd July

BA01 LCY - JFK
UKtravelbear is online now  
Old Jun 29, 2018, 6:21 am
  #2034  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Lewes, UK
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 231
Originally Posted by uktravelbear
thanks in advance would appreciate a check as follows

tuesday 3rd july

ba01 lcy - jfk
ba 1
lcy 03/07/18 9:40
jfk 03/07/18 14:05
318
j7 c7 d4 r4 i4
UKtravelbear likes this.
peterinlewesuk is offline  
Old Jul 1, 2018, 2:35 am
  #2035  
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 335
BA189 6th September

Currently WTP looking for possible Club upgrade so interested in loads in all fare buckets on this LHR EWR flight currently.
Jerseylily2 is offline  
Old Jul 1, 2018, 2:43 am
  #2036  
formerly mattking2000
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: DXB
Programs: BA|AC|AZ|SPG|H|FPC
Posts: 1,184
Originally Posted by Jerseylily2
Currently WTP looking for possible Club upgrade so interested in loads in all fare buckets on this LHR EWR flight currently.
BA 1890LHR
09/06/18 4:45 PMEWR
09/06/18 7:35 PM789
Daily
61% / 31mF6 A5 J9 C9 D9 R9 I9 W9 E9 T9 Y9 B9
H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N8 Q0 O0 G0
BA Humbug is online now  
Old Jul 1, 2018, 2:52 am
  #2037  
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 335
Thanks muchly
Jerseylily2 is offline  
Old Jul 2, 2018, 6:21 am
  #2038  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
Would someone check tomorrow's (Tue 3rd July's) LHR-HEL 11:25 BA794 please?

I'm getting a "Sorry, we can’t check you in for this flight. Please go to the airport check-in desk." which is highly unusual... not sure if it's over-booking, SSSS, or what. Thanks!
mmxbreaks is offline  
Old Jul 2, 2018, 6:30 am
  #2039  
formerly mattking2000
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: DXB
Programs: BA|AC|AZ|SPG|H|FPC
Posts: 1,184
Originally Posted by mmxbreaks
Would someone check tomorrow's (Tue 3rd July's) LHR-HEL 11:25 BA794 please?

I'm getting a "Sorry, we can’t check you in for this flight. Please go to the airport check-in desk." which is highly unusual... not sure if it's over-booking, SSSS, or what. Thanks!
BA 7940LHR
07/03/18 11:25 AMHEL
07/03/18 4:20 PM320
Daily
84% / 13mJ4 C2 D0 R0 I0 Y9 B2 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0
N0 O0 Q0 S0 G1

Still some empty seats I reckon.
BA Humbug is online now  
Old Jul 2, 2018, 6:37 am
  #2040  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 2,447
Originally Posted by BA Humbug
BA 7940LHR
07/03/18 11:25 AMHEL
07/03/18 4:20 PM320
Daily
84% / 13mJ4 C2 D0 R0 I0 Y9 B2 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0
N0 O0 Q0 S0 G1

Still some empty seats I reckon.
Hmm, they are still selling, having just checked, so I'm guessing it's a security thing. Sigh.

Thanks for the info.
mmxbreaks is offline  


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