An answer to your flex-search prayers

If there’s one subject that has generated more reader feedback than anything else I’ve written here, it’s the topic of Travelocity’s defunct flexible search for international routes.

Earlier this year, Travelocity disabled the international functionality of its popular flex-search tool. Some poking around revealed the reason: Travelocity and the Department of Transportation (DOT) were engaged in a bit of a knock-down, drag-out fight over the way the tool displayed various taxes and fees.

The end result of this battle? Consumers lost a huge weapon in the fight against high fares. Or so it seemed at the time. But here’s the good news: The flex-search tool still works just fine over at zuji.com, a Travelocity site based outside of the U.S. that doesn’t appear to fall under the jurisdiction of the DOT.

Here’s how to make it work for you. Head over to zuji.com and, from the site’s homepage, click on “Other” in the area that reads, “Please select your location from the list below to access the best deals from your local ZUJI website.” Then, select the “Flights” tab and “Flexible date” option. Now you’re in business.

Of course, to keep the DOT happy I should note that zuji.com is not intended for those of us here on U.S. soil. Near as I can tell, though, there’s absolutely no reason why we can’t (or shouldn’t) use it to find the best fares on our international routes.

This is why I love the Internet.