Last edit by: 747FC
The ExpertFlyer support by email is at [email protected]
This is a community-maintained wiki, it is not necessarily endorsed by ExpertFlyer.
--------------------
Searches currently not working:
To search AA upgrades:
This is a community-maintained wiki, it is not necessarily endorsed by ExpertFlyer.
--------------------
Searches currently not working:
- Upgrades - AY, BA, EK, EY, IB, QR, VS
- Awards - AY, BA, IB, EY, QR, VS
To search AA upgrades:
- Use the Award & Upgrade tool
- Only search for individual segments (set the "Connection Preference" drop-down to "Direct/Non-Stop only"). Flight results that are part of a connection won't show the upgrade version of C or A inventory because AA only files upgrade inventory as individual, not married, segments. (Married segments show revenue inventory instead of upgrade inventory.)
- To avoid confusion, check the "Exclude Codeshares" box, as AA awards and upgrades are not valid on codeshares.
ExpertFlyer.com Help Desk Thread
#1666
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: ROC
Programs: AA Exec Plat; NEXUS
Posts: 74
I am new to EF. I am getting strange errors about not having javacript enabled. But I have it enabled. Chrome Version 65.0.3325.181 (64bit).
I tried ot go to the page that talks about ghostery (which I don't have installed) and now I see the following:
Suspicious Activity Detected
Due to suspicious activity from your computer, we have blocked your access to ExpertFlyer. After completing the CAPTCHA below, you will immediately regain access unless further suspicious behavior is detected.
Note: This website requires JavaScript. If you have JavaScript disabled, please enable it before attempting to return to ExpertFlyer. If you are using Ghostery or NoScript, you must allow JavaScript from Distil Networks to run on ExpertFlyer.com as noted here.
You reached this page when attempting to access https://www.expertflyer.com/air/seatMap.do from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx on 2018-04-10 20:18:16 UTC.
Trace: f1a1ffe0-3c02-4515-b475-8ea510c11e06 via 35a9edc9-dac9-459f-8854-dc3ec5d9864f
But I don't see a captcha. I just signed up for a full year and am in day 2 of my 5 day trial. I am about ready to pull the plug on it. This is about the least user friendly GUI I have ever seen.
I tried ot go to the page that talks about ghostery (which I don't have installed) and now I see the following:
Suspicious Activity Detected
Due to suspicious activity from your computer, we have blocked your access to ExpertFlyer. After completing the CAPTCHA below, you will immediately regain access unless further suspicious behavior is detected.
Note: This website requires JavaScript. If you have JavaScript disabled, please enable it before attempting to return to ExpertFlyer. If you are using Ghostery or NoScript, you must allow JavaScript from Distil Networks to run on ExpertFlyer.com as noted here.
You reached this page when attempting to access https://www.expertflyer.com/air/seatMap.do from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx on 2018-04-10 20:18:16 UTC.
Trace: f1a1ffe0-3c02-4515-b475-8ea510c11e06 via 35a9edc9-dac9-459f-8854-dc3ec5d9864f
But I don't see a captcha. I just signed up for a full year and am in day 2 of my 5 day trial. I am about ready to pull the plug on it. This is about the least user friendly GUI I have ever seen.
#1667
Join Date: May 2003
Programs: OW Emerald
Posts: 1,452
When you do a seat alert, in a single alert you can nominate any number of specific seats to be notified about, and it is a single alert. It would be great if a similar approach could be used for fare buckets across flights. You're right that it doesn't take *that* long to set up for AA flights (but QF flights using AA miles is not as easy). The biggest impact is that it chews through the number of alerts - looking for a business SAAver award JFK-LHR I'm using 4 alerts per direction per day (and that's excluding BA options). I'm almost always at "zero remaining".
I've assumed this is because the seat info is one query transaction for EF whereas at least on the backend they need to do multiple queries per flight for fare buckets. Obviously they need to manage their infrastructure cost - fair enough. I'm not complaining about the definition of "an alert" as it stands, just saying I can definitely see where OP is coming from.
#1668
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
ExpertFlyer is not a tool exclusive to American Airlines, so we will move this thread to the Travel Tools forum. There are threads there dealing with basics and a help desk; the forum Moderators may choose to merge this query into the most appropriate thread.
Moderator
Moderator
#1669
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
I've had an EF subscription for a number of years, and I can understand where the OP is coming from.
When you do a seat alert, in a single alert you can nominate any number of specific seats to be notified about, and it is a single alert. It would be great if a similar approach could be used for fare buckets across flights. You're right that it doesn't take *that* long to set up for AA flights (but QF flights using AA miles is not as easy). The biggest impact is that it chews through the number of alerts - looking for a business SAAver award JFK-LHR I'm using 4 alerts per direction per day (and that's excluding BA options). I'm almost always at "zero remaining".
I've assumed this is because the seat info is one query transaction for EF whereas at least on the backend they need to do multiple queries per flight for fare buckets. Obviously they need to manage their infrastructure cost - fair enough. I'm not complaining about the definition of "an alert" as it stands, just saying I can definitely see where OP is coming from.
When you do a seat alert, in a single alert you can nominate any number of specific seats to be notified about, and it is a single alert. It would be great if a similar approach could be used for fare buckets across flights. You're right that it doesn't take *that* long to set up for AA flights (but QF flights using AA miles is not as easy). The biggest impact is that it chews through the number of alerts - looking for a business SAAver award JFK-LHR I'm using 4 alerts per direction per day (and that's excluding BA options). I'm almost always at "zero remaining".
I've assumed this is because the seat info is one query transaction for EF whereas at least on the backend they need to do multiple queries per flight for fare buckets. Obviously they need to manage their infrastructure cost - fair enough. I'm not complaining about the definition of "an alert" as it stands, just saying I can definitely see where OP is coming from.
#1670
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
I set seat alerts for seats I have reserved as a way of notifying myself that I was upgraded or moved. Today I was upgraded about 2 hours ago but I've not gotten a seat alert email listing me know the seat is no longer occupied. I even logged into EF to run the script and it reports that the seat is unavailable when it is and has been so for the past 2+ hrs.
#1671
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
#1672
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
#1673
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
I set seat alerts for seats I have reserved as a way of notifying myself that I was upgraded or moved. Today I was upgraded about 2 hours ago but I've not gotten a seat alert email listing me know the seat is no longer occupied. I even logged into EF to run the script and it reports that the seat is unavailable when it is and has been so for the past 2+ hrs.
#1674
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
You may have not created the alert correctly. If the seat is available but marked as Premium or Paid, and you didn't choose those options for the alert, then it wouldn't alert you. If you email us we can take a look, we can't help you here without seeing the seat map and your alert.
Thank you for this minor detail. To me at least, one shouldn't be able to select "specific seats" and expect it to send me an alert if the seats is marked as Premium or Paid. Maybe this feature could be added with a software update. I've updated my other two alerts accordingly.
#1675
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 166
I've been getting the 'Suspicious activity detected' / 'Javascript required' pages more and more. It's as much as every 3-4 queries I run, multiple times within 5-10 minutes (and within minutes of me using it on a new day, so I don't think it's an anti-spam thing). And even more annoying, I often get just a blank white page with no message. If I try to refresh, or even close the tab and open a fresh expertflyer.com tab, I get the same white page with no info on it. It takes about 3-5 minutes of not doing anything for something to show up there (and it's the captcha page).
I'm using the same settings I have been for years, chrome 65 with javascript enabled, and ublock origin addon. It happens both at my office and home computers.
It's only started happening this often in the past few weeks, and I haven't changed anything on my end (except possibly updating chrome).
I'm using the same settings I have been for years, chrome 65 with javascript enabled, and ublock origin addon. It happens both at my office and home computers.
It's only started happening this often in the past few weeks, and I haven't changed anything on my end (except possibly updating chrome).
#1676
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
I've been getting the 'Suspicious activity detected' / 'Javascript required' pages more and more. It's as much as every 3-4 queries I run, multiple times within 5-10 minutes (and within minutes of me using it on a new day, so I don't think it's an anti-spam thing). And even more annoying, I often get just a blank white page with no message. If I try to refresh, or even close the tab and open a fresh expertflyer.com tab, I get the same white page with no info on it. It takes about 3-5 minutes of not doing anything for something to show up there (and it's the captcha page).
I'm using the same settings I have been for years, chrome 65 with javascript enabled, and ublock origin addon. It happens both at my office and home computers.
It's only started happening this often in the past few weeks, and I haven't changed anything on my end (except possibly updating chrome).
I'm using the same settings I have been for years, chrome 65 with javascript enabled, and ublock origin addon. It happens both at my office and home computers.
It's only started happening this often in the past few weeks, and I haven't changed anything on my end (except possibly updating chrome).
#1677
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: LHR GVA HKG TLV PVG JFK
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3,952
I use VPNs as I travel often to China (but use it all the time for the privacy/security)
The never ending "captcha's" is killing expertflyer usability. Both on PC and smartphone!
I use same browser for all the other websites I use and except for a random captcha here and there (usually when paying for something) I don't have this problem. Hence I assume it is an EF policy not a my setup. Why should I switch browsers?
What is EF worried about? the capthca happens before you even login, that someone will abuse all the free info on your general homepage?
If someone is using your free service, then go ahead and use a captcha. Or your paid service, if over XX queries per hour if you are concerned it is a bot. But why before Login?
I don't use it in incognito mode so why can't you just read a cookie and see I am a paying premium subscriber? (yes the VPN will mean a different IP then usual
Even if someone is using a bot, and there are 5 queries a day (my guesstimated average, jumping to actual 25 a day when researching a flight) what does EF care?? I agree EF does not want full GDS type access for $99 a year nor DOS stuff (like every other website does not want that and does not push captchas, and double captchas and double double captchas at you*)
Frustrating to the highest level. A tool mean to de-frustrate our travel experience (and frankly the absolute most expensive online subscription I have. I guess if I had Netflix it would be 2nd)
* I have to turn a picture of a donkey right side up twice (we wouldn't want to make it easy for those bots that can figure out a donkey easily so have to do it twice) to pass, get in, login, and then a few minutes later, usually my first query, it happens again.
The never ending "captcha's" is killing expertflyer usability. Both on PC and smartphone!
I use same browser for all the other websites I use and except for a random captcha here and there (usually when paying for something) I don't have this problem. Hence I assume it is an EF policy not a my setup. Why should I switch browsers?
What is EF worried about? the capthca happens before you even login, that someone will abuse all the free info on your general homepage?
If someone is using your free service, then go ahead and use a captcha. Or your paid service, if over XX queries per hour if you are concerned it is a bot. But why before Login?
I don't use it in incognito mode so why can't you just read a cookie and see I am a paying premium subscriber? (yes the VPN will mean a different IP then usual
Even if someone is using a bot, and there are 5 queries a day (my guesstimated average, jumping to actual 25 a day when researching a flight) what does EF care?? I agree EF does not want full GDS type access for $99 a year nor DOS stuff (like every other website does not want that and does not push captchas, and double captchas and double double captchas at you*)
Frustrating to the highest level. A tool mean to de-frustrate our travel experience (and frankly the absolute most expensive online subscription I have. I guess if I had Netflix it would be 2nd)
* I have to turn a picture of a donkey right side up twice (we wouldn't want to make it easy for those bots that can figure out a donkey easily so have to do it twice) to pass, get in, login, and then a few minutes later, usually my first query, it happens again.
#1678
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Plt
Posts: 2,607
I've been getting the 'Suspicious activity detected' / 'Javascript required' pages more and more. It's as much as every 3-4 queries I run, multiple times within 5-10 minutes (and within minutes of me using it on a new day, so I don't think it's an anti-spam thing). And even more annoying, I often get just a blank white page with no message. If I try to refresh, or even close the tab and open a fresh expertflyer.com tab, I get the same white page with no info on it. It takes about 3-5 minutes of not doing anything for something to show up there (and it's the captcha page).
I'm using the same settings I have been for years, chrome 65 with javascript enabled, and ublock origin addon. It happens both at my office and home computers.
It's only started happening this often in the past few weeks, and I haven't changed anything on my end (except possibly updating chrome).
I'm using the same settings I have been for years, chrome 65 with javascript enabled, and ublock origin addon. It happens both at my office and home computers.
It's only started happening this often in the past few weeks, and I haven't changed anything on my end (except possibly updating chrome).
#1679
Left Expert Flyer 4/23
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,741
We're sorry you're having problems, however a few things:
- The system that would show Captcha's sits in front of the website, it isn't part of it, so it has no idea if you are a free or paid member, logged in or not. It is designed to identify non-standard browsers or browsers that don't have JavaScript loaded or fast page loads to detect non-normal behavior to prevent data mining (yes, people have tried).
- This system has been in place for a couple years, and nothing has changed with it recently.
- Certain VPN providers use known abusive data centers as their VPN exit points so that alone will trigger a Captcha (again, as has been the case for a couple years).
- A large amount of quick page loads (of any page) may trigger a captcha.
- When you do solve a Captcha, it should be good for at least 15 minutes. If you get a captcha more often than that, there is an issue with your browser or an add-on (as noted below).
- There is no such thing as a "double captcha". The issue you are describing is caused by one of your browser plugins blocking the cookies and/or JavaScript from our domain which will cause the captchas to happen more often.
- We know that uBlock Origin pushed an update that incorrectly is blocking more of our Javascript beyond ads, so please white-list "expertflyer.com" in uBlock or similar add-ons.
- ....... Plus also recently pushed an update that now has an "Block additional tracking" option. If enabled try turning that off. (We know that ....... normally does not interfere with ExpertFlyer).
- Some browser add-ons change the user-agent string of the browser, making it non-standard. This will also trigger the captcha. This should be turned off for ExpertFlyer.com (again, this has been the case for years).
- If you still need help after taking the above steps, please email us directly at [email protected] with your account information along with the exact trace string from the bottom of the captcha page, your IP address, your browsers user-agent string (What's my user agent?) and a list of browser add-ons you are using.
- The system that would show Captcha's sits in front of the website, it isn't part of it, so it has no idea if you are a free or paid member, logged in or not. It is designed to identify non-standard browsers or browsers that don't have JavaScript loaded or fast page loads to detect non-normal behavior to prevent data mining (yes, people have tried).
- This system has been in place for a couple years, and nothing has changed with it recently.
- Certain VPN providers use known abusive data centers as their VPN exit points so that alone will trigger a Captcha (again, as has been the case for a couple years).
- A large amount of quick page loads (of any page) may trigger a captcha.
- When you do solve a Captcha, it should be good for at least 15 minutes. If you get a captcha more often than that, there is an issue with your browser or an add-on (as noted below).
- There is no such thing as a "double captcha". The issue you are describing is caused by one of your browser plugins blocking the cookies and/or JavaScript from our domain which will cause the captchas to happen more often.
- We know that uBlock Origin pushed an update that incorrectly is blocking more of our Javascript beyond ads, so please white-list "expertflyer.com" in uBlock or similar add-ons.
- ....... Plus also recently pushed an update that now has an "Block additional tracking" option. If enabled try turning that off. (We know that ....... normally does not interfere with ExpertFlyer).
- Some browser add-ons change the user-agent string of the browser, making it non-standard. This will also trigger the captcha. This should be turned off for ExpertFlyer.com (again, this has been the case for years).
- If you still need help after taking the above steps, please email us directly at [email protected] with your account information along with the exact trace string from the bottom of the captcha page, your IP address, your browsers user-agent string (What's my user agent?) and a list of browser add-ons you are using.
Last edited by ExpertFlyer Voice; Apr 23, 2018 at 11:25 am
#1680
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: LHR GVA HKG TLV PVG JFK
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3,952
We're sorry you're having problems, however a few things:
- The system that would show Captcha's sits in front of the website, it isn't part of it, so it has no idea if you are a free or paid member, logged in or not. It is designed to identify non-standard browsers or browsers that don't have JavaScript loaded or fast page loads to detect non-normal behavior to prevent data mining (yes, people have tried).
- This system has been in place for a couple years, and nothing has changed with it recently.
- Certain VPN providers use known abusive data centers as their VPN exit points so that alone will trigger a Captcha (again, as has been the case for a couple years).
- A large amount of quick page loads (of any page) may trigger a captcha.
- When you do solve a Captcha, it should be good for at least 15 minutes. If you get a captcha more often than that, there is an issue with your browser or an add-on (as noted below).
- There is no such thing as a "double captcha". The issue you are describing is caused by one of your browser plugins blocking the cookies and/or JavaScript from our domain which will cause the captchas to happen more often.
- We know that uBlock Origin pushed an update that incorrectly is blocking more of our Javascript beyond ads, so please white-list "expertflyer.com" in uBlock or similar add-ons.
- ....... Plus also recently pushed an update that now has an "Block additional tracking" option. If enabled try turning that off. (We know that ....... normally does not interfere with ExpertFlyer).
- Some browser add-ons change the user-agent string of the browser, making it non-standard. This will also trigger the captcha. This should be turned off for ExpertFlyer.com (again, this has been the case for years).
- If you still need help after taking the above steps, please email us directly at [email protected] with your account information along with the exact trace string from the bottom of the captcha page, your IP address, your browsers user-agent string (What's my user agent?) and a list of browser add-ons you are using.
- The system that would show Captcha's sits in front of the website, it isn't part of it, so it has no idea if you are a free or paid member, logged in or not. It is designed to identify non-standard browsers or browsers that don't have JavaScript loaded or fast page loads to detect non-normal behavior to prevent data mining (yes, people have tried).
- This system has been in place for a couple years, and nothing has changed with it recently.
- Certain VPN providers use known abusive data centers as their VPN exit points so that alone will trigger a Captcha (again, as has been the case for a couple years).
- A large amount of quick page loads (of any page) may trigger a captcha.
- When you do solve a Captcha, it should be good for at least 15 minutes. If you get a captcha more often than that, there is an issue with your browser or an add-on (as noted below).
- There is no such thing as a "double captcha". The issue you are describing is caused by one of your browser plugins blocking the cookies and/or JavaScript from our domain which will cause the captchas to happen more often.
- We know that uBlock Origin pushed an update that incorrectly is blocking more of our Javascript beyond ads, so please white-list "expertflyer.com" in uBlock or similar add-ons.
- ....... Plus also recently pushed an update that now has an "Block additional tracking" option. If enabled try turning that off. (We know that ....... normally does not interfere with ExpertFlyer).
- Some browser add-ons change the user-agent string of the browser, making it non-standard. This will also trigger the captcha. This should be turned off for ExpertFlyer.com (again, this has been the case for years).
- If you still need help after taking the above steps, please email us directly at [email protected] with your account information along with the exact trace string from the bottom of the captcha page, your IP address, your browsers user-agent string (What's my user agent?) and a list of browser add-ons you are using.
2. I surf the web all the time a lot, around the world, different wifi sources different VPN servers (though same VPN provider) and it is only your website "that complains". This happens on PC and Phone (same VPN provider though)
I realise you could have a mere $8 a month subscription and get huge amounts of data for that via bots, and that is a risk. But a risk easily mitigated post login (if too much data is asked for at a fast rate) not just because your scripts don't match