Complete Online Schedules / All carriers

[philipat]

This is slightly off topic but I crave the indulgence of the Mods in that my question might be of general interest and I want to tap the enormous expertise on this site.

I know that SQ and *A schedules are online and use them frequently. However, there are occasions where it would be useful to have access to ALL FLIGHTS on a given routing. I find the public access to Amadeus slow and frustrating. There is a site called AirWise.com that used to provide this information but as of early last year now states "Flight schedule data will be available again shortly". Surely in 2009 this information must be available somewhere without having to pay OAG (Who presumably are having a go at AirWise)?

Might I ask if you can recommend alternative sources?

[Bitterroot]

Try http://www.quicktrip.com. It's free and not bad, though it won't have absolutely EVERY connection. But then, OAG doesn't either.

[philipat]

Weekly?

Try http://www.quicktrip.com. It's free and not bad, though it won't have absolutely EVERY connection. But then, OAG doesn't either.

Thanks, that's very helpful. Problem with this site, as with so many airline reservation sites, is that you have to nominate precise dates and only get flights on that date. I find that in planning an ITX, which may be fairly flexible at first draft stage, it's nice to know that airline X flys this route but only on days 1 and 5. If airline X is an airline I like to fly with, at this stage I might be able to juggle the ITX to use this airline on one of these days. Quicktrip DOES give frequency but ONLY if the relevant airline happens to have a flight on the particular date selected, otherwise it doesn't appear. This is a common problem in my experience. To get the complete picture, it would be necessary to re-enter the same ITX 7 times for each day of the week?

Thanks again this site is definitely useful. Are their fares competitive?

[Bitterroot]

IIRC, Quicktrip displays a week at a time. So, enter a request for the route on, say, a Monday. It'll respond with that particular Monday, but in the field at the right, it'll show all the days of the week the flight operates, if it's not daily, and it'll show that it's daily, if it runs daily.

Since almost all airline schedules are programmed to change twice yearly -- well, absent your occasional Great Depression now and then, anyway -- you can generally hone in on what you want.

I tested the Quicktrip displays against local schedules in Indonesia, a world where schedules change at will, and many times local carrier schedules aren't shown on any website .... it's not too bad. Certainly not complete, but they show flights by Batavia Air and Mandala, for example, which you can't find in the OAG.

I have not tested their prices.

[philipat]

Difficult to expalin

IIRC, Quicktrip displays a week at a time. So, enter a request for the route on, say, a Monday. It'll respond with that particular Monday, but in the field at the right, it'll show all the days of the week the flight operates, if it's not daily, and it'll show that it's daily, if it runs daily.

Since almost all airline schedules are programmed to change twice yearly -- well, absent your occasional Great Depression now and then, anyway -- you can generally hone in on what you want.

I tested the Quicktrip displays against local schedules in Indonesia, a world where schedules change at will, and many times local carrier schedules aren't shown on any website .... it's not too bad. Certainly not complete, but they show flights by Batavia Air and Mandala, for example, which you can't find in the OAG.

I have not tested their prices.

Yes, it's difficult to explain. As an example, try DPS-SIN-DPS Mar28/31 (Selected at random). The Mar 28 DPS-SIN does not include VF, because VF does not fly on that specific day. For the return SIN-DPS Mar31, VF IS listed because it DOES fly on that day. And because it IS listed on that specific day, it DOES advise which days of the week it flys. Problem is that if I had just checked DPS-SIN on Mar 28, I would have no clue that VF is an option, albeit only on certain days. Sorry for the long answer but it is the only way to explain.
Incidentally, the route in question is a cosy little oligopoly which is finally about to get shaken up by AirAsia, initially with a daily flight, which was not listed at all, although, in fairness the flights don't commence until Mar24.

[sqdazz]

LionAir (indonesia) also flies that route (DPS/SIN), I believe with 737-900ER equipment. They are one of the only -900ER operators around. The flight times aren't exactly convenient though, but they do have online booking.

[philipat]

That's daily

LionAir (indonesia) also flies that route (DPS/SIN), I believe with 737-900ER equipment. They are one of the only -900ER operators around. The flight times aren't exactly convenient though, but they do have online booking.

Yes, that's a daily flight so it DOES get picked up by Quicktrip whatever day is entered. As you note, the flight times are absurd for a reional flight and, in any case, I'm not sure I would risk ANY Indonesian LCC? Corruption and aviation spare parts/maintenance supervision don't mix well.

[sqdazz]

Id fly IndoAirAsia and LionAir in Indonesia. But thats all.

[stargold]

On ExpertFlyer, I like doing +/- 3 days which means that I get the schedule for the whole week. If I specify "non-stop only" as well, I know that I will find all the non-stop flights for that route for that week (and can specify airline/alliance). It's quite excellent.

[philipat]

Expertflyer?

On ExpertFlyer, I like doing +/- 3 days which means that I get the schedule for the whole week. If I specify "non-stop only" as well, I know that I will find all the non-stop flights for that route for that week (and can specify airline/alliance). It's quite excellent.

That sounds good. Is that expertflyer.com? But that's another pay site? My POV is that this info should be free?

[stargold]

Well, the information may well be available from different sources, but what I pay for is the convenience of having it on a single reliable interface with no annoying quirks. It's only 10 dollars per month, so good value for someone like me who enjoys playing around with flight information a lot.

In addition, being able to search for reward seats on LX/CA/FM that is not available on the ANA tool is also very valuable.

[philipat]

OP

Well, the information may well be available from different sources, but what I pay for is the convenience of having it on a single reliable interface with no annoying quirks. It's only 10 dollars per month, so good value for someone like me who enjoys playing around with flight information a lot.

In addition, being able to search for reward seats on LX/CA/FM that is not available on the ANA tool is also very valuable.

Thanks. Any other ideas regarding my original question regarding FREE access to what should be free information? Actually, I'm begining to see new business opportunities here, assuming OAG don't have any kind of cosy deal with IATA? Advertisng should easily pay for this?

[Bitterroot]

You're right about the limitation in the Quicktrip display, and I hadn't thought about that before.

But, I also don't know of many other free options. The only other free sources of "carrier-neutral" info are airport websites. Some of them are quite good -- SIN, HKG, FRA, LHR for example. But you have to start with a specific day, and then infer daily operation, and that's what you said you wanted to avoid.

Now, FWIW, I do exactly what you do -- lots of schedule surfing before making an intinerary.

But I subscribe to OAG for exactly that reason....and the paper OAG (a real timetable, b'gosh!) is still the best way to do what you're talking about................

[slacker]

Some of them are quite good -- SIN, HKG, FRA, LHR for example. But you have to start with a specific day, and then infer daily operation, and that's what you said you wanted to avoid.

For SIN, u can actually try to use the trip planner:
http://www.changiairport.com/changi/...ml?__locale=en

[philipat]

In 2009?

But I subscribe to OAG for exactly that reason....and the paper OAG (a real timetable, b'gosh!) is still the best way to do what you're talking about................

You're so right! But in 2009, there must be a better option. Which goes back to my OP. It seems to me that there MUST be a business opportunity here for someone to undercut OAG with a comprehensive free electronic timetable using an advertising model? Or am I mising something?