Having some trouble with the tool today. Searched for Star Alliance award availability on 8.8.13 (+-3)...flights that I know exist (US 709) don't appear. Don't flights with no award availability appear in search with a "No" under Availability? May be wrong, but I didn't think that some flights don't show up in search at all.

I know it's pretty esoteric, but is there any way that EF can see whether seats are under airport control?

Your seatmap for a BA flight shows the seats I want to be available. I called BA and they say the seats are still under airport control and could be released over time. Granted, I thought airport control starts the closer you get to the flight, but disregarding that, can EF see that info?

The flight is in September, and the seats are typically reserved for elite members in a OneWorld program.

If you email us a specific flight example we can do so, thanks.

If a seat map for a flight is under airport control then that error message (instead of a seat map) will be returned by the GDS and displayed by ExpertFlyer. This normally happens sometime within 24 hrs of the flight. It is unlikely that a flight 8 months out is under airport control.

Please address all questions about using ExpertFlyer to the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...sk-thread.html thread, thank you.

DL inventory class alignment
 

Any update on whether and when EF will show the replacement SWU/miles upgrade inventory classes for what are now Delta's Z and G? They are rumored to be OP and RP.

We have already addressed the question here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...l#post20146250 and here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...l#post20161771

Since any additional changes by DL won't happen before the 20th, we won't have any new information to tell you until then.

Not sure this is working properly. I tried searching for the routing rules for my UA G fare PHL-SAN (ticketed 12/19/12 for travel 4/25/13), but although *a* historical G fare came up ($104 one-way, expired 2/14/13), *my* G fare did not (58.60+tax=88.40).

I first tried searching with neither the validate fares nor the search all dates boxes checked, and no fares showed up at all. I then checked the show all dates box and that's when the $104 G fare showed up.

The searches appear to be working correctly as both parameters are needed to show the $104 G fare. This is correct because in the rules of the fare it says:

Therefore a travel date of 4/15/13 wouldn't apply to the fare, so the "Show Fares for All Travel Dates" would be necessary to show it, along with a past ticketing date.

Also, in the future please email us questions about specific searches, or at least post in the Help Desk thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...sk-thread.html

On a journey priced as a single pricing unit, the travel date for fare application purposes is the one of the first segment of the pricing unit.

E.g. on a roundrip fare, the travel date for fare application purposes is the date of the outbound segment even if the return takes place on a later date.

Apologies for posting in the "wrong thread"--I was simply quoting the post I found on a Google search having remembered you announcing this feature.

I think you misunderstood my question, though. I booked a fare on 12/19 for travel on 4/25 (one-way). It is a $58.60++ fare. The fare definitely did exist, as I have a ticket for it. EF is not showing that fare when I search for it (the other G fare discussed is not the fare I booked). Why not?

Without knowing the fare basis code, it is unclear what fare you are referring to. However if a fare is not applicable to your searched criteria or for some reason not available, then the GDS won't return it. If you happen to find the fare basis code you can email it to us.

FM Seat Maps Now Available
 

Shanghai Airlines (FM) seat maps have been added to ExpertFlyer and are now available for searching and for use with Seat Alerts.

Suggestion for EF... reverse seat alerts informing you if a seat is taken.

(For example... you're in a window seat with an empty aisle seat next to you, and you want to want to know if that empty seat is booked).

Can you pls make it easier to reset alerts? Often by the time I go to book it the inventory is gone, and it's frustrating to have to start inputting the details again for a new alert.