KVS Availability Tool

[dkerr]

Be sure to check the terms and conditions for the fare. You may find a cheap Q or V fare basis listed, but the Ts&Cs might state that it is only available monday to thursday, requires saturday night stay, and valid only for departures between say Nov 1st and Dec 15th.

Looking for a flight is peek summer season or over christmas may show V or Q available, but if the Ts&Cs for a given fare are not met, then it won't be offered. The best available fare for your given trip should be offered (which may be a more expensive V or Q fare, or a completely different fare class).

DAK

[oliver2002]

Originally Posted by Kael O

Hey KVS and anybody else.....

Can anybody tell me the best way to actually book the fares I find on KVS Sabre Fares/Dotres? A program or website?

I've found some great fares and checked the availability but when I use an engine like expedia or webjet, the fares I get are nothing like those located in the KVS tool.

Anybody give me any insight?

Thanks
Kael

Go to aua.com and sign up for their airmanager. Use the shop by prices option. In there you can select the fare first before choosing flights. If the fare doesn't qualify because of advance purchase rules, it will not show up in the first place.

[Kael O]

Originally Posted by oliver2002

Go to aua.com and sign up for their airmanager. Use the shop by prices option. In there you can select the fare first before choosing flights. If the fare doesn't qualify because of advance purchase rules, it will not show up in the first place.

Thanks for the tip mate. I've visited their website, but still not locating the fares its bringing me up in KVS. Advanced purchase or blackouts don't seem to be an issue. Heres what I'm looking at;

I'm looking at travelling MEL-LAX on the 30NOV and returning on the 20DEC. KVS indicates that UA have a fair for 1185AUD (TLAU422). I've checked the abailability in T class (with Galileo, SabreITN and Apollo) all showing T9. However, I've tried Austraian Airlines, Expedia, ZUJI, Checkflights.com.au and their all giving me a fares of AUD$1750 + TAX.

What gives?

[dkerr]

My checking (with expertflyer) shows T9 on the outbound (UA840) on Nov30, but return UA839 is T0 on Dec20. Consequently the fare class that United.com uses is W on outbound and Q on return.

Another invaluable resource to check is http://www.itasoftware.com Click on "looking for airfares" in top right. Sign in as guest if necessary, enter details (including sales city of MEL or SYD if you want results in AUD) and search. This will show you hundreds of options over many airlines. When you complete your selection, be sure to click on "show booking details" to get fare basis.

itasoftware is very powerful and can show fares that are published and those that are available. (select or deselect "check for availability" under more options"). Itasoftware confirms that TLAU422 is the cheepest theoretical fare (AUD 617 each way, plus taxes and an outrageous fuel surcharge, total AUD 1677 round trip). But as I've noted above, T is not available on the return dates, so you are forced into a higher fare basis... over AUD2100.

itasoftware suggests that Air New Zealand is your best bet if shopping on price... AUD 1735.

Good luck.
DAK

[oliver2002]

Originally Posted by Kael O

Thanks for the tip mate. I've visited their website, but still not locating the fares its bringing me up in KVS. Advanced purchase or blackouts don't seem to be an issue. Heres what I'm looking at;

I'm looking at travelling MEL-LAX on the 30NOV and returning on the 20DEC. KVS indicates that UA have a fair for 1185AUD (TLAU422). I've checked the abailability in T class (with Galileo, SabreITN and Apollo) all showing T9. However, I've tried Austraian Airlines, Expedia, ZUJI, Checkflights.com.au and their all giving me a fares of AUD$1750 + TAX.

What gives?

Your problem is availabilty on NOV 20. The T fare is only available for
NOV30
MEL-SYD-SFO-LAX UA840/870/888
DEC18
LAX-SFO-AKL-MEL UA1162/9543(NZ)/9557(NZ)

You could also try the NZ5/6 direct MEL-LAX with the fare KUS1YL for AUD1234+tax

[KVS]

Originally Posted by Kael O

I've checked the abailability in T class (with Galileo, SabreITN and Apollo) all showing T9.

[KVS Availability Tool 2.3.2/Platinum - Apollo: ITN/US-TNT]

LAX  Los Angeles Int'l CA US [KLAX]
MEL  Melbourne Tullamarine VI AU [YMML]
WED  20 Dec 2006

Carrier   Flight From Depart    To   Arrive    A/C  St Availability
--------- ------ ---- --------- ---- --------- ---- -- ----------------------------------------------------------- 
UA        839    LAX  22:29     MEL  11:15 +2  744  1  F2 C9 D1 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V0 W0 S0 T0 K0 L0 G0 P0 A0 Z0 E0 U0

[lavalyn]

So I'm trying to check the seatmaps using Apollo and Galileo, as the Gold version allows for, but the sites these two menu items give aren't seatmaps. Specifically, the Apollo seatmap function seems to get to a booking screen at itn.net, and the Galileo seatmap to CheapTickets.com, another booking screen. Are the urls the tool uses correct now?

Edit: argh, never mind. Should have read the manual like a good user

[Kael O]

Hey All,

Sorry to bother you all again, just a quick question about fares visable thru Platnium KVS?

From MEL, I'm looking for fares to LON. I know that there are lots of joint airlines fares (SK+TG or LH+TG basically fares with 2 airlines).

I'm just wondering why these fares are only apparantly visable when I use Sabre: Fares/ZUJ not when I use Sabre: Fares DotRes? Whats the difference between the two? I notice when DotRes I can change dates but not with ZUJ.

Thanks guys,
Kael

[KVS]

Originally Posted by Kael O

Hey All,

Sorry to bother you all again, just a quick question about fares visable thru Platnium KVS?

From MEL, I'm looking for fares to LON. I know that there are lots of joint airlines fares (SK+TG or LH+TG basically fares with 2 airlines).

I'm just wondering why these fares are only apparantly visable when I use Sabre: Fares/ZUJ not when I use Sabre: Fares DotRes? Whats the difference between the two? I notice when DotRes I can change dates but not with ZUJ.

Sabre: Fares/ZUJ also shows consolidator/unpublished fares when you're originating in Australia or Singapoure. Those are identified with a "/*NET" suffix.

Regular (published) fares are always shown under the airline code that published them, even though such fares may permit travel on a combination of carriers. You would need to consult the fare rules to obtain the exact details.

[Kael O]

Originally Posted by KVS

Sabre: Fares/ZUJ also shows consolidator/unpublished fares when you're originating in Australia or Singapoure. Those are identified with a "/*NET" suffix.

Regular (published) fares are always shown under the airline code that published them, even though such fares may permit travel on a combination of carriers. You would need to consult the fare rules to obtain the exact details.

Thanks

So in order to actually book a consolidated fare, where can that be done. Are they still available thru engines like ITA, or are the only available thru certain wholesalers or something?

Also, the rules often don't include a booking code. How can one find this out?

[KVS]

Originally Posted by Kael O

So in order to actually book a consolidated fare, where can that be done. Are they still available thru engines like ITA, or are the only available thru certain wholesalers or something?

Also, the rules often don't include a booking code. How can one find this out?

Those consolidator fares will not show-up on ITA, etc -- you would need to book via Zuji.com. The rules for consolidator fares are also very brief, so you would need to contact them directly to confirm the booking class.

[KVS]

What's New in Version 2.4.0:

• WorldSpan: Awards/SkyTeam Method:
  
  This new access method gives you access to availability in award and upgrade booking classes for a number of SkyTeam airlines:
  
  Classes shown by the WorldSpan: Awards/SkyTeam Method:
  
  
  • NW: R A W (Domestic)
  • NW: D W (Intl)
    
  • KL: J C I S B M K H L Q T V W
    
  • DL: F A R Y B M H Q K L U T E N (Domestic)
  • DL: J D I O Y B M H Q K L U T E N (Intl)
    
  • CO: A/J P D Z R F E Y H K N B O V U Q I S W T X L G
    
  • AF: C D Z F O Y S B K H T V L R M Q X U W E A N I G (Short-Haul)
  • AF: P F A J C D I Z O Y B K H W T V X L N G U (Long-Haul)
    
  • OK: J C D I Z Y M B H T L Q E N V S G U W R
    
  • AM: J A D C Y B M S K Q N H X T L V U
    
  • AS: F U A Y S B M H Q L V K G T W
    

What's New in Version 2.3.1:

• Sabre: Fares/ZUJ Method: This new method is a replacement for the Fares/TCY method and allows you to view fares for a specific cabin class (e.g. Economy/Business/First). All published (incl. international) fares for the next 12 months are shown.
  
  
• Due to the recent changes to the Amadeus: AUA engine, the list of airlines supported by that method has, unfortunately, been reduced as follows: *A + AY BA EI MA QF AF KL AZ DL MX OK .
  
  
• New Fares Booking Class Filter
  • You can now filter fares by booking class(es) (the first letter of the Fare Basis code). To do so, enter the required booking class(es) in the "Display only the following classes:" field.
    
    Note: Some fares book into a class that is different than the first letter of the Fare Basis.

Reminder

• Due to major changes in the Amadeus-AUA & Sabre-ITN, all previous version of the Tool should no longer be used. Be sure to download the latest version to ensure uninterrupted access (this will resolve the "Datasource Error" issues).

For a quick visual demo of the Tool's features, available at each level, goto [View Screenshots].

[Download Version 2.4.0 Now].

[Xyzzy]

I can't get CO fare codes to come up with the NWAWP tool. It says "No award seat is available for the date you selected." All I wanted to do was find CO's F inventory. I take it that's the only way to find CO F, correct?

[KVS]

Originally Posted by xyzzy

I can't get CO fare codes to come up with the NWAWP tool. It says "No award seat is available for the date you selected." All I wanted to do was find CO's F inventory. I take it that's the only way to find CO F, correct?

There has to be at least 1 award seat available (in any cabin) for a flight to show-up via the NWAWP method:

[KVS Availability Tool 2.4.0/Platinum - WSpan: Awards/NWAWP/JP]

NYC  New York Metro NY US = JFK LGA EWR
LAX  Los Angeles Int'l CA US [KLAX]
WED  01 Nov 2006

Carrier   Flight From Depart    To   Arrive    A/C  St Availability
--------- ------ ---- --------- ---- --------- ---- -- -------------------------------------------------------------------- 
CO        17     EWR  13:25     LAX  16:31     757  0  A8 P8 D3 Z0 R0 F0 E0 Y9 H9 K9 N9 B0 O9 V0 U9 Q0 I9 S0 W9 T0 X9 L0 G9
CO        65     EWR  15:30     LAX  18:45     757  0  A9 P9 D9 Z9 R4 F0 E0 Y9 H9 K9 N9 B0 O9 V0 U9 Q0 I9 S0 W9 T0 X9 L0 G9
CO        702    EWR  16:45     LAX  20:07     738  0  A9 P9 D5 Z3 R3 F0 E0 Y9 H9 K9 N9 B0 O9 V0 U9 Q0 I9 S0 W9 T0 X9 L0 G9
CO        1002   EWR  06:45     LAX  10:09     738  0  A9 P9 D9 Z9 R9 F0 E0 Y9 H9 K9 N9 B0 O9 V0 U9 Q0 I9 S0 W9 T0 X9 L0 G9
CO        1502   EWR  19:40     LAX  22:53     738  0  A9 P9 D8 Z7 R7 F0 E0 Y9 H9 K9 N9 B0 O9 V0 U9 Q0 I9 S0 W9 T0 X9 L0 G9

[KVS]

KVS Availability Tool FAQ/User Guide, Part 1 has been updated to reflect the latest changes/additions.

Award/Upgrade classes data is now available for 15+ airlines.