A question was asked on a frequent flyer community website recently about why we don't have, or why can't we get, certain airline data that is available via some "tools" that can be found on the web.
The reason why ExpertFlyer and any other website has different sets of availability of awards and upgrades for various airlines is because of where the information comes from. ExpertFlyer buys data from the airline reservation systems directly (like all travel agents and other travel related websites) whereas other "tools" that are out there screen scrape various public airline websites. Since different information is available via different distribution channels, one will have information that another may not. For example, unique to ExpertFlyer is upgrade information for American, Delta, and Northwest as it is not available on any public website run by the airlines or anyone else.
To answer your next question, yes we could take the information from the airlines websites as well, however we choose not to. Since we are a legitimate business that chooses to work with the airlines to create mutually beneficial relationships, we can't just go and copy the information from their websites, as doing so is a clear violation of their terms of use. Also, since we endeavor to remain on good terms with the airlines, we rather not get on their bad side by hacking their websites. One of the benefits of this arrangement, among others, is that we can get access to data that is not otherwise publicly available.
As for the other tools that offer some of the information ExpertFlyer does, since they are not built around sustainable business models, they cannot enter into (and pay for) business relationships with airlines and other travel suppliers. As such, they are stuck showing what is already available on the airlines and other public websites. Sure there are pros and cons to this or any strategic decision, but we believe that doing it this way allows us to deliver a superior product in both the short and long term to our subscribers.
Wow, powerful words. However, can you back them up? I'm a user of both your tool and another popular tool.
From my perspective, the other tool is just acting as a Web Browser, but removing information irrelevant to my needs. It's not copying, but just displaying the information is a different way. And it's using my login & password for that site to do so.
Using it is NOT a clear violation of the terms of service that I've found on some of the sites it uses... can you quote some examples for us?
Anyway, either way, I don't think that's a good enough excuse not to be innovative and try to put together a solution where one doesn't exist yet - even if it means taking some risks and potentially getting scolded for doing so.
"Ask for forgiveness, not for permission"
Posted by: Michael | May 21, 2008 at 03:41 AM
Yes we can back it up. For example, from the ITN/Amex site that information is commonly hacked for availability info: http://www.americanexpress.com/uk/legal/rules_reg.shtml Notice the "Users are prohibited from modifying, copying, distributing....for commercial or public purposes." clause. That about says it right there.
Not only that but since real time airline data isn't free, someone has to pay for it. Everytime one of these tools that hack a website is used and copies its information, the website operator has to pay for the hits to their system that don't lead to a sale thru their system because no attribution or link is ever given to the source of the data. (Also known as copyright infringment.)
So from your point of view it may be harmless, from the website operator's point of view it's theft of information that they have to pay for and not the same time, not getting a share of any profits made from the sale of that information. The person who wrote the tool is profiting at someone elses expense.
While "ask for forgiveness, not for permission" may be ok when you're doing something as a side hobby, but not as a legitimate business.
Posted by: Chris | May 21, 2008 at 10:21 AM