aktchi

It would be nice but may increase their cost. Anyway, while conducting any search, be it at EF, ITA, Google, or even non-travel stuff at Amazon, I like them to search a little beyond my parameters, just in case it uncovers some exceptional opportunity. If not, I can always ignore these extra results.

The classic case is someone who thinks he prefers a nonstop, but hasn't paused to consider if that preference would hold in case a 1-stop was available at ½ the price? Similarly at ITA people get carried by powerful advanced routing language: one might specify 90 min minimum connection time, but again would one have really minded an 85 min connection at ½ the price?

That's why I want such services to provide information, but not make many and if possible any judgment calls. For judgments I prefer the buck to stop with me---and before stopping, keep moving to me.

Calchas

They already have the data in a sortable, selectable way. It's probably ten minutes of work.

If I specify a nonstop or a 90 minute minimum connection then that is precisely what I wanted. Were I willing to take an 85 minute connection then I would have said so. It's like when ITA offers me a four hour flight in Y when I explicitly said J or higher, saving me 4 GBP: no thanks. Or when ba.com thinks I might want to fly to CDG instead of ORY. Were I willing to do that, I would have said PAR not ORY as my destination. These little things do really annoy me because they waste my time.

It's up to you to widen your search parameters. In this case, the service is actually making a decision for you now to show you some extra results and not others. We don't really know why it picks certain things outside the specified parameters, so really you have more uncertainty on whether you have obtained the best result than you had if it had done what you had asked.

angatol

.....

dkerr

ExpertFlyer is "expert" flyer, it is designed for people that have a good understanding of travel reservation concepts and systems. I subscribe to EF precisely because of this. EF is designed to show exactly what the GDS returns and that is what I expect of it. I do not want EF adding any filters in front of whatever the GDS returns.

Now having said that, I do think it would be helpful to have enhanced sorting and filtering options on the results page, much like you can do on ITA Software's results page.

DAK

angatol

.....

Calchas

I can see there is some force in this argument.

IMH

Indeed. ^

Or a radio button on the search page: "I really have thought about my search criteria and would like results that meet them."

Globaliser

Wouldn't you just end up being equally unhappy with the GDS for returning the same irrelevant results?

I can't see why this is an issue provided that the flights that match your request are returned, and returned at the top of the list. If you're looking for BA non-stops, IME they will be.

angatol

.....

chefsthatfly

Thanks for the information and quick response. As I am new to this, can you tell me why SQ's QMJFKNS does not appear to work?

According to the fare rules, the ticket must be issued in Area 1 (North America) and travelling to Area 2/3, CHECK.
The flight must be transatlantic on SQ 25 or SQ 26. CHECK

Just trying to find the cheapest flight from NYC to BKK between 11/30 and 12/12.

Then, what is the best way to search for these fare classes? Going direct to some of the airlines does not allow you to input the fare class. Any good options for this?

On a separate note, are there any good ways to find cheap mileage runs?

All of the help is appreciated again.

aktchi

If you are decisive enough to see the difference between 89 min and 90 min connections, I admire that but very few of us are like that.

Sure, but consider the flip side of the same coin: what if one was searching Y and didn't discover that J was available for 4 GBP more?

This is certainly true as far as it goes. However, the entire field of programming exists because it is not easy to translate simple human needs and desires into computer code.

Do I want J or Y? Well, usually Y because experience has taught me to assume that I can't afford J, but I would surely prefer J when the difference is very little and affordable.

Similarly, do I want a 15-hour nonstop to some Asian city or 22 hours with a connection? The answer may seem obvious till you consider the details. For example, the nonstop arrives at 1AM forcing me to get a hotel or sit in some plastic chair in the arrival hall till my next flight at 10AM; in contrast, the connecting flight allows me to spend the extra time in a first class lounge somewhere with shower and food, followed by 7AM arrival and a comfortable forward connection.

These are real example, such things do happen. There isn't a software package written that will allow us to "widen search" in all ways that are meaningful to human needs.

MDFFlyer

Hey guys,

Little confusion about ExpertFlyer. Looking at YUL-MIA... in "available classes" it shows "J0 D0 I0 Y0 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 W0 V0 G0 N0 S0 O0 Q0" which from my understanding shows that there are 0 flights available.



However, when I click the "seat gadget", I see that some seats are available.



Why is this? I am trying to understand all the intrinsic features about ExpertFlyer but this has me

MSPeconomist

That particular flight seems not to be selling any more tickets. AA might be planning to cancel it.

Seat maps can be misleading because not everyone selects a seat when booking the flight.

CDKing

If you look at the seats, All but 2 (11 E&F) either require a premium seat fee, Full Fare, limited to elites, Handicapped or completely blocked. I assume none of those without assignments have gone on to claims the 2 seats open to everyone

The icon key should be at the top right above the seat map showing which seats qualify as:

Available
Premium Only
Handicap-Accessible
Paid & Premium
Occupied
Blocked
Lavatory
Paid

MDFFlyer

Thanks for the help guys! A+