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

27 replies

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Feb 11, 2007 4:02 AM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

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.

Corrections/clarifications to "what we know"...
1) WindowsXP computer was not on my connection; first, it was on a cable (Road Runner) connection in Hawaii, then on a Telus ADSL connection here (but not my place) == seating plan available in both situations.
2) My Mac G5 PPC is on a Telus ADSL connection (not cable) = no seating plan
3) Friend's Mac G4 laptop on my connection = no seating plan (even with Internet Explorer for Mac).

Another elimination test would be to try the WindowsXP laptop on my Telus ADSL modem here, but unfortunately he's leaving for Buenos Aires tomorrow and taking it with him, for 6 weeks. I should have thought of this earlier.

Feb 11, 2007 8:21 AM in response to F. Farmer

Another elimination test would be to try the WindowsXP laptop on my Telus ADSL modem here, but unfortunately he's leaving for Buenos Aires tomorrow and taking it with him, for 6 weeks.

Yes, that would have been a good test. I'll post back after I've had a chance to review this thread.

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Feb 26, 2007 6:17 PM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

I still haven't been able to fix this problem. The mystery remains....!

Feb 26, 2007 9:25 PM in response to F. Farmer

Have you tried any other browsers? Camino? Opera? Firefox? Does it work with any of them? I find that more sites works better than Safari.

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Feb 27, 2007 12:05 AM in response to SuperSizeIt

I've tried it with Firefox and Netscape. Same result -- no seating plan. Also tried it with friend's Mac laptop, attached to my modem, using Internet Explorer, still same result.

The only travel site where I can see "current" seating while using Safari, is orbitz. com.

Does it work for you? With which browser?

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Feb 27, 2007 12:23 AM in response to SuperSizeIt

Following your suggestion, I looked at Camino and see that it's Mozilla based (like Firefox) so I didn't bother downloading it.

But I did download Opera and tried it (site travelocity) but got same results as I had with Safari, Firefox, Netscape, and Internet Explorer. Must be something about my computer that prevents me from seeing current seating plans. Apparently, it can be done (see above postings) on a Mac using Safari. So why not on my Mac???

Feb 27, 2007 12:12 PM in response to F. Farmer

So sorry I lost track of this thread.

I see you haven't figured out a solution yet. I'll reread the thread and post back if I think of anything else. Very strange.

Have you had a chance to use your friends machine on your Network connection?

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Feb 28, 2007 1:02 AM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

Hi Starman...

My Windows-laptop friend is still in Argentina. Won't be back till April.

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Feb 28, 2007 5:32 PM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

More findings...

Today, in my local Mac store, I looked at Parallels and CrossOver, two methods of running Windows applications on an Intel Mac.

Parallels uses Windows operating system, and with Internet Explorer I was able to "View Seats" on various airlines using Travelocity. That's what I want to be able to do on my Mac using Safari.

CrossOver lets you run (some) Windows software without Windows. I tried Internet Explorer and Travelocity. This time, it didn't allow the "View Seats" feature -- just like I'm experiencing with my own Mac G5 using Safari etc.

The staff at the store were surprised at this, and said they'd continue checking this out. I'll call back later.

Using just Mac OSX and Safari on the same Mac Pro didn't show the "View Seats" either.

So the feature appears to favour Windows. Not fair! I haven't given up....

The big mystery is why does this work on your computer, Hawaiian Starman, and not on other Macs????

Mar 1, 2007 12:50 AM in response to F. Farmer

The big mystery is why does this work on your computer, Hawaiian Starman, and not on other Macs????

That seems to be the $64,000 question. Each time I have tried it by going through the motions of ordering a ticket, the seat map has appeared. I guess what perplexes me is this is happening to you across User Accounts. If it were just your regular User Account, the process to find the culprit would be simpler.

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Mar 19, 2007 11:18 PM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

Sad to report that OSX 10.4.9 update did not correct this problem either.

F. Farmer Author

Level 2

216 points

Mar 27, 2007 3:36 PM in response to Hawaiian_Starman

Here's a SOLUTION !!!

In the Debug menu in Safari, select User Agent, then select Windows MSIE 6.0.

With Travelocity, this will allow one to view available seating on some airline's flights. (in Expedia however, it shows the link to view seating, but then I always get a blank seating window).

If you don't have a Debug menu in Safari, download it from this site:
http://www.celestialfrontiers.com/safari_enhancer.php

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