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Old Nov 11, 2014, 2:41 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: Xyzzy
Where does the KVS tool get its data and is KVS authorized to provide this data in the manner it is presented?

The tool is known to access a variety of web sites, many in a manner that is not authorized. Please see the next section of this Wiki for a list of sites believed to be accessed and their data access policies (where known).

Additionally, under some conditions the tool appears to access sites via a KVS-operated back end. This means that the tool is not just a 'web browser' that runs via a user's machine. No detailed public information is available about how this works or whether any of this back-end access is authorized.

Websites KVS Accesses and their relevant Terms of Use

http://book.aircanada.com/pl/AConlin...verrideServlet
http://book.aircanada.com/pl/AConlin...PreviewServlet
https://book.aircanada.com/pl/AConli...verrideServlet
https://www.aircanada.com
Terms of Use:
http://www.aircanada.com/en/about/legal/notice.html
Use of our web site for any other purpose, including any commercial use or purpose, is expressly prohibited.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you agree that, in using or accessing our website, you shall not commit or participate in any of the following acts or actions, each of which is expressly prohibited under this User Agreement:
directly or indirectly, use or access, or encourage, solicit, permit, facilitate, aid, assist or abet, including, but not limited to, the selling, licensing, distribution or provision to any person of any means that permit, the use or access, or agree to provide the use or access, of our website through any manual process or any automatic, electronic or technical device, including but not limited to automated scripts, robots, crawls, screen scrapers, web "bots", deep-links, indexes, spiders, click-spams, macro programs, or any other device, program, software, system, algorithm, methodology or technology, now known or hereinafter discovered, that performs the same or a similar function, in order to, without limitation: "data mine"; "screen scrape"; data process; access, extract, copy, distribute, aggregate or acquire information; generate impressions or clicks; input or store information; search or generate searches; or manipulate or monitor any portion or content of our website;

http://data.flight24.com/flights/
Terms of Use:
http://www.flightradar24.com/terms-and-conditions
Website’s information and Services are provided for personal, non-commercial use only. Permission is granted to temporarily download one copy of the materials (information or software) on Flightradar24’s web site for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This is the grant of a license, not a transfer of title, and under this license you may not:

Modify or copy the materials;
Use the materials for any commercial purpose, or for any public display (commercial or non-commercial);
Attempt to decompile or reverse engineer any software contained on Flightradar24's web site;
Remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the materials; or
Transfer the materials to another person or "mirror" the materials on any other server.

This license shall automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions and may be terminated by Flightradar24 at any time. Upon terminating your viewing of these materials or upon the termination of this license, you must destroy any downloaded materials in your possession whether in electronic or printed format.

http://data.seatexpert.com/tpi/find.php
Terms of Use:

http://plane.lan.com/cgi-bin/recibo_...bo_eticket.cgi
Terms of Use:
http://www.lan.com/en_us/sitio_perso...-use/about-us/
You may use the information on our site solely for non-commercial purposes, and any use or modification of the website contents is not permitted.

http://reservations.usairways.com/Default.aspx
Terms of Use:
http://reservations.usairways.com/en-US/aboutus/site_usage_policy.html
Content may be used for non-commercial personal use only, and you agree not to modify, copy, transmit, distribute, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, create derivative works from, sell or otherwise transfer any information, software, products or services obtained from the Site without prior written permission from US Airways. You agree not to use any automatic device, manual process, or scraping to monitor or copy the Site or the content contained therein for any purpose without US Airways’ prior written permission. You agree not to use any device, software or routine to interfere with or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Site or any activities conducted on the Site.

https://book.austrian.com/app/fb.fly
Terms of Use:
http://www.austrian.com/Info/LegalRegulations/WebsiteTerms.aspx?sc_lang=en&cc=AT
2. Proprietary rights
All trademark rights, copyrights, database rights and other intellectual property rights to the contents of the Austrian-website, (as well as the organization and layout of the website), together with the underlying software code rest, either with Austrian or with its licensors. You may not, either in whole or in part, copy, modify, distribute or use or reproduce in other form contents of the Austrian-website, or the underlying software code, without the prior written consent of Austrian.

3. Permissible use
All Austrian-website online services (including the booking machine) are provided solely for the purpose of enabling you to check the availability of goods or services relating to your journey (the timetable, for example), make legitimate reservations, use our online check-in or transact other business with suppliers. You may only use the website in accordance with these terms and conditions and for the legally permitted purposes described above. In particular, you indicate your agreement to the following:
...
3.5 You may not reproduce information from the Austrian-website for commercial purposes. This also includes providing prices for Austrian flights on another website or another online server. In particular you may not copy, distribute, in other way use or reproduce discarded content from the Austrian-website with the help of 'robots', other search machine technologies or through other automatic mechanisms.

https://booking.qatarairways.com/qri...Booking.action
Terms of Use:

https://book.tam.com.br/TAM/dyn/air/...ng/retrievePNR
Terms of Use:

https://classic.checkmytrip.com/plne...ievePNR.action
Terms of Use:
(D) not to use any automated system or software to extract data from the Application, Documents or Services for commercial purposes (such as screen scraping);

https://en.aegeanair.com
Terms of Use:

https://eservice.evaair.com
Terms of Use:

https://flymas.mobi/itravel/viewBooking.xhtml
Terms of Use:

https://fly.rj.com/MyBookings/Home/EN/Default.aspx
Terms of Use:

http://skyvector.com/airport/
Terms of Use:

https://m.aeroflot.ru/b/info/pnr/load
Terms of Use:

https://mm.alitalia.com/GB_EN/booking/apvsearch.aspx
Terms of Use:

https://mobile1.emirates.com/myb/review.xhtml
Terms of Use:

https://myb.s7.ru/getMyBooking.action
Terms of Use:

https://mytripandmore.com/Itinerary.aspx
Terms of Use:
https://mytripandmore.com/TermsAndConditions.aspx
Except as expressly permitted by these Terms, you may not:
...
9. use any "robot", "spider" or other automatic device, software, program, algorithm, routine, methodology, or any manual process or functionality:
...to monitor, assemble, analyse, index, copy, transmit, distribute, transfer, or link to any of the pages, data, materials, or content available on the Site,

https://pilotweb.nas.faa.gov/PilotWe...yICAOAction.do
Terms of Use:

https://prefunds.aa.com/refunds/receipt
https://www.aa.com/reservation/findReservationSubmit.do
Terms of Use:
https://www.aa.com/i18n/footer/siteUsage.jsp
Intellectual property notifications
...
D. American Airlines owns or uses by permission all software contained on the Site, including without limitation all HTML code and Active X controls. Copyright and other laws and international treaty provisions protect this software. The law expressly prohibits any modification, redistribution, or reproduction of the software, and such actions could result in severe civil and criminal penalties. American Airlines will seek and support prosecuting violators to the maximum extent possible.
E. You may not copy, display, distribute, download, license, modify, publish, re-post, reproduce, reuse, sell, transmit, use to create a derivative work, or otherwise use the content of the Site for public or commercial purposes. Nothing on the Site shall be construed to confer any grant or license of any intellectual property rights, whether by estoppel, by implication, or otherwise.
...
Limitations on your use:
You agree that you will not Misuse the Site. "Misuse" includes, but is not limited to, using the Site to do any of the following:
...
L. Copy or create derivative works from, display, distribute, license, perform, publish, recreate, reproduce, sell, transfer, or transmit any information, products, services, or software obtained by, from, or through the Site.
M. Monitor or copy any Content by using any manual process, or any robot, spider, or other automatic device, without first obtaining American Airlines' prior written consent.

https://raw.github.com/opentraveldat...i_airlines.csv
Terms of Use:

https://secure.jetairways.com/PlatformID/Identify.aspx
Terms of Use:

https://tickets.airtran.com/SeatAvailability.aspx
Terms of Use:
http://www.southwest.com/html/about-...ons/index.html
Prohibited Activities

You may not copy, display, distribute, download, license, modify, publish, re-post, reproduce, reuse, sell, transmit, use to create a derivative work, or otherwise use the content of this site for public or commercial purposes without our express written permission. Nothing on this site shall be construed to confer any grant or license of any intellectual property rights, whether by estoppel, by implication, or otherwise.

You may not modify, re-render, frame, mirror, truncate, add to, inject, filter or change the order of the information contained on any page of the Southwest Airlines sites, including, without limitation, by any way of reproducing Southwest Airlines or SWABiz® web pages or Company information on any other web site without our express written permission.

You may not copy, derive, edit, translate, decompile, reverse engineer, modify, use, or reproduce any code or source relating to our sites, including without limitation, any service or product Southwest offers.

You may not cause to appear any pop-up, pop-under, exit windows, expanding buttons, banners advertisement, or anything else which minimizes, covers, or otherwise inhibits the full display of the Southwest Airlines sites.

You may not use any deep-link, page-scrape, robot, crawl, index, spider, click spam, macro programs, Internet agent, or other automatic device, program, algorithm or methodology which does the same things, to use, access, copy, acquire information, generate impressions or clicks, input information, store information, search, generate searches, or monitor any portion of the Southwest Airlines sites or Company information.
...
You may not disguise the origin of information transmitted to, from, or through the Southwest Airlines sites. You may not circumvent any measures implemented by Southwest Airlines aimed at preventing violations of the Use Agreement. You may not violate the restrictions in any robot exclusion header.

When you use the Southwest Airlines sites or Company information for an authorized purpose, you must include all proprietary notices without changing, hiding or deleting them.

You may not engage in any conduct that is, or that Southwest Airlines deems to be, in violation of this Use Agreement.

https://wftc3.e-travel.com
Terms of Use:

https://wtrweb.worldtracer.aero/WorldTracerWeb/pax.do
Terms of Use:

https://www121.jal.co.jp/JmbWeb/JR/S...MileCalc_en.do
Terms of Use:

https://www4.thy.com/mybookings/ETDisplay.tk
https://www4.thy.com/mybookings/getPnr.tk
Terms of Use:

https://www.airberlin.com/en-DE/cockpit
Terms of Use:

https://www.airfrance.fr/cgi-bin/AF/...chPnrAction.do
Terms of Use:

https://www.alaskaair.com/booking/reservationlookup
Terms of Use:

https://www.bookonline.saudiairlines...verride.action
https://www.bookonline.saudiairlines...verride.action
Terms of Use:

https://www.britishairways.com/trave...g/public/en_gb
Terms of Use:

https://www.checkmytrip.com/CMTSERVLET
Terms of Use:
https://www.checkmytrip.com/cmt/apf/...&SITE=NCMTNCMT
3. Licence restrictions

3.1 Except as expressly set out in this EULA or as permitted by any local law, you agree:
...
(D) not to use any automated system or software to extract data from the Application, Documents or Services for commercial purposes (such as screen scraping);

https://www.delta.com/mytrips/findPnr.action
http://www.delta.com/ism/SeatMapDisplay.action
http://www.delta.com/shared/components/blank.jsp
Terms of Use:

https://www.finnair.com
Terms of Use:

https://www.flysas.com
Terms of Use:

https://www.iberia.com/web/retrievePNR.do
Terms of Use:

https://www.lot.com
Terms of Use:

https://www.lufthansa.com
Terms of Use:
http://www.lufthansa.com/online/port...d=2016866&l=en

2. Proprietary rights
...You may not, either in whole or in part, copy, modify, distribute or use or reproduce in other form contents of the Lufthansa-website, or the underlying software code, without the prior written consent of Deutsche Lufthansa AG.
https://www.routehappy.com/
Terms of Use:

https://www.swiss.com
Terms of Use:

https://www.tripforyou.net/t4u/PTopAction.do
Terms of Use:

https://www.tripple.jp
Terms of Use:

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/app...n/default.aspx
Terms of Use:
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/legal.aspx This website is for the User's personal, noncommercial use only. User agrees not to modify, copy, alter, distribute, transmit, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer, or sell any information, software, products or services obtained from this website without United’s prior written permission. User agrees not to use any robot, spider, other automatic device, or manual process to monitor or copy this website or the content contained therein or for any other unauthorized purpose without United’s prior written permission. ... United reserves the right to investigate any illegal and/or unauthorized use of this website, including, but not limited to, unauthorized framing of this website or unauthorized use of any robot, spider or other automated device, and to take appropriate legal action, including, without limitation, civil, criminal and injunctive redress.

https://www.viewtrip.com/GetItin.aspx
Terms of Use:

https://www.virginamerica.com/book/ow/a1/
Terms of Use:

https://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/g...ndBooking.next
Terms of Use:

https://www.virtuallythere.com/new/reservations.html
Terms of Use:

http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/
Terms of Use:

http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi
Terms of Use:

http://www.airframes.org/fleet/
Terms of Use:

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_H...oking-now.html
Terms of Use:

http://www.flightradar24.com/
Terms of Use:

http://www.FlightStats.com/go/Flight...ingByFlight.do
http://www.FlightStats.com/go/Flight...tusByFlight.do
Terms of Use:

http://www.flightview.com/TravelTool...eryResults.asp
http://www.flightview.com/TravelTools/viewairport.asp
Terms of Use:

http://www.gcmap.com/airport/
http://www.gcmap.com/mapui
Terms of Use:
http://www.gcmap.com/faq/using
Q: May I use the Great Circle Mapper's maps on my web page?
A: You may use maps generated by the Great Circle Mapper on non-commercial web pages (q.v. commericial use below) so long as you do not profit from them and you include the following credit on pages which include maps:
...
Q: May I use the Great Circle Mapper's maps for commercial sites or publications?
A: Please write to Karl L. Swartz regarding terms for commercial use of the maps.

http://www.iata.org/about/members/Pa...line-list.aspx
Terms of Use:
http://www.iata.org/Pages/terms.aspx
2. Your Conduct

The content on this Site is for your personal use only within the organization or entity to which you are attached as applicable, and it is not intended for commercial exploitation unless expressly agreed in writing by IATA through a duly authorized representative. IATA authorizes you to download or reproduce selected materials at this Site only for your personal, non-commercial use, in the ordinary course of business provided that you retain all copyright and other proprietary notices contained in the original materials on any copies of the materials and that the title or database brand name and IATA name is stated as the source.

You may not otherwise modify, disassemble, create derivative works, distribute, reproduce, publicly display, perform, transmit, re-transmit, sell, rent, sublicense, or otherwise use any materials or content on this Site for commercial or non-commercial exploitation by yourself or the organization or entity to which you are attached or permit third parties to so do. Without limitation, unlimited or wholesale reproduction, copying of the content for commercial or non-commercial purposes and unwarranted modification of data and information within the content is not permitted, and any use of these materials on any other website or networked computer environment for any purpose without IATA’s prior written consent is prohibited.
...
4. Intellectual Property Rights

...You must not modify, decompile, or reverse engineer any software IATA discloses to you via this Site, and you must not remove, overprint, or deface any notice of copyright, trademark, logo, legend, or other notice of ownership from any originals or copies of software or information from the website. "IATA Trademarks" means all names, marks, brands, URL names or addresses, logos, designs, trade dress and other designations IATA uses in connection with Products or Services. You are not permitted to incorporate any IATA Trademarks into any other trademarks, service marks, company names, Internet addresses, domain names, or any other similar designations. Any unauthorized use of any materials contained on this website may violate copyright laws, trademark laws, the laws of privacy and publicity, and communications regulations and statutes.

http://www.itn.net/cgi/get
Terms of Use:

http://www.kenya-airways.com/kqbook.aspx
Terms of Use:

http://www.myairlines.ru
Terms of Use:

http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/do/dyn/checkmytrip
Terms of Use:

http://www.seatexpert.com/multiple_results.php
Terms of Use:

http://www.seatguru.com/ajax/findseatmap.php
Terms of Use:

http://www.seatmaestro.com/airlines-...eckmytrip.html
http://www.seatmaestro.com/themes/de...te_airline.php
Terms of Use:

http://www.seatplans.com/ajax/Airline
http://www.seatplans.com/ajax/airports-and-city
http://www.seatplans.com/find-and-compare/
Terms of Use:
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KVS Availability Tool

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Old Nov 11, 2014 | 8:08 pm
  #7666  
Original Member
20 Countries Visited
1M
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Gold
Posts: 15,009
KVS initiated a pro-rated refund of my subscription (had 8 months left on it). I didn’t ask for a refund; KVS unilaterally refunded it. I will post when refund actually is posted.

In my opinion, KVS needs to do a better job on communications. Many of the activity in this thread for the past several weeks could have all been avoided had KVS provided clear communications addressing donor concerns when FS pulled the plug.

At that point in time, KVS had a choice of various courses of action including but not limited to the following.
  1. We’re sorry email but availability is no longer available. Here’s a pro-rated refund/extension.
  2. We’re sorry email but availability is no longer available but here’s a roadmap on what we’re doing to restore that functionality or provide an alternative and when to expect that.
  3. KVS sets up GTC account(s) and route all availability request thru those account(s). Donor-base wouldn’t be any wiser as to where the data came from or whether it was legal or not.
  4. KVS provide instructions on how to obtain illegitimate GTC account have donor take on legal risk of unauthorized access.

Out of these four choices, KVS picks the worst possible option and by doing so:
  • Insults the intelligence of its donors
  • Shows KVS do not care/do not understand why donors are using KVS Availability Tool to begin with.

Had KVS proceeded with any of the first three options, I don’t think this thread would have gotten as much attention as it had recently and KVS would have kept the goodwill and reputation of being quick to respond to donor concerns.
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Old Nov 11, 2014 | 11:11 pm
  #7667  
KVS
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,952
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Originally Posted by Xyzzy
Therefore, I will answer them for you based on what I know from this thread.
You are not authorized to provide answers on our behalf.

Originally Posted by d'Yquem
My subscription to KVS expired last week and I renewed under an hour ago as I needed to check flight availability. There was no obvious indication of a material change in functionality on any of the links I was required to click in order to renew.
The restriction regarding Regular Availability is actually noted on the Membership page, which is a part of the renewal process.

Originally Posted by d'Yquem
I look forward to reading your response.
Our response has been sent to you via e-mail, as originally requested.

Originally Posted by golfmad
Can you point me to the answers to these two questions please. These are the only ones on the list I'm interested in.
  1. Is KVS authorized to provide this data in the manner it is presented?
  2. Are users opening themselves up to liability by use of KVS tool?
  1. Yes, as a Web Browser, KVS Tool is authorized to display web page data in a format that it supports and that is most convenient for its users.

  2. The short and practical answer is 'no'.
    However, if this is a legal question, it should be referred to one's own legal professional.

Last edited by Prospero; Nov 13, 2014 at 12:00 am Reason: combine comments into a single post
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Old Nov 12, 2014 | 6:01 am
  #7668  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: LRM
Programs: UA/DL plat to AA
Posts: 525
Originally Posted by KVS
You are not authorized to provide answers on our behalf.
This response is laughable.

People are certainly willing to pay for convenience, thus the value in your application.

The problem, however, appears to be that the data that it provides may be obtained in violation of the ToS of various third party websites. But, the problems don't stop there. If what I read here is factually correct, you have also encouraged, directed, and assisted your customers to obtain access to yet another third party site in an illegal, or, at the very least, highly unethical way.

While doing all of this, you are attempting to hide. You don't provide any information on the name or address of your business. Further, the website is registered to a postal box on a tiny, very remote, island. You are likely doing this to make it as difficult as possible for legitimate businesses, the businesses whose ToS you violate, to serve you with a cease and desist (when they do want to find you, to serve you with a lawsuit, they will). Or perhaps you are, like any hacker, actually operating from some essentially lawless land?

The problem is, cowering in the shadows cuts both ways: you can't both hide and enforce your "user agreement." Under what jurisdiction's laws are the terms of this agreement construed?

If what I have read here is correct: that you have directed others to access a third party site in an unethical or illegal manner, that your application accesses, or uses methods or means, in violation of third party ToS, or that you fail to provide a business name and address, it is amazing to me that FT allows you to continue posting and marketing your product here. That, honestly, says as much about FT as it does you.
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Old Nov 12, 2014 | 6:24 am
  #7669  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus. Eurobonus Millionaire
Posts: 38,648
Originally Posted by KVS
  1. Yes, as a Web Browser, KVS Tool is authorized to display web page data in a format that it supports and that is most convenient for its users.
  2. The short and practical answer is 'no'.
    However, if this is a legal question, it should be referred to one's own legal professional.
How can you claim ANY of the above when the sites your tool 'browses' have terms of service like this? (emphasis added):
...You agree that, in using or accessing our website, you shall not commit or participate in any of the following acts or actions, each of which is expressly prohibited under this User Agreement:
Directly or indirectly, use or access, or encourage, solicit, permit, facilitate, aid, assist or abet, including, but not limited to, the selling, licensing, distribution or provision to any person of any means that permit, the use or access, or agree to provide the use or access, of our website through any manual process or any automatic, electronic or technical device, including but not limited to automated scripts, robots, crawls, screen scrapers, web "bots", deep-links, indexes, spiders, click-spams, macro programs, or any other device, program, software, system, algorithm, methodology or technology, now known or hereinafter discovered, that performs the same or a similar function, in order to, without limitation: "data mine"; "screen scrape"; data process; access, extract, copy, distribute, aggregate or acquire information; generate impressions or clicks; input or store information; search or generate searches; or manipulate or monitor any portion or content of our website;
Quite a few of the sites that are being accessed by the tool have such provisions in their terms f service. To say "The short and practical answer is 'no'" when asked whether users might be opening themselves up to liability is really doing your customers a disservice. United, for example, states that it
...reserves the right to investigate any illegal and/or unauthorized use of this website, including, but not limited to, unauthorized framing of this website or unauthorized use of any robot, spider or other automated device, and to take appropriate legal action, including, without limitation, civil, criminal and injunctive redress.

Last edited by Xyzzy; Nov 12, 2014 at 6:44 am
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Old Nov 12, 2014 | 12:44 pm
  #7670  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: YXS
Posts: 160
GTC shut down?

Doing an availability search just now, I get this:

Data Source Error [L2W]:

"The User Name and Password you entered are not recognized. The system is unable to find an account for the User Name and Password you entered. Please verify your information and try again."


Does that mean that the GTC gig is up then? I had managed to get a GTC account while that was still possible (though didn't feel very comfortable with it, and told KVS that too), but now it seems that door may have been closed too.

So, domestic fares (which apparently includes Canada-US) are down, international fares only work on a limited basis, and availability only works through the MC? This keeps getting better by the day.
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Old Nov 12, 2014 | 3:59 pm
  #7671  
KVS
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Join Date: Jan 2004
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Originally Posted by Xyzzy
How can you claim ANY of the above
Our answers have been provided for the benefit of the OP and other KVS Tool Members in good standing.

Originally Posted by YXSflyer
Doing an availability search just now, I get this:
Please contact us via http://Contact.KVSTool.com/

Originally Posted by YXSflyer
So, domestic fares (which apparently includes Canada-US) are down, international fares only work on a limited basis
Unfortunately, it is a limitation of the [Fares/GOL] Engine.

Last edited by Prospero; Nov 13, 2014 at 12:02 am Reason: combine comments into a single post
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Old Nov 12, 2014 | 4:03 pm
  #7672  
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Location: Stuck on this planet - mainly in STR and LAX
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Personally I like how the KVS tool (why is it called tool and not browser?) makes it very easy to get information from different website without needing to remember all the steps to get to that information.
With the data sources drying up the tool is becoming much less useful now than it was when I signed up for it.
I hope that KVS will just give all subscribers to the tool either a partial refund or just extend their membership period significantly without extra charge. I know that there is most likely no legal requirement to do that, but with the downward spiral KVS is in now (at least in the opinion of most members of this board and at leat partially self inflicted) some positive step would be timely.
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Old Nov 12, 2014 | 7:31 pm
  #7673  
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SEA - DL DM/3MM, *A Gold, SPG Lifetime Plat, some other car and hotel stuff
Posts: 5,648
Originally Posted by YXSflyer
Doing an availability search just now, I get this:

Data Source Error [L2W]:

"The User Name and Password you entered are not recognized. The system is unable to find an account for the User Name and Password you entered. Please verify your information and try again."


Does that mean that the GTC gig is up then? I had managed to get a GTC account while that was still possible (though didn't feel very comfortable with it, and told KVS that too), but now it seems that door may have been closed too...
Same here. Perhaps FAU or GTC has gone through and terminated accounts?

KVS, any insight here?
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Old Nov 12, 2014 | 7:37 pm
  #7674  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
5M
100 Countries Visited
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Originally Posted by KVS
Our answers have been provided for the benefit of the OP and other KVS Tool Members in good standing.
This is a public forum. Should you wish to interact solely with people who 'cntribute' to you feel free to start a forum on your own site.

You had ample opportunity to answer the very basic questions posed to you. My answers were provided as a public service and as a warning to all that they are breaking the TOS of a variety of sites (and they don't even know exactly which sites those are) and possibly opening themselves up to legal liability by use of your 'tool'. Use of a 'specialized browser' is actually specifically prohibited. I posted based on the language posted on the wiki above -- and the language on a variety of other sites as well as on the information contained within this thread. Should you have specific information to the contrary please let us know.

Last edited by Xyzzy; Nov 12, 2014 at 7:53 pm
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Old Nov 12, 2014 | 9:19 pm
  #7675  
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Yup, that hack is dead... someone probably cross referenced all these newly created accounts with names of people who were actually authorized to sign up with that particular code and poof. Gone... was only a matter of time.

Originally Posted by YXSflyer
Doing an availability search just now, I get this:

Data Source Error [L2W]:

"The User Name and Password you entered are not recognized. The system is unable to find an account for the User Name and Password you entered. Please verify your information and try again."


Does that mean that the GTC gig is up then? I had managed to get a GTC account while that was still possible (though didn't feel very comfortable with it, and told KVS that too), but now it seems that door may have been closed too.

So, domestic fares (which apparently includes Canada-US) are down, international fares only work on a limited basis, and availability only works through the MC? This keeps getting better by the day.
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Old Nov 12, 2014 | 9:37 pm
  #7676  
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I think you're just digging yourself into a hole with those kinds of answers. The answers are more likely to be "No" and "Yes" in that order, especially for the data feeds that are getting cut off. But there is little possibility of us as end users getting hit with a suit for either breach of terms of use or the CFAA (I don't believe I've seen it referenced in the thread yet, but it's relevant). That may not be the case for the entity that is actually creating, operating and profiting (call it a contribution, a membership fee, a subscription, I'm not sure the distinction would matter) from the tool/browser (again I'm not sure it actually matters what you call it). The more I've come to understand how some aspects of the tool/browser works, the less comfortable I am with it.

I think your direction or suggestion for users to sign up for GTC accounts was a huge mistake, and while the other providers who have plugged up leaky data feeds may have been content to just plug the leak, I now have my doubts that will be the case with the creation of GTC accounts, especially if there were a sufficiently large number of them. Those accounts being cancelled today may be only the first shoe to drop.

Originally Posted by KVS
  1. Yes, as a Web Browser, KVS Tool is authorized to display web page data in a format that it supports and that is most convenient for its users.

  2. The short and practical answer is 'no'.
    However, if this is a legal question, it should be referred to one's own legal professional.
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Old Nov 12, 2014 | 10:08 pm
  #7677  
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Originally Posted by Xyzzy
You had ample opportunity to answer the very basic questions posed to you.
And we did.

Originally Posted by Xyzzy
My answers were provided as a public service
That is not how we or most of our Members would describe them.

Originally Posted by andymo99
KVS, any insight here?
Please contact us via http://Contact.KVSTool.com/

Originally Posted by Unterwegs
Personally I like how the KVS tool (why is it called tool and not browser?) makes it very easy to get information from different website without needing to remember all the steps to get to that information.
We are glad you are enjoying the convenience of the KVS Tool.

Originally Posted by Unterwegs
I hope that KVS will just give all subscribers to the tool either a partial refund or just extend their membership period significantly without extra charge. I know that there is most likely no legal requirement to do that
We are currently considering a number of options, based on our Members' feedback. In the meantime, requests of this nature are being handled on a case-by-case basis.

Last edited by Prospero; Nov 13, 2014 at 12:01 am Reason: combine comments into a single post
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Old Nov 12, 2014 | 11:29 pm
  #7678  
 
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Originally Posted by zozeppelin
KVS: Why is my account not working. You have time to delete the wiki but you don't have time to respond to my email request of why my account is not working?
To update, my account has been restored after providing context to some posts and redacting others where there was disagreement on source.

I still would like to know:
1) What is the outlook on fares? Is a new method being investigated that will support domestic fares and less constraint with fare rules regarding search date? Target date?

2) What is the outlook on availability? Is this feature going to be restored in KVS Tool? Target date?
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 1:00 am
  #7679  
 
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Originally Posted by zozeppelin
To update, my account has been restored after providing context to some posts and redacting others where there was disagreement on source.

I still would like to know:
1) What is the outlook on fares? Is a new method being investigated that will support domestic fares and less constraint with fare rules regarding search date? Target date?

2) What is the outlook on availability? Is this feature going to be restored in KVS Tool? Target date?
[redacted] you may be waiting a long time for a reply.

[redacted] I found this whole issue with a business being allowed to promote their product on this forum while at the same time revoking membership for those who posted negative items here in this thread to be nothing short of despicable. (ie. attempting to censor members via the threat and actual action of revoking a service already paid for).

It left such a bad taste in my mouth that I didn't even want to participate in the FT forum anymore, but being it looks to be cleared up, hopefully everyone can get on with our normal flying topics now.

Last edited by oliver2002; Nov 13, 2014 at 1:25 am Reason: comments on other member(s) and moderation redacted
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 1:23 am
  #7680  
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
a quick reminder that comment on moderation and fellow members is a no-no as per FT rules. Please stick to the topic.

Regards Oliver2002
Senior Mod
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