That's a good point. I would think that most people use the tool for availability, but I've been very wrong before.

Let me rephrase that f:)r everyone...

[KVS Translation tool 9.9.2 / Plutonium]

Can you disenchanted people just move on. If you don't want to continue the service as is and are firm in your beliefs, just don't use it. It wasn't that expensive to start off with. If there's some huge monetary issue involved, then ask them for a prorated refund and cancel your account. Simply do what you think is right. Please let us know when you've cancelled your entire KVS account so we all don't have to listen to further rants.

I gotta say, you've been around FT longer than most of us. You know this isn't how things work here.

Does anyone else have issues searching same day availability same day using GTC? Mine always comes back with an error.

I wasn't planning to post any more to this thread, but wanted to thank you for posting that link. Just confirms that many other people also feel almost exactly the same way I do about this individual. Not only that, but that thread is almost four years old, and seems this has been going on for a long time, possibly back to day one, and the owner has not modified his behavior one single bit. Being I'm not really familiar with KVS, I thought maybe it was just something more recent. Well, I already made my decision (to never even think about paying monthly to rent this "web browser", as he calls it, tool), and this just makes me absolutely certain that I made the right decision.

A couple of interesting threads I read on that website, and thoroughly recommend anyone thinking about KVS to give it a read if you have any concerns about what you're reading here. It becomes perfectly clear what the man is all about once you read all that, but of course everyone needs to make up their own minds, and maybe some will have no problem doing business with KVS.

While I'm here, guess I'll just go ahead and respond to a couple items...

If I recall seeing a few posts just prior to this whole ordeal, there were three methods for searching general (not award) availability. The first method disappeared, and you recommended that users change to the method which used the flightstats.com website. Very soon after that, flightstats.com withdrew their availability option, which suspiciously sounds like they were quite sick of your shenanigans and didn't feel like paying for all the increased traffic you directed to their website, without asking for permission. Well, thanks a lot, KVS, that was what I was using (the way it was intended via a normal browser) for searching my availability. Now you have a third method (via telling users to create unauthorized accounts at FAU), and sounds like they've at least plugged that whole for new users, and wouldn't be surprised if all these new accounts get deleted soon. So that's three methods in just the past couple weeks as I count it, at least for those who don't know of any other dishonest way of using someone else's account, and aren't paying extra just to get their legal GTC feed.

Now isn't that ALL the methods you have for searching general availability? And all three of them have disappeared (if you're considering people who haven't yet signed up for an unauthorized account with FAU). Then take a look at the title of this thread. It's titled, "KVS Availability Tool"! Suddenly all general availability has disappeared, and you call that "hardly "massive""? Shaking my head in disbelief, though guess I shouldn't knowing who's speaking. Just more of the usual in your attempt to deflect what is the real issue.

Guess you haven't been following along very well, and just assumed wrongly, like so many, that KVS is supplying this data. They're not, at least according to KVS. According to KVS the tool is just a glorified web browser (screen scraper though is a much more accurate description). So it is very much important to you where and under what circumstances this data is being obtained. And if being obtained illegally, you could potentially be legally liable. THAT is YOUR concern, and whether KVS can be located and whether they can also be held accountable, isn't so sure, being it seems KVS tries his best to remain out of the public eye and identified.

But regardless of the legal/moral issue of accessing data you're not authorized to, probably a much bigger reason to be concerned for most now using it is the search methods disappearing, and perhaps won't come back. Forking out money for a tool, only to realize you bought something worthless because no more data is available is most definitely the concern of the customer (or I guess as KVS views it, not a customer at all, but merely a contributor, donating funds to him).

Oh, yeah, forgot to mention one more thing. KVS needs to test all their methods. So even if they're leaving it up to the user to decide whether or not to use some method, they themselves must have, at least while developing that part of the tool, to test that it works. So KVS is every bit as legally liable for any breeches as is the user. Don't recall seeing anyone mention that point till now. Not that it really makes a whole lot of difference if KVS is located in a foreign country (as has been posted), and not readily accessible, being any interested parties may very well just give up before spending a lot of effort/money in trying to track him down. Probably much easier for them to just plug the holes, which seems to be what's been happening all along.

The more I read, the more this "business man's" attitude is making me sick. One of his m.o.'s is obviously to try to silence his critics, asking them to redact postings, offering them rewards for not saying negative things or for those to post positive things about KVS (rewards such as extending or upgrading accounts). Why the need for this undercover attempt to censor what's being said? If something shouldn't have been posted to this forum, then the owner should be contacting the moderators and asking them to delete it, not sending PM's to users with offers of rewards or threats of punishment for following along or not following along with his agenda. Really totally disgusting in my mind that this sort of thing is going on here on our forum.

My Diamond "contribution" will expire in a few weeks and even though I'm (was?) a big fan and love the convenience and time-saving it provides, I don't think I'll be able to continue "supporting" this tool.

Thankfully, there are alternatives.

<redacted>

The tone of recent discussion in this thread, and especially posts with personal attacks, like this one, remind me why I stopped hanging out at FT. I think it's time for me to head back to friendlier pastures (with higher signal-noise ratio) again.

It looks like GTC requires you to specify a time of day rather than just leaving it as "default".

Tried that, I get this:

"Date Out-Of-Range / Time (+8 Hours) must be specified"

Doesn't really help me if I want to look at a flight departing in a few hours.

Oh well...

Indeed ... not so good. Another strike against GTC.

I'm waiting to see how things shake out, and whether other options might appear, before I downgrade to the ExpertFlyer web UI. Lots of complaints about KVS here, but the people running EF (who are they?) aren't particularly open, either.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Kids,
most of the participants in this thread are veterans of FT and most certainly know not to comment on a particular member but stick to the topic on hand. Do not get personal and only make comments on the topic of the thread, namely the 'KVS Availability Tool'. The same applies to the use of the private messaging system provided to members.

Any violation of the FT rules will be dealt with as usual.

Regards Oliver2002
Senior Mod

Bye Bye KVS ....

Reply to my request for accessing flight availability :
Hi and thanks for submitting a request for additional information regarding the [Availability/GTC] Method.

Unfortunately, due to abusive behavior and actions of certain Members, we are no longer able to provide such information.

We will continue to work toward finding a suitable replacement Method.

In the meantime, Diamond-tier Members can continue to access Regular Availability via the KVS Tool Mobile Companion.

This also has no impact on any of the other functions of the KVS Tool (including Award/Upgrade Availability).

Please advise if this helps,

I bought something and now they tell me to use my phone to get flight availability !
Is is a joke ??????????????????

How do i get GTC credentials?

KVS will refuse to provide it to you.
But you can send them your CC number they will accept it with pleasure...

If you're a KVS member you can send them an email and someone will send a link with some info.

I've given up on the KVS Availability tool and just bought a year subscription to ExpertFlyer Pro. (wink-wink, nudge-nudge)

After end of three methods for fares, after end of direct RTW fares, now end of availability...has "KVS representative" been bought by Expertflyer, or google flight?
As Margaret Thatcher, i should next ask for my money back (Thanks for your 10th contribution! :td:)

- deleted -

I have been living in the dark ages of flying for a while now, and still have managed to do pretty good.

I frequently use my miles for upgrades on long-haul flights, and usually took a long time on the phone trying to find availability. A little over a week ago, I discovered the KVS availability tool, and thought that it would work perfectly. I sent my credit card info in, and got my membership and license info.

The first time I tried to use this (Yesterday) I discovered that the availability functions have been discontinued. I asked for the GTC credentials, and was sent this:

"Hi and thanks for submitting a request for additional information regarding the [Availability/GTC] Method.

Unfortunately, due to abusive behavior and actions of certain Members, we are no longer able to provide such information.

We will continue to work toward finding a suitable replacement Method.

In the meantime, Diamond-tier Members can continue to access Regular Availability via the KVS Tool Mobile Companion.

This also has no impact on any of the other functions of the KVS Tool (including Award/Upgrade Availability).

Please advise if this helps,"


The availability portion of the tool was the only reason I bought it- the rest was just bonus.

I've been looking at ExpertFlyer, but wondered what other options might exist and what the pros and cons are for them.

I am definitely not happy with KVS at this point- the timing has basically amounted to a bait-and-switch for me, since I was never able to fully utilize the availability functions.

I think you're confused on what you're looking for. As I understand it, you're looking for award availability. The current kerfluffle is about regular availability (i.e. what paid tickets book into). Award availability display is currently unaffected, although you'll still need to sign up with the appropriate airlines so that the tool can get to the award availability data.

Thanks kvs. CX is feeding very poor information to all non-cathaypacific.com sources - I've replicated Availability/GTC's finding with the mobile version, Amadeus TW and a friend's ExpertFlyer. CX is just trying to channel traffic into its own website.

Welcome to the KVS Tool!

Indeed, there have been no changes or impact to the Award/Upgrade Availability functions, which are accessible via the [Awards] Tab the KVS Tool, as further detailed in the KVS Tool User Guide:

http://Help.KVSTool.com/#Classes

As noted in the [Availability/GTC] section of the KVS Tool User Guide at http://Help.KVSTool.com/#Method_Availability_GTC:
Alternatively, you can use the KVS Tool Mobile Companion for same-date searches.

Telling a vendor that their data is being misused and accessed in an unauthorised manner is 'abusive behavior'? That you can no longer sell unauthorised access to the misused data is someone elses fault??!! That's rich, KVS.

If I were you I'd be asking KVS f:or a refund. Barring that, I'd request a refund from your credit card company.

Oh and lest I be rude, WELC:pME TO FT, kraftphysics!!!

From the KVS email to our new FTer:

"Unfortunately, due to abusive behavior and actions of certain Members, we are no longer able to provide such information."

Can someone decode that? Is it just a complete redirection of the issue?

You beat me to it. It's so insanely backward.

Thanks to all the complainers (many of whom have admitted they are not even current KVS customers) for ruining this Forum and the tool itself for the rest of us. (It seems that the paying customers are more complaining about the opaque instructions rather than the morality of needing to misrepresent themselves to get the required credentials. And the current customers who are troubled by the morality are receiving prorated refunds if they request that.)

Please now feel free to police all the forums in FT where people discuss/share corporate codes and promotion codes (especially the ones for airlines/hotels and rental car companies which you never use) so you can explain to everybody how wrong their behavior is. Make sure you do it at least once a day.

No doubt I'll see replies about how this case is completely different because KVS is making money, and is providing a service and not a tool. I doubt KVS makes very much money from this given the amount of time he spends maintaining it. And the option that this is a service and not a tool (customized browser) is your subjective opinion.

How do I get GTC credentials?

Hi, I'm recieving error 35758, running kvs on wine 1.6.2 on a ubuntubuild, any help will be appreciated

YGM!

Please try downgrading to an older WINE Version (preferably V1.2.3):

http://Help.KVSTool.com/#Linux

OMG - he found another way!

My credentials don't work anymore.

I don't recall seeing that reported, so thank you for adding the information.

If someone believes using GTC on KVS is illegal or unethical, they certainly wouldn't want to be using it.

Not that I have a choice . . .

?????? Everyone in this world has choices in their financial dealings. That's how our system works. If you think that Toyota or GM caused unnecessary deaths due to their negligence, then don't buy their cars. If you think that some bank helped cause the economic collapse- don't do business with them. The same applies here- make your point by no longer using the GTC search feature, or just drop KVS altogether if your feelings are that strong. Make these choices yourself rather than just trying to influence others as to how to make their choices. The pros and cons have been clearly laid out in all the posts here. Just decide.

In the same vein, thanks to KVS for ruining the flightstats.com availability by scraping data from it in a manner inconsistent with what the website was designed, and thereby flightstats decided to delete the function so that the rest of us using it the way it was intended no longer can. And yeah, I'm one of those you were referring to who doesn't even use the KVS tool.

Perhaps think of it more along the lines of some really good deal that someone finds. They then post the details of it, and suddenly everyone is taking advantage of the good deal, including some who abuse the deal in trying to milk it for all it's worth. Then the business realizes that they're generosity is being taken advantage of and so they pull the plug, resulting in absolutely nobody being able to get the deal anymore. Likewise here, some of us were happy with the deal (ie. flightstats). But KVS saw fit to abuse that deal, and now not only KVS users, but legitimate users as well do not have access to the deal anymore. There was no blame there on the legitimate users, but full blame on KVS or any other similar tools or whatever that may have been scraping/accessing their data in a manner opposing to what was intended.

So be upset all you want, but it's KVS who's taken the first shots at legitimate users, not the other way around!

Hi, can I have GTC credentials please, thanks.