flightstats.com no longer showing availability [used by KVS to find Availability]
#16
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE & SE Asia, N America
Programs: TG ROP Gold, Lifetime OZ Diamond Plus, BA Gold
Posts: 3,105
Anyone know if ExpertFlyer used the same method for finding availability, or a similar method that might end up being dropped? Flight availability is the only real need I have in any of these sites, and after finding flightstats, realized I didn't need to pay for it. But I'd gladly pay for it that's the only option and if I'm guaranteed it'll stay around.
I tried to use the ITA Matrix, but it basically only returns ticketable results, with prices. In many cases I don't care one bit if something is ticketable, because I'm only interesting in searching one segment at a time with a particular booking class to only see if there's availability. But often the airline does not sell that booking class on just that one segment, but only as a complete itinerary. Trying to search for a complete itinerary though, with various different dates for each segment is a supreme pain. That's what I loved about flightstats - it would simply show all the booking classes and availability, allowing me to find the dates I wanted, and then when done book the ticket with the airline or some online site.
I tried to use the ITA Matrix, but it basically only returns ticketable results, with prices. In many cases I don't care one bit if something is ticketable, because I'm only interesting in searching one segment at a time with a particular booking class to only see if there's availability. But often the airline does not sell that booking class on just that one segment, but only as a complete itinerary. Trying to search for a complete itinerary though, with various different dates for each segment is a supreme pain. That's what I loved about flightstats - it would simply show all the booking classes and availability, allowing me to find the dates I wanted, and then when done book the ticket with the airline or some online site.
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
Presumably flightstats.com didn't want to keep paying for the subscription to the GDS feed.
#18
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
Anyone know if ExpertFlyer used the same method for finding availability, or a similar method that might end up being dropped? Flight availability is the only real need I have in any of these sites, and after finding flightstats, realized I didn't need to pay for it. But I'd gladly pay for it that's the only option and if I'm guaranteed it'll stay around.
#19
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE & SE Asia, N America
Programs: TG ROP Gold, Lifetime OZ Diamond Plus, BA Gold
Posts: 3,105
Thanks, EF. If I don't find anything else that replaces flightstats.com, I'll likely be buying a subscription to your service. Any chance of a discount for FT members or those of us who were using flightstats and now can't?
#20
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
ExpertFlyer does offer a discount on our Yearly Premium service as you get 12 months for the price of 10 at the monthly rate.
#21
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE & SE Asia, N America
Programs: TG ROP Gold, Lifetime OZ Diamond Plus, BA Gold
Posts: 3,105
In case anyone is interested, I found this link:
http://www.sabretravelnetwork.com/ho...elector/remote
Sabre offers a service that allows a single individual to access the Sabre GDS for $45 / month, which looks like it allows access to availability information. Obviously $45 / month is a pretty hefty fee compared to other services like EF, and I'm not about to waste that kind of money when EF is available. I just found it interesting, being I knew very little about all this before this event. I have no idea about the information provided there, if that's complete and what flightstats was using, or if they accessed the information in a different manner.
http://www.sabretravelnetwork.com/ho...elector/remote
Sabre offers a service that allows a single individual to access the Sabre GDS for $45 / month, which looks like it allows access to availability information. Obviously $45 / month is a pretty hefty fee compared to other services like EF, and I'm not about to waste that kind of money when EF is available. I just found it interesting, being I knew very little about all this before this event. I have no idea about the information provided there, if that's complete and what flightstats was using, or if they accessed the information in a different manner.
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,846
FlightStats no longer showing availability?
This may be the wrong forum, but I will take the chance...
Until a few days ago I was able to check flight/booking class availability on Flightstats.com. A very useful/handy tool and I used it a lot. But now "flight availability" is no longer is an option/available under the "flight" drop down menu. Did I miss something/what happend?
PS. Please don't reply that paying for Expertflyer is an option; I'm fully aware of that....
Until a few days ago I was able to check flight/booking class availability on Flightstats.com. A very useful/handy tool and I used it a lot. But now "flight availability" is no longer is an option/available under the "flight" drop down menu. Did I miss something/what happend?
PS. Please don't reply that paying for Expertflyer is an option; I'm fully aware of that....
Last edited by SK AAR; Oct 19, 2014 at 2:32 am
#23
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Munich
Programs: LH Sen****, Hertz PC, HHonors Diamond, IHG Pt
Posts: 173
unfortunately FlightStats pulled this tool from their website
Reason being they are funding their website and tools with advertisting.
It appears their paying advertising customers value more their new mobile app enhancements, and finally the great availability tool was now sacrificed.
To me the whole FlightStats website has now become useless and I am back to the level of the 90s with simple F/C/Y yes/no availability queries without fare bucket counters.
I found that the fare bucket counters have been the only reasonable indication how full a flight actually looks like and you could determine your options from there in terms which flights to pick, or determine chances for upgrades, etc.
I have no idea what other tool might still do the same job, I am not going to get a paid subscription for KVS or EF. In fact those tools might also become affected by the FlightStats tool removal.
Reason being they are funding their website and tools with advertisting.
It appears their paying advertising customers value more their new mobile app enhancements, and finally the great availability tool was now sacrificed.
To me the whole FlightStats website has now become useless and I am back to the level of the 90s with simple F/C/Y yes/no availability queries without fare bucket counters.
I found that the fare bucket counters have been the only reasonable indication how full a flight actually looks like and you could determine your options from there in terms which flights to pick, or determine chances for upgrades, etc.
I have no idea what other tool might still do the same job, I am not going to get a paid subscription for KVS or EF. In fact those tools might also become affected by the FlightStats tool removal.
#24
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BA Gold, QF WP
Posts: 12,551
It is likely that FlightStats has simply not renewed or stopped paying for GDS access. KVS and EF passes this cost on to members through subscription fees, so I don't think there is any chance they will stop.
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
KVS was screen scraping (is that the proper term?) Flightstats for availablity so when ot was taken down KVS stopped working. KVS did switch its data source but its more limited in the number of booking codes you can look at one time
EF actually pays the GDS so it still works with EF. Well except delta which pulled its information from several sources.
EF actually pays the GDS so it still works with EF. Well except delta which pulled its information from several sources.
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
#29
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,174
Yes, official answer from flightstats.com is
Either we the customers have demanded the function to be removed, or we have not demanded it enough to make it profitable via ads.
...We fund the free tools on the site with advertisements and occasionally add/remove features based on customer demand.
#30
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Or too many users were accessing the data through other means which blocked the ads such that it was no longer commercially viable.