How Reliable is ExpertFlyer?
Oct 15, 2019, 1:34 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
How Reliable is ExpertFlyer?
This was a first for me so curious if others have encountered. EF was showing AC824 on 11/10 as J9 C9 D9 Z8 P7:
I was booked in B so expecting the upgrade to clear. Instead, eUpgrade site shows no availability and puts me on the waitlist.
I call in and am told that the EF information is inaccurate. Actual availability is apparently J4 Z2 P0.
Has anyone run into EF inaccuracies before?
I was booked in B so expecting the upgrade to clear. Instead, eUpgrade site shows no availability and puts me on the waitlist.
I call in and am told that the EF information is inaccurate. Actual availability is apparently J4 Z2 P0.
Has anyone run into EF inaccuracies before?
Oct 15, 2019, 2:06 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: I'm From Here
Programs: AC*SE & MM/*Wood Gold/HHonors Diamond/Marriott Silver/AirMiles Gold
Posts: 4,562
I have never seen EF out by that much before
It sounds like a date mismatch. If it is J4, if you go to AC.com and try and buy 5 J seats, what happens?
It sounds like a date mismatch. If it is J4, if you go to AC.com and try and buy 5 J seats, what happens?
Oct 15, 2019, 2:10 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
And FWIW, it's now showing J8 P0.
Something wonky going on I guess...
Oct 15, 2019, 2:17 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: I'm From Here
Programs: AC*SE & MM/*Wood Gold/HHonors Diamond/Marriott Silver/AirMiles Gold
Posts: 4,562
I know when EF doesn't parse the data directly, it usually shows 7s for all fare classes
It could be rev management playing with the flights. I would tweet them and see, maybe you found a bug
It could be rev management playing with the flights. I would tweet them and see, maybe you found a bug
Oct 16, 2019, 10:31 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,254
This was a first for me so curious if others have encountered. EF was showing AC824 on 11/10 as J9 C9 D9 Z8 P7:
I was booked in B so expecting the upgrade to clear. Instead, eUpgrade site shows no availability and puts me on the waitlist.
I call in and am told that the EF information is inaccurate. Actual availability is apparently J4 Z2 P0.
Has anyone run into EF inaccuracies before?
I was booked in B so expecting the upgrade to clear. Instead, eUpgrade site shows no availability and puts me on the waitlist.
I call in and am told that the EF information is inaccurate. Actual availability is apparently J4 Z2 P0.
Has anyone run into EF inaccuracies before?
The P games
Oct 16, 2019, 1:15 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
Or simply, probably this, as it happens often that the eUp site cannot be trusted:
The P games
The P games
FWIW, when I called the Concierge line, the very nice agent, after telling me that his system is in fact showing P0, immediately followed up with "but let me see what I can do" and came back after a few minutes of hold music to let me know that he "was able to push it through". Ż\_(ツ)_/Ż
Don't know what exactly happened but not about to stare the gift horse in the mouth!
Oct 16, 2019, 1:45 pm
#8
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
Unless there is a point of sale different (which you can change in your search) the availability that ExpertFlyer shows is 100% accurate as it is retrieved in real time from the airline reservation systems, the same systems that travel agents use. Make sure married segment logic isn't an issue by searching for the same overall city pair as your trip.
7's for all fare classes is common when the flight is very open as many airlines don't show more than 7 max in a fare class at a time.
7's for all fare classes is common when the flight is very open as many airlines don't show more than 7 max in a fare class at a time.
Oct 16, 2019, 1:47 pm
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,294
I've accidentally held 8 J seats on a flight for 15 minutes. That would easily explain something like this.
There are many things I dislike about EF, but accuracy has never been an issue for me.
There are many things I dislike about EF, but accuracy has never been an issue for me.
Oct 16, 2019, 1:54 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
Unless there is a point of sale different (which you can change in your search) the availability that ExpertFlyer shows is 100% accurate as it is retrieved in real time from the airline reservation systems, the same systems that travel agents use. Make sure married segment logic isn't an issue by searching for the same overall city pair as your trip.
7's for all fare classes is common when the flight is very open as many airlines don't show more than 7 max in a fare class at a time.
7's for all fare classes is common when the flight is very open as many airlines don't show more than 7 max in a fare class at a time.
In any case, glad I called in.
Oct 16, 2019, 9:27 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,254
Oct 17, 2019, 3:26 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
So as per SparseFlyer you were connecting in YYZ and onward to AMS?
This is what I see now for AC824 on 11/10, if I search: YYZ-AMS:
J4 C4 D4 Z0 P0 R0 O4 E2 N0 Y9 B9 M9 U9 H9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9
And SFO-YYZ-AMS:
J4 C2 D0 Z0 P0 R0 O4 E0 N0 Y9 B9 M9 U9 H9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9
Jan 13, 2020, 10:23 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
Running into a similar issue again: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31947349-post2135.html
Any advice from the experts here?
EF newbie question.
I’m flying DEL-YVR-YOW on 2/28, booked in B, which is upgradable with P space on AC.
I was waitlisted on DEL-YVR (AC45) and cleared for YVR-YOW. I created a P space alert for AC45 and received an alert that P is now available (latest check says P=2).
But my waitlist didn’t clear so I called AC and they said they still see no P space in their system.
FWIW, if I check DEL-YVR-YOW in EF it indeed shows P=0 on AC45. But DEL-YVR on its own shows P=2. And AC claims their system shows no P availability regardless of DEL-YVR or DEL-YVR-YOW. Is EF ever inaccurate?
Any advice on what I can do in this case?
I’m flying DEL-YVR-YOW on 2/28, booked in B, which is upgradable with P space on AC.
I was waitlisted on DEL-YVR (AC45) and cleared for YVR-YOW. I created a P space alert for AC45 and received an alert that P is now available (latest check says P=2).
But my waitlist didn’t clear so I called AC and they said they still see no P space in their system.
FWIW, if I check DEL-YVR-YOW in EF it indeed shows P=0 on AC45. But DEL-YVR on its own shows P=2. And AC claims their system shows no P availability regardless of DEL-YVR or DEL-YVR-YOW. Is EF ever inaccurate?
Any advice on what I can do in this case?
