ExpertFlyer
#1
Moderator, Trip Reports
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA GS-2MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 3,710
ExpertFlyer
ExpertFlyer
Using EF to look at the EK seat map, to review award/upgrade availability, setting seat and fare alerts.
http://www.expertflyer.com/
ExpertFlyer is an extremely valuable tool for the road warrior. You can sign up for a free account, which allows a capped amount of travel searches or for a nominal fee, you can sign up for a paid account, which provides unlimited search query.
What is EF?
An online tool which shows:
This section will walk you through how to search for an upgrade award on EK as well as award travel (ie mileage ticket)
When looking for a Business Saver Award and upgrade (from Y to J), EK books these into fare class D.
A Business Flex award is fare class C
Step 1
Login to EF
Step 2
Choose Upgrades & Awards from the menu on the left
Step 3
Input the desired city pairs, in this case I'm searching for award/upgrade availability between DXB and JFK departing the 5th April 2011 and returning 12th April, 2011
You will then be presented with the search results and seat availability. Like this:
I can clearly see that there are 7 seats available on the A380 service ex DXB - which can be redeemed as flight awards and/or upgrades.
If I scroll down, I am presented with the return availability. Again, I can see that there are plenty of seats available. Always a good sign!
What EF allows you to do is arm yourself with all the data you need so you can either then make the award booking on EK.com or you can call the Skywards desk directly and instead of waiting for the agent to find you seats, you simply tell them the dates you want, knowing that the availability should be there.
Using EF to look at the EK seat map, to review award/upgrade availability, setting seat and fare alerts.
http://www.expertflyer.com/
ExpertFlyer is an extremely valuable tool for the road warrior. You can sign up for a free account, which allows a capped amount of travel searches or for a nominal fee, you can sign up for a paid account, which provides unlimited search query.
What is EF?
An online tool which shows:
- Flight availability for over 400-airlines
- Award and upgrade availability for select airlines
- Real-time seat maps for over 100 airlines featuring SeatGuru® seat reviews
- Published fare information complete with rules, restrictions and Around the World fares
- Flight Inventory & Seat Alerts™
- Flight status
- Mobile edition for up-to-the-minute information
This section will walk you through how to search for an upgrade award on EK as well as award travel (ie mileage ticket)
When looking for a Business Saver Award and upgrade (from Y to J), EK books these into fare class D.
A Business Flex award is fare class C
Step 1
Login to EF
Step 2
Choose Upgrades & Awards from the menu on the left
Step 3
Input the desired city pairs, in this case I'm searching for award/upgrade availability between DXB and JFK departing the 5th April 2011 and returning 12th April, 2011
You will then be presented with the search results and seat availability. Like this:
I can clearly see that there are 7 seats available on the A380 service ex DXB - which can be redeemed as flight awards and/or upgrades.
If I scroll down, I am presented with the return availability. Again, I can see that there are plenty of seats available. Always a good sign!
What EF allows you to do is arm yourself with all the data you need so you can either then make the award booking on EK.com or you can call the Skywards desk directly and instead of waiting for the agent to find you seats, you simply tell them the dates you want, knowing that the availability should be there.
Last edited by eightblack; Dec 21, 2010 at 2:04 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: OSL
Programs: BA Gold | SK Gold | A3 Gold
Posts: 4,553
Ok, once again I'm having problems with using Expertflyer to manage a booking, though this time I don't think anyone's at fault, but I'm just frustrated.
As usual flights for next week were completely sold out till a couple of days back. I'd see a seat available in the fare bucket I needed but by the time I would ring up EK the seat would be gone.
Now, EK has started releasing inventory so I actually see seats available on EF for long periods of time. The problem is however that neither the EK website nor their call center is willing to sell me a seat in that fare bucket. (I already have a ticket, just changing dates).
Now one possible solution that the EK rep I last spoke with suggested was that this is the inventory made available for US point of sale, which I believe is what EF tracks. As usual, EK is out to fleece it's DXB based customers, so one can't book the fare from here any more.
Now this hasn't happened before so I want to confirm if it's truly the reason I've felt like an idiot telling the EK agent but no there is a seat available.
As usual flights for next week were completely sold out till a couple of days back. I'd see a seat available in the fare bucket I needed but by the time I would ring up EK the seat would be gone.
Now, EK has started releasing inventory so I actually see seats available on EF for long periods of time. The problem is however that neither the EK website nor their call center is willing to sell me a seat in that fare bucket. (I already have a ticket, just changing dates).
Now one possible solution that the EK rep I last spoke with suggested was that this is the inventory made available for US point of sale, which I believe is what EF tracks. As usual, EK is out to fleece it's DXB based customers, so one can't book the fare from here any more.
Now this hasn't happened before so I want to confirm if it's truly the reason I've felt like an idiot telling the EK agent but no there is a seat available.
#3
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,941
In my experience, EK is the airline where actual availability and "theoretical availability (according to expertflyer and KVS) fall apart the most. Don't know if the reason is only POS (eg KVS lets you check different POS's). It is hit and miss. I only use expertflyer/KVS for directional availability nowadays.
#4
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: EK Gold, EY Gold, BA Gold OW Emerald, A3 *G, SV Skyteam Elite
Posts: 972
I believe that SV (Saudia) is the worst in terms of discrepancy. It is an airline that blocks probably 20% of seat inventory in premium classes for late VIP arrivals. Often I see the aircrafts have vacant seats whereas my colleagues were desperate to score one on that flight
Back to the topic, EF often shows inventory on SV flights but the GDS of my TA seems to be more accurate.
Back to the topic, EF often shows inventory on SV flights but the GDS of my TA seems to be more accurate.
#5
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
Point of Sale
We have just released a new feature on ExpertFlyer that allows you to select a UK POS for a Flight Availability search which may give you better results. No, we are not aware of how to get a DXB specific availability point of sale or if it would show different results as compare to the UK/USA points of sale.
To answer your next question, we are not sure if we will apply this to the Award & Upgrade search, or if it is even necessary to do so. If someone finds a case where the Award/Upgrade inventory is different based on POS, please email us and we will look into it.
To answer your next question, we are not sure if we will apply this to the Award & Upgrade search, or if it is even necessary to do so. If someone finds a case where the Award/Upgrade inventory is different based on POS, please email us and we will look into it.
#7
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
#8
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: EK Gold, EY Gold, BA Gold OW Emerald, A3 *G, SV Skyteam Elite
Posts: 972
EF is often showing inventory when my TA's system (Sabre) does not.
For instance today, I was looking for
EK 3815 DXB RUH 5-Mar for availability of F or A: EF states there F1 A1, however, Sabre shows blank zeros
Same for
EK 818 RUH DXB 8-Mar for F or A and it shows full availability whereas Sabre again shows zeros.
I am getting annoyed with this, am paying the premium fare fore more than 2 yrs now and EK's is getting more and more unreliable. What could be the explanation for this? Is EF's GDS not uploading as fast? Which system is EF's GDS actually based on?
For instance today, I was looking for
EK 3815 DXB RUH 5-Mar for availability of F or A: EF states there F1 A1, however, Sabre shows blank zeros
Same for
EK 818 RUH DXB 8-Mar for F or A and it shows full availability whereas Sabre again shows zeros.
I am getting annoyed with this, am paying the premium fare fore more than 2 yrs now and EK's is getting more and more unreliable. What could be the explanation for this? Is EF's GDS not uploading as fast? Which system is EF's GDS actually based on?
#9
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: OSL
Programs: BA Gold | SK Gold | A3 Gold
Posts: 4,553
EF is often showing inventory when my TA's system (Sabre) does not.
For instance today, I was looking for
EK 3815 DXB RUH 5-Mar for availability of F or A: EF states there F1 A1, however, Sabre shows blank zeros
Same for
EK 818 RUH DXB 8-Mar for F or A and it shows full availability whereas Sabre again shows zeros.
I am getting annoyed with this, am paying the premium fare fore more than 2 yrs now and EK's is getting more and more unreliable. What could be the explanation for this? Is EF's GDS not uploading as fast? Which system is EF's GDS actually based on?
For instance today, I was looking for
EK 3815 DXB RUH 5-Mar for availability of F or A: EF states there F1 A1, however, Sabre shows blank zeros
Same for
EK 818 RUH DXB 8-Mar for F or A and it shows full availability whereas Sabre again shows zeros.
I am getting annoyed with this, am paying the premium fare fore more than 2 yrs now and EK's is getting more and more unreliable. What could be the explanation for this? Is EF's GDS not uploading as fast? Which system is EF's GDS actually based on?
#10
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
EF is often showing inventory when my TA's system (Sabre) does not.
For instance today, I was looking for
EK 818 RUH DXB 8-Mar for F or A and it shows full availability whereas Sabre again shows zeros.
I am getting annoyed with this, am paying the premium fare fore more than 2 yrs now and EK's is getting more and more unreliable. What could be the explanation for this? Is EF's GDS not uploading as fast? Which system is EF's GDS actually based on?
For instance today, I was looking for
EK 818 RUH DXB 8-Mar for F or A and it shows full availability whereas Sabre again shows zeros.
I am getting annoyed with this, am paying the premium fare fore more than 2 yrs now and EK's is getting more and more unreliable. What could be the explanation for this? Is EF's GDS not uploading as fast? Which system is EF's GDS actually based on?
Again as we posted before, please try the new UK POS as it may provide better results.
#11
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: EK Gold, EY Gold, BA Gold OW Emerald, A3 *G, SV Skyteam Elite
Posts: 972
Thanks for your reply, however, I was sitting in front of my TA with the mobile version of EF and the dates were absolutely correct, for both him and me.
#12
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
Also if you come across such an issue again, please email us so we can help you in real time.
#13
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: EK Gold, EY Gold, BA Gold OW Emerald, A3 *G, SV Skyteam Elite
Posts: 972
He is based in the Middle East. Should I as a default always use the UK PoS. What is the disadvantage of it?
#14
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
#15
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: EK Gold, EY Gold, BA Gold OW Emerald, A3 *G, SV Skyteam Elite
Posts: 972