Oct 30, 2013, 3:36 pm
Last edit by: Ocn Vw 1K
UA Insider's reply in posts 247 and 254 of this thread:
Hi everyone,
We recognize the importance and value to you of accessible and transparent information about United flights. It’s a meaningful part of your travel planning, and we are committed to providing useful information that is both accurate and preserves the integrity of United’s data and systems.
While we are committed to data transparency, Expert Flyer has been accessing united.com in an unauthorized fashion to retrieve UA availability. In addition, these activities have consumed significant united.com bandwidth that could otherwise be used by regular consumers. As a result, we had to take this action to protect the security and integrity of United’s systems.
Thank you for your understanding as to why we had to take this action. We continue to look at ways in which we can provide you with timely and useful information (some of which you will see in new releases of our own digital channels) as well as with partners that have authorized access to our data.
Aaron Goldberg
Sr. Manager - Customer Experience Planning
United Airlines
We recognize the importance and value to you of accessible and transparent information about United flights. It’s a meaningful part of your travel planning, and we are committed to providing useful information that is both accurate and preserves the integrity of United’s data and systems.
While we are committed to data transparency, Expert Flyer has been accessing united.com in an unauthorized fashion to retrieve UA availability. In addition, these activities have consumed significant united.com bandwidth that could otherwise be used by regular consumers. As a result, we had to take this action to protect the security and integrity of United’s systems.
Thank you for your understanding as to why we had to take this action. We continue to look at ways in which we can provide you with timely and useful information (some of which you will see in new releases of our own digital channels) as well as with partners that have authorized access to our data.
Aaron Goldberg
Sr. Manager - Customer Experience Planning
United Airlines
UA Blocking Expert Flyer and KVS Access to R and Elite Award Searches.
Nov 9, 2013, 1:33 am
#586
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 360
Great I was under the impression that only R and IN were being taken away, now that I is gone as well and O is gone from LH there really is no point 
Nov 9, 2013, 1:49 am
#587
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
It's pure speculation, but I wonder if the scraping was perhaps more extensive than UA at first thought; i.e., not limited to the proprietary stuff (R, XN, ON).
Last edited by Kacee; Nov 9, 2013 at 8:10 am Reason: XN, because IN doesn't matter
Nov 9, 2013, 6:31 am
#588
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 129
I still find it useful for IRROPS, but EF has very low value for a Star Alliance flyer now. A business / revenue opportunity for someone who wants to do it legitimately.
Nov 9, 2013, 6:50 am
#589
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: SMF
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP
Posts: 1,537
hhhmmh. The bad news is simply getting worse. Time to ask for a EF refund and switch to AA methinks. New marketplace; new decisions.
Nov 9, 2013, 7:12 am
#590
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SNA
Programs: UA 1MM, Global Entry, Avis President's Club
Posts: 274
It's certainly more than R, IN and ON. I had all my alerts killed, and several were for XN, which I imagine is a very frequent search as well...
Nov 9, 2013, 8:34 am
#591
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Programs: UA Platinum MM; DL Silver; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Hilton Gold; Marriott Gold
Posts: 24,249
My experience was the opposite of yours. I emailed ExpertFlyer, requesting a cancellation and a pro rata refund of the balance of my membership fee because of the inability to provide UA upgrade and award information, and they emailed me back the same day agreeing to do so. I received my refund six days later.
Nov 9, 2013, 8:37 am
#592
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: UA S, Marriott P
Posts: 1,154
My experience was the opposite of yours. I emailed ExpertFlyer, requesting a cancellation and a pro rata refund of the balance of my membership fee because of the inability to provide UA upgrade and award information, and they emailed me back the same day agreeing to do so. I received my refund six days later.
Nov 9, 2013, 8:38 am
#593
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
Programs: Amex Gold/Plat, UA *G, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Gold, NEXUS, TSA Disparager Unobtanium
Posts: 21,603
Nov 9, 2013, 8:56 am
#594
Join Date: Jan 2002
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott lifetime Plt, UA 1MM
Posts: 919
Not if you are focused on UA. Only remaining value was some of the travel tools and seat maps. And I can't see spending $60 a year on info I can easily search for
If UA relents then I will sign back up
If UA relents then I will sign back up
Nov 9, 2013, 9:36 am
#595
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: SAN
Programs: AS MVP 100K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite, UA 1MM,
Posts: 1,707
I will still use EF to determine when UGs clear. Set a seat alert for your Y seat assignment and when you get the notification that that seat became open, your upgrade cleared.
Of course, this is partially due to United's email notifications failing to work. I once thought UA might be getting a cut of the EF revenue. Not anymore.
Of course, this is partially due to United's email notifications failing to work. I once thought UA might be getting a cut of the EF revenue. Not anymore.
Nov 9, 2013, 10:32 am
#596
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: near to SFO and LHR
Programs: BA Gold, B6 Mosiac, VS, AA, DL (and a legacy UA 2MM)
Posts: 2,274
I am wondering a bit, whether it is Expert Flyer or UA who must relent (or both). Maybe EF is balking at having to pay something for access.
Nov 9, 2013, 10:44 am
#597
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Virtuoso Travel Agent, Commercial Pilot
Posts: 2,117
Hate to say it, but it lends much more viability to the claims of high server load (misstated as "bandwidth").
I still find it useful for IRROPS, but EF has very low value for a Star Alliance flyer now. A business / revenue opportunity for someone who wants to do it legitimately.
I still find it useful for IRROPS, but EF has very low value for a Star Alliance flyer now. A business / revenue opportunity for someone who wants to do it legitimately.
I sure hope they work something out though--I imagine it should be possible to reduce the overall impact significantly by providing more streamlined ways of accessing the data. I find EF tremendously valuable.
Nov 9, 2013, 10:49 am
#598
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,846
report what?
Nov 9, 2013, 11:08 am
#599
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BOS, PVG
Programs: United 1K and 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 10,000
Nov 9, 2013, 11:18 am
#600
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Sun & beach destinations
Programs: UA-lifetime Platinum (2MM), IHG-Amb, HH-Diamond, Hertz-PC, Marriott-Gold, CX-AM
Posts: 1,427