FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - How accurate are expertflyer, expedia etc?

Oct 11, 2010 | 1:55 pm

#32

ExpertFlyer Voice

Company Representative - ExpertFlyer

Join Date: Jan 2005

Posts: 2,923

Quote:

Originally Posted by KVS

It sure does, via the recently-added Enhanced Seat Maps option:

[KVS Availability Tool 5.7.9/Diamond - Amadeus Enhanced Seat Map: 24 Nov 2010/BA 123/LHR-MRU/777/F]

Code:

     A  |  E  |  F  |  K  
 1   P     -     +     P  
 2   -     +     +     -  
 3   +                 +  
 4   +     -     -        

[+] Available   [-] Unavailable
[P] Preferred   [X] Blocked    
[G] Galley

This looks to be inaccurate. According to BA (we called to confirm) 1A/K on this flight are occupied. It appears that whatever website the seat map is coming from is looking at the Premium attribute of the seat and ignoring the Occupied attribute:

Code:

(For 24 NOV)
<AirRow RowNumber="001">
<AirSeat SeatAvailability="O" SeatCharacteristics="K LS O WA" SeatNumber="A"/>
<AirSeat SeatAvailability="O" SeatCharacteristics="K O RS WA" SeatNumber="K"/>

O = Occoupied as an availability code, however O means Premium Only as a characteristic code.

As a counter example, the same flight on 15 DEC shows 1 A/K Available and Premium Only and Blocked:

Code:

(For 15 DEC)
<AirRow RowNumber="001">
<AirSeat SeatCharacteristics="K LS O WA 1" SeatNumber="A"/>
<AirSeat SeatCharacteristics="K O RS WA 1" SeatNumber="K"/>

The 1 as a characteristic means Blocked and the lack of a SeatAvailability code means Free by default. On ExpertFlyer, we currently show those seats on the 15 DEC flight as Blocked, with the new GDS in about a week (where this code comes from) we'll show them as Premium Only which will also help seperate Premium Only seats from Blocked seats in most cases. Also if you have status that results in a changed seat map, we can show that as well.

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