Safari and Travelocity -- can't view airline seats before booking

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Level 2

216 points

Safari and Travelocity -- can't view airline seats before booking

I've been able to view seating plans for many flights (without actually booking flights) using Windows XP Internet Explorer, and Travelocity, but am unable to do this when using Mac OSX Safari and Travelocity or Expedia. (same problem using Mac versions of Firefox and Netscape browsers).

Seeing which specific seats are available before booking a flight is a big help in trip planning.

Why doesn't this work on a Mac, using Safari? ________

(It works on a Mac, using Safari and Orbitz travel site. But I'd also like to have this ability when using Travelocity or Expedia sites).

I'm using the latest versions of OSX, Safari, Netscape, Firefox.

G5/1.8GHz SP 80GB, Mac OS X (10.4.8), 1GB RAM, +300G internal, 5 external FW HD's

Posted on Jan 30, 2007 2:51 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 30, 2007 8:41 AM in response to F. Farmer

Hi-

At least on Travelocity, the available seat grid is viewable on Safari. I don't use Expedia.

To preclude my going through the process of creating a reservation, I'm going to speculate a bit here about why it doesn't work on your browsers.

Are you using the most recent version of Flash, which is 9.0.28? If you are not sure, this site confirms the version you are using. If it is an older version, upgrade it. When installed, "quit Safari", then "repair permissions" using Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.

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Answer 2

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Jan 30, 2007 11:30 PM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

Aloha, Starman

(I was on the Big Island last week -- not the first time. Especially like Captain Cook area, Hookena Beach, Pololu, Waipio, and the old red road coast south of Pahoa. I like Hilo too).

Thanks for your advice re Flash. I upgraded to 9.0.28 (from 9.0.20), quit Safari, repaired & verified permissions on my startup drive (all good), opened Safari + Travelocity ...but, it still wouldn't show seat maps (which I know can be seen on my friend's WinXP computer. So I restarted my computer and tried again. No change. Tried with Expedia, same problem. It only seems to work with Orbitz.

Also tried Travelocity with Firefox and Netscape, but still no luck.

If you can get it to work with Travelocity & Safari, I wonder what's different between our machines? BTW, I tried it with both Travelocity.com and Travelocity.ca

Appreciate any advice!
Thanks

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Answer 3

Jan 31, 2007 8:18 AM in response to F. Farmer

Great time of the year to visit the island.

To your problem: I tried a reservation, seat chart appeared at the end. Looking at the source, I see it is Javascript driven.

Go to your Utilities folder>Java>J2 SE 5.0>Java Cache Viewer.app. Open the application. Empty the cache. Also, do the same for the Java 1.4.2 Plugin Settings.app>Cache.

Restart the computer/Safari.

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Answer 4

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Jan 31, 2007 2:24 PM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

Aloha!

Thanks again for your help. Sadly, still no luck.

I did as you suggested. My 5.0 cache was already empty, but I deleted about a half-dozen entries in the 1.4.2 cache. Restarted. Opened Safari + Travelocity. No seat plans for flights.

A puzzlement...

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Answer 5

Feb 1, 2007 8:49 AM in response to F. Farmer

It is a puzzlement. Are you using any 3rd party net blocker software?

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Answer 6

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Feb 1, 2007 6:57 PM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

Not to my knowledge. How can I tell?

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Answer 7

Feb 1, 2007 7:19 PM in response to F. Farmer

You would know if you had such an app. as various Net proctectors or barriers are shareware.

On a hunch, quit Safari. Then, go to your Utilities folder and select "Terminal". Once the screen is open enter lookupd -flushcache and press return. This clears out the DNS cache. Once done, quit Terminal..

Then, go to your Network Panel in System Preferences. In the TCP panel enter these codes in the DNS servers box - 208.67.220.220
208.67.222.222 (separate lines). Select Apply. Restart Safari and try Travelocity again.

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Answer 8

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Feb 6, 2007 12:11 AM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

I did all the above, but still no change. I checked using Safari, Firefox, and Netscape... no luck. Very strange.

Should I leave those 208.67.... codes in the DNS box forever?

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Answer 9

Feb 6, 2007 7:02 AM in response to F. Farmer

Yes, the DNS codes can remain. You can also replace those two with 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.2. These are codes supplied by Verizon.

Who is your internet provider?

When I place a reservation in the Travelocity system with United, here's what the screen eventually looks like:

Curious too if you run into the same problem trying Safari from another User Account? Here's directions how to do set up an account if your not sure how to do this:

Here is guidance from Apple on how to set up the account. You can ignore step 7 in the article.

Also, on the system preference>Accounts panel, click on "log-in" options. There, select "fast user switching". This allows you to go back and forth between user accounts via an icon in your Menu Bar at the top of the computer screen.

Log-on to the new account and start Safari. If the seat plan is viewable in the new account, then your problem is specific to your regular user account. Otherwise, similar response means a system-wide problem.

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Answer 10

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Feb 7, 2007 12:29 AM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

I tried doing it using another user account, but same result -- no ability to view seats taken.

My ISP is Telus, the main phone company for British Columbia and Alberta. It's an ADSL service. (My friend with the WindowsXP computer, who is able to view seats, is also a Telus customer).

Thanks again for your assistance. I appreciate the time you're spending on this. Hope we can find a solution. Should be helpful to others....

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Answer 11

Feb 7, 2007 1:08 AM in response to F. Farmer

I suggest calling Telus highspeed support. Ask them if they have specific DNS server codes you can use. Let me know what they say.

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Answer 12

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Feb 9, 2007 12:25 AM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

I talked to Telus. Wouldn't provide any DNS codes to use (not sure if the person I talked to really understood my problem).

Also called Travelocity but no help there. Quite clueless.

I've tried resetting various 'network' settings myself. Didn't help.

What is so different about your computer, from mine?!! __
I see you have an iMac and an iBook. Does it work OK for you on both machines? _

I even tried a friend's G4 iBook connected to my ADSL modem. He had Internet Explorer on his machine (as well as Safari and Firefox). None made any difference. The link that lets you view current seating simply doesn't appear.

Doesn't anybody else out there have this same problem (or a solution)?!!!

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Answer 13

Feb 9, 2007 12:41 AM in response to F. Farmer

To answer your question - yes, I see the seating plan on both machines.

This is what we know:
- Windows machine hooked up to your cable connection = seating plan
- Your Mac/Friends Mac hooked up to your cable connection = no seating plan
- Same holds true for other user account - no seating plan (this eliminates any influence from Safari related files specific to your regular user account, including cookies and cache.

If it were a Java problem in your machine, then your friend's computer would show the seat map.

(feeling like a detective at this point going over the crime scene!

)

All this points back to your Network connection, or possibly the ADSL modem.

And just to confirm - I'm accessing travelocity.com.

I'll have to sleep on this one. The hour is late, and the creativity factor is diminishing. I'll post back in the AM

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Answer 14

Feb 9, 2007 8:31 AM in response to F. Farmer

OK, creativity channels recharged (I think)

From last night's post:

If it were a Java problem in your machine, then your friend's computer would show the seat map.

Well, on second thought, not necessarily so, if you both have the same set-up.

Here's a snapshot of my Java related plug-ins in my Internet Plug-ins folder. How does it compare to your related plug-ins?

I know some of these plug-ins are not related to Apple's 1.3.1/Safari. They were created for other browsers (found here), however, I want to make sure we're both in the same circle as we go back and forth.

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Message was edited by: Hawaiian_Starman

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Answer 15

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Feb 11, 2007 3:46 AM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

I don't know how to display my plugins as you have, but looking at the Internet Plug-ins in my System>Library folder I have all the items you listed (and several more). There may be some slight differences in version or date. Here are mine that correspond to your items....

• Java Applet Plugin Enabler -- Jul 29, 2005
• Java Applet.plugin 10.0.2 Aug 22, 2005
• JavaEmbeddingPlugin0.9.1.5+g -- Sep 12, 2006
• JavaEmbeddingPlugin.bundle Java E..0.9.5+g Jul 26, 2006
• JavaPluginCocoa.bundle 11.4.0 Aug 10, 2005
• MRJPlugin.plugin MRJ Plu...9.5+g Jul 22, 2006
• MRJPluginJEP -- Jul 27, 2006

I tried to send you a snapshot of my entire plugins folder but I couldn't copy/paste or attach it in this message. Hence this shorter list.

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