uszkanni

Great program, thanks for making it available.

It would be great if the program, in addition to things like aircraft type, connections, class of service, etc, could also display the search results as total flight times (on the calendar display).

It would also be nice to quickly see and compare any layover times, but I suppose that can get messy when you have a lot of hops.

Thanks again for the program.

ckpeter

Thanks for the suggestions.

Trip duration is tricky, mostly because not all sites provide that information, and ANX does not have an easy way to compute that by itself (considering timezones).

Layover time is doable, but I am also concerned about putting too much information into the current version of the view display. I will keep that in mind though.

ckpeter

I am looking for some help in testing out some specific new features that may be released at the end of October. If you are an early adopter who likes to play with new features, please sign up here.

The sign up deadline is Sunday, October 10.

Bang4Buck

Just one question now ckpeter. I've found I sometimes search for one seat, and then when finding availability search for two seats (a new search). Alternatively, when searching for two seats and finding no availability, checking whether one seat is free.

Now these are independent searches. Is it possible to customize the search process or display options so that a new search is unnecessary (between one/ two seats)?

Mikeoracle

Would you be able to outline what some of these new features might be? It might be incentive to become a tester

ckpeter

That's an interesting suggestion. I had thought about it in the past too (i.e. determining the exact number of availability). However, the problem is that almost all airline programs requires you to specify a passenger count for each search, so effective the backend search process has to be done for each count, so 2 searches for 1-2 seats, 3 searches for 1-3 seats, etc.

I may, in some future redesign, add a user interface option to allow for "up to 2 seats" search (similar to how the current Business+First option is broken down as two searches in the back).

ckpeter

Good point.

I haven't finalized all the features, but here is a short list:

- New data table view
- Live update view
- Custom credentials
- Route explorer (show all possible ways to travel between two points)
- Mileage calculator

dracs

Wow!!. You are on course of developing very nice thing. Hope you get success in achieving what you are trying.

Dracs

ckpeter

Thank you. The Route Explorer is probably one of the most interesting features that has been cooking in the lab for a while. It shows you all the possible ways you can route between two cities, given an alliance. A great way to figure out all the non-obvious connection points between cities.

dracs

I have signed up as a test case.Hopefully would be able to provide you some inputs.

Dracs

aktchi

Sounds great. I would have loved to participate, but will be traveling almost all of November.

Drek82

ckpeter,

I've been doing some more searches lately for some first class flights. And one of the things that i've been noticing is that even though I am searching for first class, business class flights are showing up. And this isn't a case about mixed cabin (where in a 2 leg flight, one is business). This is just a direct flight showing up in the results, but it is only business class available.

The example search that I have been doing is lax-nrt for 2/1/2011. NH1005 shows up on the results even though it is business class the whole way.

Another thing I was thinking is if there is someway to only show the mixed cabins if at least the long haul flight is in the requested class. I don't necessarily mind a mixed cabin results, its just that often times its the short haul connector flight that is in first class, while the long haul is in economy or business.

Other than that ... the tool continues to be very helpful and thanks for sharing with us

Drek

ckpeter

The reason for that is that NH 1005 (which is, by the way, LAX-HND) only has business class as the highest cabin on the aircraft. ANX tries to err on the side of caution, by returning all possibilities. This is just in case you are redeeming first class, but would also consider routing on a certain flight if business is the highest cabin available (note that this is not a generic First/Business search - if the aircraft has a first class cabin, then it will be "business as usual").

The problem is that there is no way for ANX to tell how long each segment is, so it's hard for it to filter out those unattractive mixed cabin (short-haul F/long-haul Y). I suggest using the "Hide mixed cabin" option, if you see too many unattractive mixed cabin flights.

Bang4Buck

Well explained thanks.

I'm probably in the minority, but personally I'd find that useful (on some occasions). To be honest if that function existed than I'd use it perhaps only 10% of the time, so I understand your reluctance to include it. Thanks for sharing.

yesitshere

deleted, got the wrong printscreen.