Oct 30, 2013, 3:36 pm
Last edit by: Ocn Vw 1K
UA Insider's reply in posts 247 and 254 of this thread:
Hi everyone,
We recognize the importance and value to you of accessible and transparent information about United flights. It’s a meaningful part of your travel planning, and we are committed to providing useful information that is both accurate and preserves the integrity of United’s data and systems.
While we are committed to data transparency, Expert Flyer has been accessing united.com in an unauthorized fashion to retrieve UA availability. In addition, these activities have consumed significant united.com bandwidth that could otherwise be used by regular consumers. As a result, we had to take this action to protect the security and integrity of United’s systems.
Thank you for your understanding as to why we had to take this action. We continue to look at ways in which we can provide you with timely and useful information (some of which you will see in new releases of our own digital channels) as well as with partners that have authorized access to our data.
Aaron Goldberg
Sr. Manager - Customer Experience Planning
United Airlines
We recognize the importance and value to you of accessible and transparent information about United flights. It’s a meaningful part of your travel planning, and we are committed to providing useful information that is both accurate and preserves the integrity of United’s data and systems.
While we are committed to data transparency, Expert Flyer has been accessing united.com in an unauthorized fashion to retrieve UA availability. In addition, these activities have consumed significant united.com bandwidth that could otherwise be used by regular consumers. As a result, we had to take this action to protect the security and integrity of United’s systems.
Thank you for your understanding as to why we had to take this action. We continue to look at ways in which we can provide you with timely and useful information (some of which you will see in new releases of our own digital channels) as well as with partners that have authorized access to our data.
Aaron Goldberg
Sr. Manager - Customer Experience Planning
United Airlines
UA Blocking Expert Flyer and KVS Access to R and Elite Award Searches.
Oct 30, 2013, 6:58 am
#46
Join Date: May 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, DL, AA, AS
Posts: 305
R inventory
Did DL do the same with EF? Hopefully, this won't result in the removal of the ability to search for R inventory in the expert mode. Maybe UA is coming out with an enhancement of their upgrade search process but I'm not optimistic.
Oct 30, 2013, 7:01 am
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SPI
Programs: AA Gold, UA LT Plat, Mar LTT
Posts: 18,147
When your customer base doesn't HAVE A CHOICE (think EWR, IAH, or GUM), you can treat them like carp and they still fly your airline.
Then you just purchase a large international competitor and use the same ideas.
Ought to work, no??
Dave
Oct 30, 2013, 7:03 am
#48
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA Gold, UA MM, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,329
Another change I like, the hits just keep on coming.......I will have no problem hitting 1k in 2014 and equally no problem with PRDs. Question is will I? Not a chance, I will fly the cheapest.
Oct 30, 2013, 7:03 am
#49
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: ORD / DUB / LHR
Programs: UA 1K MM; BA Silver; Marriott Plat
Posts: 8,243
Maybe EF couldn't / wouldn't pay an amount of money that UA deemed acceptable for access to this data.
Surprised this hasn't been suggested once in 48 angry posts.
Surprised this hasn't been suggested once in 48 angry posts.
Oct 30, 2013, 7:06 am
#50
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SIN
Programs: UA 1K MM, SQ PPS, CX Silver, Accor Platinum, Marriott Gold, SPG Silver
Posts: 679
Frankly, I don't have much use for United after this. In the last 24 months, >500k BIS miles. Now going to go to SQ and / or the lowest fare.
Also, for when I do fly united, good luck convincing me to buy up to a GPU eligible fare overwater.
Also, for when I do fly united, good luck convincing me to buy up to a GPU eligible fare overwater.
Oct 30, 2013, 7:06 am
#51
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: 1K MMiler, Hertz 5*
Posts: 589
I wonder if this change isn't being made to hide a change of upgrade release policy. Australia to US flights for 2014 now show zero availability for the 3 months I just checked (not one upgrade available using miles/GPU's), including a bunch of flights that had availability 2 days ago.
UA is nuts if they think I'm going to stay around.......
UA is nuts if they think I'm going to stay around.......
Oct 30, 2013, 7:11 am
#52
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: MDE
Programs: UA 1K - 1MM, DL Gold - 2MM, AA Plat - 2MM
Posts: 279
Oct 30, 2013, 7:12 am
#53
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,136
UA tried to do this before and caused a massive uproar. 
Let's hope they can be persuaded to change their minds again.
UA Insider, where the heck are you?
Let's hope they can be persuaded to change their minds again.
UA Insider, where the heck are you?
Oct 30, 2013, 7:13 am
#54
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,090
Maybe they thought too many people were using it to get upgrades with miles (or checking if cash upgrades had become TODs) on R tickets before elite upgrades could kick in, but I rather doubt that is their reason as elites were pretty savvy about EF as well, and I would have thought UA would be happy getting the miles (or the dollars) anyway.
Frankly, I can't see how this helps them sell more tickets, and might help them sell less. AA is rarely an option on my domestic routes, but US is, and sometimes Delta. Internationally, AF, Virgin and BA are my usual other options. I typically have R alerts set for multiple flights on multiple airlines at any given time, and will make a decision when I see availability. I will probably continue to use EF for a time. I am sure l will also use UA expert mode for a while to compare, but whichever flight I find that is upgradeable first is going to get bought. If that is not UA, it will not be UA.
Frankly, I can't see how this helps them sell more tickets, and might help them sell less. AA is rarely an option on my domestic routes, but US is, and sometimes Delta. Internationally, AF, Virgin and BA are my usual other options. I typically have R alerts set for multiple flights on multiple airlines at any given time, and will make a decision when I see availability. I will probably continue to use EF for a time. I am sure l will also use UA expert mode for a while to compare, but whichever flight I find that is upgradeable first is going to get bought. If that is not UA, it will not be UA.
Oct 30, 2013, 7:16 am
#55
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: SMF
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP
Posts: 1,537
Here's my view of this flow of events:
1. Many of us complain publicly and privately to UA Insider and others at UA about people being sold UGs while we establish that there is no inventory available to those of us WLed with a hard-earned instrument
2 We beg UA to respond publicly with whether this is policy or a glitch
3. Crickets in response
4. UA remove our ability to discover what I describe in 1.
How would the reasonable person interpret that chain of events?
I think it is clear that UA want a poorly informed passenger so that they can play whatever shenanigans they like behind the veil of SHARES.
Mr. Smisek, you are making it very hard for this 14-year 1K and just shy of 2MMer to remain loyal. I REALLY want to but it is becoming almost impossible.
I will wait patiently for a short time for a reversal of this customer-unfriendly move as happened last time with EF, then cancel my EF subscription and look very closely at my airline loyalties.
BAD DOG UNITED!
Lurker
1. Many of us complain publicly and privately to UA Insider and others at UA about people being sold UGs while we establish that there is no inventory available to those of us WLed with a hard-earned instrument
2 We beg UA to respond publicly with whether this is policy or a glitch
3. Crickets in response
4. UA remove our ability to discover what I describe in 1.
How would the reasonable person interpret that chain of events?
I think it is clear that UA want a poorly informed passenger so that they can play whatever shenanigans they like behind the veil of SHARES.
Mr. Smisek, you are making it very hard for this 14-year 1K and just shy of 2MMer to remain loyal. I REALLY want to but it is becoming almost impossible.
I will wait patiently for a short time for a reversal of this customer-unfriendly move as happened last time with EF, then cancel my EF subscription and look very closely at my airline loyalties.
BAD DOG UNITED!
Lurker
Oct 30, 2013, 7:16 am
#56
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: BOS
Programs: riding the lifetime status. DL MM / AA MM
Posts: 2,968
Oct 30, 2013, 7:16 am
#57
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Westchester NY
Programs: UA GS 4+ MM
Posts: 373
This change suggests expert mode will lose R/RN visibility in coming days. I am certain United doesn't like people intentionally booking coach knowing they can immediately upgrade on ticketing. I'm sure management thinks they are leaving revenue on the table since some customers will now book premium cabins who would otherwise pay coach/upgrade. Unfortunately, after 2 1/2 years, upgrade processing still doesn't work properly. So, now, they just hide the fact that upgrades are not happening according to their published order.
Kiss R and RN goodbye on Expert Mode. I bet phone agents won't be able to see it either.
Kiss R and RN goodbye on Expert Mode. I bet phone agents won't be able to see it either.
Oct 30, 2013, 7:18 am
#58
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: UA 1/MM SPG gold, CEO: Grandmother of 4
Posts: 557
20,000 miles away from MM.......then back to AA!!
Oct 30, 2013, 7:19 am
#59
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,136
Oct 30, 2013, 7:19 am
#60
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: IAH
Programs: IHG Gold Ambassador
Posts: 321
This is a kick in the pants... No other way to describe it.