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What happened to ANA's award search?

What happened to ANA's award search?

Old Apr 11, 2015, 7:12 pm
  #1  
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What happened to ANA's award search?

I understand it to be the most accurate in showing Star alliance availability. It changed today when I logged in.

Now I'm finding differences in availability on ANA, United, and Aeroplan within the same day.

What shall we do? What's the most accurate now!?
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Old Apr 11, 2015, 9:26 pm
  #2  
 
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I've never been much a fan of ANAs tool anyway. It isn't nearly as creative on connecting itineraries as United's. My preferred backup for searching what UA doesn't show (like SQ) is LifeMiles. Aeroplan also feels a bit of a "lazy" search engine to me and heavily favors certain carriers without much in creative routings.
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Old Apr 15, 2015, 9:12 pm
  #3  
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Please discuss aspects of the new ANA booking engine here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/all-n...11-2015-a.html
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Old Apr 16, 2015, 1:20 am
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Originally Posted by armagebedar
Please discuss aspects of the new ANA booking engine here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/all-n...11-2015-a.html
That might be appropriate if this discussion was solely focused on the new ANA booking engine, however this is a comparison of various *A award search engines, looking for an alternative if the new ANA engine is less than stellar.
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Old Apr 16, 2015, 11:57 am
  #5  
 
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Bad timing for me it appears. Some LH flights I would like to book with UA miles are not showing up on UA's award search.

Can you have better luck calling UA? Not an expert whatsoever booking award flights.
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Old Apr 16, 2015, 8:18 pm
  #6  
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Welcome to FT, redzpack!

Originally Posted by redzpack
Can you have better luck calling UA?
Occasionally they may have different inventory from what's shown online, but don't count on it.
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Old Apr 16, 2015, 9:15 pm
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Originally Posted by mahasamatman
Welcome to FT, redzpack!


Occasionally they may have different inventory from what's shown online, but don't count on it.
Yes, frequently it's the opposite, where UA will show LH availability that isn't really there. I've had that happen a couple times when looking for F awards. It's a known issue but seems either no simple way to fix or little interest in fixing it.


For the OP, just curious, how do you know about the LH availability? Found it on another airline's search engine?
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Old May 14, 2015, 9:29 am
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Well, I guess I don't know for sure if there is award availability for the LH flights. Using a non-award search those flight show up as an option for purchase on UA. The timing is better on the LH flights.


Originally Posted by dvs7310
Yes, frequently it's the opposite, where UA will show LH availability that isn't really there. I've had that happen a couple times when looking for F awards. It's a known issue but seems either no simple way to fix or little interest in fixing it.


For the OP, just curious, how do you know about the LH availability? Found it on another airline's search engine?
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Old May 21, 2015, 11:17 pm
  #9  
 
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ANA & Air Canada & UA.com show completely different availability

Used to be that ANA was the alleged gold standard of *Alliance availability. Now I see the following for the same dates:

From Air Canada:
HKG Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok Intl HK [VHHH]
SFO San Francisco Intl CA US [KSFO]
2 Seats

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Award Availability
--------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------
AI 310 HKG 08:05 ICN 12:30 788 0 YS+
-> OZ 212 ICN 16:40 SFO 10:00 77L 0 YS+

From ANA:
[KVS Tool 7.7.8/Diamond - Awards/StarAlliance/JP-ANA]

HKG Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok Intl HK [VHHH]
SFO San Francisco Intl CA US [KSFO]
2 Seats

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Award Availability
--------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------------
UA 862 HKG 12:30 SFO 08:25 744 FS+
NH/NQ 812 HKG 10:00 NRT 15:00 763 CS@
-> NH 8 NRT 17:15 SFO 09:30 77W
NH 860 HKG 14:25 HND 19:15 777 CS@
-> NH 8 NRT 17:15 +1 SFO 09:30 +1 77W
NH/NQ 810 HKG 15:20 NRT 20:15 763 CS@
-> NH 8 NRT 17:15 +1 SFO 09:30 +1 77W

(via KVStool. CS@ means standby availability for business class)

United.com shows nothing available for the same routing.

Who do you trust now? Was hoping to redeem through Mileage Plus.
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