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| KVS Availability Tool |
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| Scenario | Using the KVS Tool | Using a Consumer Booking/Airline Website |
| You found a trip and are unsure if you should purchase it now, put it on-hold, or wait for the price to go down. | Click the [Fares] Tab and select the [Fares/UNAP] Method. Right-click the fare list, select View Fare Rules and enter the Fare Basis Code (which can be obtained from your booking source or ITA Matrix) to see the applicable Fare Rules. Note any pertinent restrictions (e.g. "must be ticketed at least 14 days prior to departure"). If your departure date is 15 days away, you will know that the price will definitely increase tomorrow, since you will no longer qualify for the current fare.
Check Availability for the desired flights using the KVS Tool Mobile Companion. If there are just a few seats left in the corresponding Booking Class, then you should put the booking on-hold ASAP to reserve the space. | Traditional booking/airline websites do not provide such functionality. |
| You are interested in planning a multi-city trip, maximizing your mileage accumulation on an upcoming trip or are planning a Mileage Run. | Click the [Fares] Tab and select the [Fares/UNAP] Method. Right-click the fare list, select [View Routing Rules] and enter the Fare Basis Code (which can be obtained from your booking source or ITA Matrix) to see the applicable Routing Rules to find the longest possible routing. Please see the Airfare/Trip/Mileage Run Planning Basics for details. | Traditional booking/airline websites are designed to minimize the number of flights/connections. |
| You are looking to redeem your frequent flyer miles for Award flights or upgrades on partner airlines. | Click the [Awards/Upgrades] Tab and select the Method that corresponds to airline, for which you are redeeming. KVS Tool features 100% OneWorld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam Award Availability Coverage. To determine the correct Method(s) to use, please consult the Award/Upgrade Booking Classes Table in the KVS Tool User Guide.
| Partner Award Availability is typically not available online (or is only available for a limited number of partner airlines). A telephone call is required to check Award Availability. The process is usually tedious and prone to human error. |
| You want to know where flight XY 123 is flying from/to. You want to know the reason(s) for flight delay/cancellation/diversion. | Click the [Track] Tab, select [Operational Info], and enter the Date, Airline Code, and Flight Number. | Information is typically much more limited in detail. |
| You would like to see the Seat Maps for a specific flight. | Click the [Timetable] Tab and retrieve the schedule for the route of your flight Double-click the flight and select a [Seat Map] option. | Support varies from one website to another. Many carriers do not show Seat Maps until after the actual flight purchase. |
| You are planning a complex multi-segment Award trip and need to know if your proposed routing is valid. | Click the [Reference] Tab, select [Maximum Permitted Mileage/MPM], and enter the proposed routing. | Functionality is not available. |
| You would like to estimate how busy a flight is likely to be. | Use the KVS Tool Mobile Companion to review the Availability figures: Note the Availability in the lower Booking Classes for each cabin (lower availability = flight is more likely to be busy).
| Functionality is not available. |
| You would like to estimate your chances of your mileage/certificate upgrade request clearing. | Use the KVS Tool Mobile Companion to review the Availability figures: Note the Availability in the main (highest) Booking Class for the Cabin you would like to upgrade to (higher availability = better chances of the upgrade request clearing).
| Functionality is not available. |
| You would like to estimate the probability of an operational upgrade. | Use the KVS Tool Mobile Companion to review the Availability figures: Note the Availability in your current Cabin (zero availability in all classes of the Y Cabin = better chances of an op-up from Y to C).
| Functionality is not available. |
| You would like to estimate the probability of being 'bumped' from the flight. | Use the KVS Tool Mobile Companion to review the Availability figures: Note the Availability across all Cabins (zero availability in all classes across all Cabins = highest probability of flight being overbooked). | Functionality is not available. |
 Submit your own usage example.
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