DELTA (DL) Inventory Returns to ExpertFlyer (sans Upgrade Class Inventory)
Jun 20, 2016, 11:55 am
#61
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: New York, western US
Programs: DM/3MM
Posts: 4,246
In this case, KVS and EF showed zero Business availability, yet Delta and ITA were selling seats. I just checked again, and this is still the case. I hope we can determine what the issue is, because if the issue is stale DL data (and it's unknown what is the issue), then this data is not very useful.
Jun 20, 2016, 12:31 pm
#62
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
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Has anyone else seen an issue with DL flights being missing from EF entirely? Last week I had a flight where the seat maps showed full or close to it so I wanted to see what the true inventory situation was. Try as I might I could not get EF to even show it in the flight results, even specifying only non-stop flights between those two cities and the departure time set to the nearest hour before the actual flight (and despite asking for non-stops it showed me some connecting flights).
I was in a hurry so didn't take detailed notes but will take screenshots or something if it happens again. Needless to say if the results are erratic and inaccurate then I'm going to have a lot of buyer's remorse even with the $10 discount :-/
I was in a hurry so didn't take detailed notes but will take screenshots or something if it happens again. Needless to say if the results are erratic and inaccurate then I'm going to have a lot of buyer's remorse even with the $10 discount :-/
Jun 20, 2016, 12:37 pm
#63
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
In this case, KVS and EF showed zero Business availability, yet Delta and ITA were selling seats. I just checked again, and this is still the case. I hope we can determine what the issue is, because if the issue is stale DL data (and it's unknown what is the issue), then this data is not very useful.
Has anyone else seen an issue with DL flights being missing from EF entirely? Last week I had a flight where the seat maps showed full or close to it so I wanted to see what the true inventory situation was. Try as I might I could not get EF to even show it in the flight results, even specifying only non-stop flights between those two cities and the departure time set to the nearest hour before the actual flight (and despite asking for non-stops it showed me some connecting flights).
Jun 20, 2016, 12:41 pm
#64
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: New York, western US
Programs: DM/3MM
Posts: 4,246
I just checked and it has been updated. However, as I noted earlier, I just looked at this within the hour and it was zero...and has been. What was the issue? If EF is to be valuable, we need to be able to rely on it.
Jun 20, 2016, 2:29 pm
#65
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Pagus Bracbatensis, Kingdom of the Netherlands
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Posts: 2,066
Noticed this also. Last week the 10 June DL162 MSP-AMS flight was overbooked at a certain time by 5 then 4 etc and could not be found when searching EF.
Jun 20, 2016, 2:35 pm
#66
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: Toledo, OH
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Has anyone else seen an issue with DL flights being missing from EF entirely? Last week I had a flight where the seat maps showed full or close to it so I wanted to see what the true inventory situation was. Try as I might I could not get EF to even show it in the flight results, even specifying only non-stop flights between those two cities and the departure time set to the nearest hour before the actual flight (and despite asking for non-stops it showed me some connecting flights).
I was in a hurry so didn't take detailed notes but will take screenshots or something if it happens again. Needless to say if the results are erratic and inaccurate then I'm going to have a lot of buyer's remorse even with the $10 discount :-/
I was in a hurry so didn't take detailed notes but will take screenshots or something if it happens again. Needless to say if the results are erratic and inaccurate then I'm going to have a lot of buyer's remorse even with the $10 discount :-/
Jun 20, 2016, 5:55 pm
#67
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SEA, NYC
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 645
This. Why would you not show the flight just because it has 0 inventory? Very inconvenient when trying to figure out which flights are oversold. I suppose one must draw the inference that if the flight doesn't show then it is completely zero'd out, but that is not typically how EF used to work.
Jun 20, 2016, 6:45 pm
#68
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
This. Why would you not show the flight just because it has 0 inventory? Very inconvenient when trying to figure out which flights are oversold. I suppose one must draw the inference that if the flight doesn't show then it is completely zero'd out, but that is not typically how EF used to work.
You have to remember that these legacy systems are optimized for selling flights, not data gathering, and you can't sell a flight that has zero inventory. Different systems handle that directive in different ways.
Jun 20, 2016, 7:12 pm
#69
In memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
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It's not our doing, we don't choose or have control what flights are returned to us. First, this method isn't like the other methods, second even in other non-DL availability searches sometimes no-availability flights can be skipped over in the results.
You have to remember that these legacy systems are optimized for selling flights, not data gathering, and you can't sell a flight that has zero inventory. Different systems handle that directive in different ways.
You have to remember that these legacy systems are optimized for selling flights, not data gathering, and you can't sell a flight that has zero inventory. Different systems handle that directive in different ways.
[/SARCASM]
Last edited by davetravels; Jun 20, 2016 at 7:33 pm
Jun 21, 2016, 6:44 am
#70
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: New York, western US
Programs: DM/3MM
Posts: 4,246
ExpertFlyer Voice, could you please respond to this. I can understand if you don't want to reveal how you obtain your data, but at least acknowledge that perhaps this was a "bug" and fixed. Ignoring this suggests that we can't rely on your data.
Jun 21, 2016, 9:15 am
#71
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
We addressed this issue previously and the data is correct as was published, we do not control how airlines publish their data, it's just a matter of picking the right source. If you want to discuss further please email us.
Jul 7, 2016, 1:53 am
#72
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 5,514
Not new to EF, but the new DL stuff is confusing.
What fare class am I supposed to use to create a flight alert for the following Award Ticket?
I need a one-way Y or F LOW Award Ticket in for PHX-DTW in December.
What fare class am I supposed to use to create a flight alert for the following Award Ticket?
I need a one-way Y or F LOW Award Ticket in for PHX-DTW in December.
Jul 7, 2016, 2:54 am
#73
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I'm getting false seat alerts from EF now... got a notification that a blocked bulkhead seat I wanted had opened up. Tried to grab it only to find it unavailable. Bummed, I checked the seat map on EF and it showed the seat as still available. Looked in the GDS which showed it as still blocked...
Jul 7, 2016, 8:07 am
#74
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
R is the First award class and N is the Economy award class. You would create Flight Alerts in those classes for the flights you want to monitor.
Jul 7, 2016, 8:08 am
#75
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
I'm getting false seat alerts from EF now... got a notification that a blocked bulkhead seat I wanted had opened up. Tried to grab it only to find it unavailable. Bummed, I checked the seat map on EF and it showed the seat as still available. Looked in the GDS which showed it as still blocked...
We haven't seen an email from you with any more specifics about the alert so we can look it up for ourselves and help you. Please email us at customercare@