Originally Posted by
canadiancow
I thought they were on the record saying they were not using AC for this data? Other than (coincidental?) timing, did you see something to indicate that they are?
Most of the blogs I see about it think they were using United. And if that's true, it would suggest a coordinated effort between multiple airlines to stop this.
But it certainly makes me wonder just how differently they viewed "for profit enterprises" versus "tools built for the community", given that I received nothing.
I believe that
oliver2002 answered your first question pretty well and better than I could. I'll just add that in my reading of the past many years when this topic comes up, it seems EF has always been a bit "cagey" in acknowledging what they are doing and in fact, occasionally inconsitent in their answers to bloggers, etc. I must say, as previously mentioned, I think its telling that EF folded as quickly as they did. They likely have a much more established and larger revenue stream than Seats.aero and this is absolutely going to damage their business. I certainly wouldn't renew a subscription to EF, at the same price, after they removed award inventory for 29 airlines.
And your last comments are very insightful. There are a few posters in this forum that just keep sticking their finger in their ears and yelling "web scraping is legal." However, in my read/research on this topic, it's much more nuanced than that.
Particularly, when it comes to profiting off of that web scraping. For those interested or motivated to research, there are certainly cases that have been brought against web scrapers that resulted in settlements even without the courts finding that web scraping was illegal or that there was a violation of the
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. I also think you raise a very interesting point about possible coordiation; because, if as you say, EF was using United and not AC, then why would they change their ways based on a C&D letter from Air Canada (as opposed to from United)? I suspect there is far, far more going on under the surface here than any of us are likely aware of. EF didn't likely remove award inventory for
29 airlines solely based on a C&D from AC...
To me, anyone in this thread making the case that Seats.aero will win, needs to be able to answer the question as to why EF acquiesced as quickly as they did, likely at great damage to their future business.
Originally Posted by
dlflyer00
Seats.aero does not support any mileage programs that require a login to access. Some mileage programs have different login requirements across different platforms or flows. Until recently, LifeMiles did not require a login, but this was changed.
It would be fascinating to learn how Flying Blue (i.e. Air France/KLM) provides access to their award inventory without logging in or having a relationship with them...
Originally Posted by
dlflyer00
<snip>We are not reliant on issuer or airline relationships to sustain our core business.
I suspect, over time, you are going to learn some painful lessons on how "relationships" make the business world go 'round...
Originally Posted by
dlflyer00
It would be hard to build Seats.aero if I was a lawyer! I can promise we will not represent ourselves.
I certainly didn't imply you need to be lawyer to start/build a company, but you'd better be able to pay very good ones in the game you are trying to play
Originally Posted by
YOWgary
At the very least, I would imagine any lawyer worth their leather briefcase would be concerned to see their client discussing a case of this nature - while it's in progress - on a public web forum.
Yep...
Regards