Warning Re: Apollo/ITN/UA Access Method
 

It came to my attention that UA has recently redesigned its website to provide inaccurate/fake availability data to the Tool's Apollo/ITN/UA Access Method while providing genuine availability data only when a user clicks the [Flight Details] button for each flight on the United.com website.

Until this recent development took place, the availability data shown by United.com in "the expert mode" and availability shown using the Apollo/ITN/UA method would always match.

Therefore, it is recommended that you do not use the Apollo/ITN/UA Access Method until further notice as the data shown there will not be reliable.

This does not in any way affect other access methods, such as Amadeus/AUA/*A and Sabre/ITN/AX. These access methods continue to report accurate and reliable availability data for UA and other airlines.

Several other threads have been started indicating that ITN does not seem to show (at least for North American routes) the I fare bucket any more? What is going on?

KVS Availability Tool - AC/ Air Canada
 

This thread is a branch-off from the Master KVS Availability Tool thread, and is intended for discussion and support on AC and Aeroplan-specific issues.

Please continue to use the main thread for all other matters, and http://www.KVSTool.com for membership-related matters.

Availability:

AC Booking Classes Displayed by the KVS Tool (AC Award/Upgrade classes are in green):

• [Sabre: FS]
  • R Y B M U H Q V W S T L K N G P E A J C D Z (Domestic)
  • R Y B M U H Q V W S T L K N A J C D Z (Transborder)
  • R Y B M U H Q V W S T L K J C D Z (Intl)
• [Sabre: GTC]
  • J C D Z Y B M U H Q V W S T L K N G P E (Domestic)
  • J C D Z Y B M U H Q V W S T L K N A R (Transborder)
  • J C D Z Y B M U H Q V W S T L K R (Intl)
• [Galileo: ETR]
  • J C D Z Y B M U H Q V W S T L K N G P E R (Domestic)
  • J C D Z Y B M U H Q V W S T L K N A R (Transborder)
  • J C D Z Y B M U H Q V W S T L K R (Intl)
• [Awards/StarAlliance]
  • CS=I YS=X
• [Awards/AC-StarAlliance]
  • CS=I YS=X

Aeroplan Star Alliance & Partner Award Availability:

• AC Award & Upgrade availability is supported.
• All Star Alliance partners are also supported: AC/UA/CO/US/LH/LX/OS/SK/TP/LO/JK/BD/TK/SN/A3/JJ/SQ/NZ/NH/OZ/TG/CA/SA/MS/JP/OU/KF
• Star Alliance Upgrade Availability is fully supported for all Star Alliance carriers, except JJ.
• Please see http://Help.KVSTool.com/#Classes for more details.

Fares, Fare/Routing Rules:

• AC published Fares & Fare/Routing Rules are supported by all KVS Tool Fares Methods.
• Also supported are AC-published Star Alliance Round-The-World (xRWSTARx/YRWSPCL) & other special circle Fares, including Circle Asia (xCASTARx), Circle North Asia (xCNASTRx) & Circle Pacific (xCPSTARx) via the [Fares/DotRes] Method.
• Please see http://Help.KVSTool.com/#RTW for more details.

Seat Maps:

AC Seat Maps are available via the [Amadeus Text] & [Amadeus Enhanced] options.

Timetables:

AC flights are supported.

Operational Info/Flight Tracking:

• Detailed Operational Info (incl. delay reasons, etc.) is available for AC flights via the [Amadeus] option.
• Detailed Operational Info is also available for most other Star Alliance flights via the [Amadeus] option.
• AC flights are supported in all Tracking options.

As can be seen from the chart above, I class is no longer displayed via the Worldspan: ITN/CWT method for domestic/transborder flights. I strongly suspect that this change was initiated by AC itself...

AC Booking Classes
 

See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4266371

KVS, do you think it's possible that AC is making some changes to "I" and hence retracting it from particular (but not all) views? Any reason for these changes?

Yes, but what kind of "changes"? ...

For awhile we have been waiting for a hopefully more common situation where "I > C" and that this would occur once some "upgrades" or "enhancements" have been made to the system. Could this be one of those "changes"?

Also, do you think they would allow "I" to be redisplayed where they have been retracted recently, once these "hopeful" changes have been made?

Of course, everything here is speculation (I admit) but many here would love to know what on earth is going on and the reasons behind it...

I don't really see why withdrawing the display of I class from certain POSs (such as Worldspan: ITN/CWT) would be a prerequisite for making the "upgrades" / "enhancements" you are referring to. At the moment, it really looks like AC has decided that there is no reason why I class should be displayed on particular POSs, so I kinda doubt that it will be coming back.

Having said that, you can still see I class via Apollo: ITN/CWT, Amadeus: AUA/*A & Galileo methods, so let's hope that it stays that way...

There would certainly be a lot less complaining about I<C, if we could never see I. Interestingly it does show on international so there would still be insentive to buy M class on those routes. It's almost like they have thought this out as part of their evil plan... :)

However, presumably travel agents need to see the information, so I don't think they can completely hide it.

I class is still available on ExpertFlyer.com.

Quick question: I'm assuming that there is no way of searching for AC D and W inventory?

Then why did they hide it from some POSs, but not others?

The reason for that might be that for Intl routes there are approx. 10 visible booking classes (compared to almost 20 classes for NA routes). Assuming AC was trying to eliminate 'unnecessary' classes from the display (e.g. to reduce 'clutter'), it is obvious why they only got rid of I on NA routes...

But are we sure about that?

As per HereNow...'s recent post (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...75#post4250918) the classes currently shown by EF for AC are exactly the same as those currently shown by the Tool...

P.S. Has EF started paying commissions? ;)

That's correct.

There have been various other KVS Availability threads started elsewhere and it appears this is more than just Aeroplan and of course borders on a commercial application. As I have done for ExpertFlyer.com as well, I am moving this thread to TravelBuzz! as well as consolidating other threads as well so that the availability of the topic and toll remains open for all members. The tool is not specific to frequent flyer miles and thus the decision to move to TravelBuzz! rather than MilesBuzz!. Those of you who use the tool will certainly be able to continue using this thread for updates and Q/A.