Can we please do away with the snarkiness and snide remarks?

Please review FT Rules 12 and 13.

Thank you,

TWA884
Moderator

As far as I can tell, you're the only one complaining about this here.

ExpertFlyer is designed to be a nicer interface for basic queries of the GDS at a lower cost than direct GDS access (which I have had in the past at $45 per month). Like everyone else here has noted, it does exactly what we expect it to do: query the GDS and return the results in a pleasant-to-look-at format (plus email alerts and things).

You are asking them to change their entire system from being a mostly pass-through interface to a comprehensive system that understands the data the GDS is returning and sorts and filters it.

That's nice, but that also significantly increases the complexity of the product. Development resources would have to be committed to that. Much more intensive monitoring of the product would ensue to ensure that the software isn't filtering out the wrong stuff. The subscription price for EF would have to go up significantly to do that.

I don't want any of that. I want exactly what I get: the raw results from the GDS. And judging by the rest of the posts in this thread, everyone else but you wants the exact same thing.

You're welcome to be the outlier and want more out of the product, but when arguing your case in this thread, make sure to take reality into account. And that reality is both that what you want is not feasible within the current fee structure of the product and also that pretty much everyone else here is quite happy with the way it is.

I was also complaining. ;)

I understand your perspective but it isn't clear to me that ExpertFlyer is simply there to repackage whatever comes from the GDS.

I also raise eyebrows at suggestions that verifying externally-sourced data match requirements is difficult or expensive ... when I was a programming contractor I did that for free because I thought it was expected practise!

I am a new user to EF. I put an award flight alert for LAX - LHR, Z class, 10/07/15, AA, departing at 7:55pm a few days ago. I received an email today that 1 ticket is open. I looked at EF to confirm it. I go to AA.com and try to book the ticket but it does not appear for the Z class. I go to BA.com and look at a codeshare for that flight and it is available. Why would the inquiry on EF.com show it available on AA but it not be available on AA.com but it is bookable on BA.com? Just trying to get an understanding of how EF works. Thanks

EF and BA are correct, there is 1 Z class available on that flight. Call AA to book the award ticket and let them know that the website is incorrectly not showing the availability.

FYI, what you see on BA.com isn't a codeshare of the flight, they are listing the award inventory for the actual AA flight itself.

Thank you, at least I am looking at it correct. But I did call AA directly before making my original post & they said it was not available. I tried to explain that it was available on BA.com but that did not help resolve it.

I called again, tried another agent, and they were able to see the available ticket & I booked it...thank you.

Glad to hear, enjoy your trip!

Look up Fare Basis Code on Purchased US flight
 

I'm trying to get the fare basis codes for flights I've already purchased on US Airways. The flights are several weeks/months out.

I'm new to EF so now I want to see what I bought when I wasn't as wise. I know what fare class I got, but want the fare basis code. Nothing showing on my confirmation or receipt.

Is there a way to find it online, absent calling them and asking for it.

Thank you!

If I were in that situation, I'd do a fare search with the appropriate travel and ticketing dates and the appropriate fare class. That should narrow it down to 3 or 4 fares, after which you can compare the cost listed with the fare against what you actually paid. Do note that there might be a slight mismatch; it has something to do with how taxes are displayed on the receipt versus the filed fare (I'm sure there's someone else here who can explain that much better than I).

Thanks, I did go through that process before posting and thought I'd shoot for finding the basis code instead since the numbers didn't match up exactly. Appreciate your reply re the way the taxes are displayed. That clears it up a bit, still would like to dial it in if anyone has any further info. I noticed if you go on their site and select flights they use nice round numbers like those displayed on EF fare page. They then display the tax and fee below it. Still had trouble matching up. I did see on an old receipt where ticket price was x dollars plus change, no whole numbers like on the site.

Went through an exercise where I went on site to book new reservation, gave me a price say 498 even plus tax/fee total~564. I noted fare class for each segment. Went on EF and couldn't find fare matches based on those fare classes for either the 498 and 564 totals. Was close, but say ~$20-$30 off.

Just trying to educate myself for future travel.

Thanks!!!

PS Edit- I think I just figured out how to back out the taxes/fees to get the listed fare. Verifying my numbers now.

Re: taxes--it looks like you might have figured it out, but my understanding is that the federal excise tax is included in the price listed with the fare on the GDS, but it gets broken out when you go to book a flight. So, the fare on the itinerary should be less (IIRC, the tax is 7.5%, so the fare should be ~92.5% of the listed fare price) than seen on the GDS.

Disclaimer: the specific tax and/or values may be incorrect.

Yup, a look at a recent receipt showed fare of 437.21 plus 60.99 in tax/fee. Add back the 7.5% U.S. transportation tax to the fare you get 470. I had V class and G class segments on a RT. EF shows half the V and G RT fares add up to 470.

Price they show while making a new reservation includes all taxes/fees. So just back out the below items times 2 on RT to get the published fare.

"Our advertised fares are per person and include U.S. government taxes and fees. A segment is defined as one takeoff and landing.

$4 per flight segment, per passenger (U.S. domestic segment tax)
$5.60 per one-way trip, per passenger (September 11th security fee)
$4.50 per passenger (Local airports assess Passenger Facility Charges -- PFCs -- this amount varies by airport)
$8.90 per flight segment, per passenger on certain segments beginning or ending in Alaska or Hawaii."

It may have been meaningless in the long run to go through and figure this out, but I'm happy I did.

Thanks!