Flight Search Showing Limited Departure Times by Default

[mweissBP]

I’ve noticed a change in how flight search results are being displayed in Concur and wanted to check if this is due to a recent update or a setting on my end.

Previously, flight searches defaulted to “Anytime.” However, as of this week, searches are defaulting to a limited departure window of 1:00 AM–5:00 PM.

Even when I update the departure time to “Anytime” using the dropdown on the search result screen, the results still only display flights up to 5:00 PM.

After some digging, I found a separate (less visible) departure time setting within the calendar window. When I change that setting to “Anytime,” the results update correctly. However, if I then modify airports within that same window, the departure time resets back to 1:00 AM–5:00 PM.

Can you confirm:

• Whether this is the result of a recent update?
• If there is a way to restore “Anytime” as the default search setting?

This workflow has become quite frustrating, as I now need to repeatedly adjust the time filters - not just for the initial search, but for subsequent searches as well. Since I typically compare flights across multiple nearby airports, this adds a significant amount of extra time.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[KevinD]

@mweissBP could you possibly provide some screenshots of what you are experiencing, please?

There are options within the Travel configuration for the site that set a default departure and Return time. For example, let's say the default departure time is set to 9am. There is also a default search window setting. Let's say this is set to 2. The search window with these settings would be 7am to 11am. It subtracts and adds two hours to the default departure time. Now, if the Return default time is set to 3pm with a default search window set to 2, the window would be 1pm to 5pm. 

I'm guessing that your site is configured to use these options to determine the window. Also, there is a user-level preference that can be turned on so users can override the defaults with Anytime. I'm not sure where that is found though and it would only be for that session/booking. 

Here is what I found internally about this to get an "Anytime" like behavior:

• Pick a neutral hour and a broad search window: Many customers choose 12 (noon) and ensure the default availability window (for example, ±12 hours, depending on your site’s search window config) is broad enough to approximate “Anytime.”
• Encourage user preference overrides: If your program allows user-level preferences, users can choose “Anytime” when searching; that selection will override the site’s default hour for their session.

[mweissBP]

Thanks for your response! I have tried to find where I can change default settings but I can't seem to find where to do that.

Here is a screenshot to show what loads on the main page when I start a new search - 

The part that is circled is new. I have never seen this before. When I click the calendar button to change the date, I am able to change the outboud and return windows.

When I expand the times to anytime and go back to the search page, you can see that the flight windows are no longer listed. This is how is used to be for me when I started a new search. Something changed this week somehow.

After I change the window to anytime, I search for a flight LGA to ORD.  It shows me the results for anytime. Here is a screenshot of what shows when I click "edit search" on the results page.

If I change one of the airports on this screen, it changes the flight time window back to 1:00am-5:00pm

[PAJ]

I'm having the same annoying and counterproductive issue since yesterday and the snapshots shared by mweissBP are similar to what I see on the app through my smartphone and on the website through my laptop.

I'm currently trying to get travel expense estimates to define at which airport I'll arrive and then rent a car to drive towards my final destination, and I also have flexible dates for departing, so I'm constantly changing the dates and destination, and every time I do it, the time ranges change!

I just want them to be "anytime" and they keep changing to some other time range that I did not select at any point. Sometimes I can't see any flight or see just a few and then I realize it's that time range that got changed and I didn't move it back to "anytime" after updating the destination. Please, fix this. It didn't use to be like that.

[angeliquerivera]

Yes the same is happening to me even when I try to adjust the departure times it doesn't populate any flights passed 2pm.

[tazdarock95]

I agree this needs to be fixed.  I am trying to travel to Atlanta and there are no nonstops 1-2 our Trip from Houston and its 6 hours and better.  This is crazy.  

[cjmarimo]

Hi,

We are experiencing the same situation as @mweissBP .

In the following link, SAP Concur explains that this behavior is the result of a change. It seems that Travel Admins should be able to configure the time range, but I haven’t been able to find where to do this.

New Concur Travel, Apply Time Preference Configurations to Flight Search | SAP Help Portal

@KevinD , could you please point me in the right direction on how a Travel Admin can configure the time range? Would it be necessary to open a case on the Concur support website to request this access?

BR,

cj

cj

[KevinD]

@cjmarimo I believe you need to have access to Travel System Admin to make this change. 

Most likely you will need to submit a Help ticket. 

[cjmarimo]

Thanks, @KevinD. I’m going to open a ticket on the Concur support website.

[jdalymh]

I am having the same issue.  I clear all the filters and will not show me departure times after 11 am

[KevinD]

@jdalymh I'd have to see your initial search to be able to make any comment/suggestion. 

Could you start your search over for me so I can see what is entered, please? Then before doing your search, click the little calendar icon where you enter the dates of the trip, then screenshot the entire calendar for me. 🙂

[1dinaadams]

I am also having issues with these preset times while searching for flights. Is there a way to change this back to anytime? 

[bethkeck]

I've submitted a help ticket concerning this, and I was told that "Anytime" is no longer an option. I, too, can't see where these random flight search times came from or can be updated. And I'm the travel admin for our company. Currently, the help desk is "looking into" the issue. I told them that if they had the ability to randomly change the search times (supposedly set according to our "company policy", but ours doesn't specify flight times), then they can certainly change them to something that makes more sense. I told them to change it to "12:01am to 11:59pm" for both outbound and return (effectively getting the "Anytime" setting back). We'll see if they can do that. My travelers are going to be SO frustrated and confused when dealing with this new change, which NO ONE ASKED FOR!!

[SomeUser888]

Agreed that this is a foolish and poorly executed change. Many of our Executive Assistants have expressed a lot of frustration with this new "feature." Clearly Concur missed the mark entirely with this poorly implement and even more difficult to manage change. 

[Slk210]

We are having the same problems too. No one likes the new unimproved change.