Fix Search Service Remove Mock Data And Improve Amadeus API Integration

Jul 26, 2025 by James Vasile 72 views

Fix Search Service: Removing Mock Data and Improving Amadeus API Integration

Guys, we've got a critical issue with our search service that needs immediate attention. Currently, users are getting mock data instead of real flight options, which is a major blocker for our core functionality. This article outlines the problem, the steps we need to take, and the expected outcome. Let's dive in!

Problem: Mock Data Instead of Real Flight Results

The main issue is that our search service is defaulting to mock data because use_mock=True is set in the configuration. This means users aren't seeing actual available flights, which is a terrible user experience. We need to switch to real flight data from the Amadeus API.

Current Issues

Mock data by default: The service is configured to use mock data instead of real-time flight information. This is a critical issue as users are not seeing accurate results. We need to ensure that the service defaults to using the Amadeus API for flight searches.
Silent API failures: Authentication with the Amadeus API is failing without proper error messages. This makes it difficult to diagnose and resolve issues. We need to implement robust error logging and handling to ensure that we are aware of any authentication failures.
Hardcoded airport codes: The service only supports a limited number of cities due to hardcoded airport codes. This restricts the functionality of our search service and limits the destinations users can search for. We need to replace this with a dynamic lookup using the Amadeus Airport Search API.

These issues collectively contribute to a poor user experience and hinder the core functionality of our travel chatbot. It's essential to address them promptly to ensure users get the accurate and reliable flight search results they expect.

Addressing Silent API Failures

The first step in fixing our Amadeus API integration is tackling the silent authentication failures. Currently, if the authentication fails, we don't get proper error messages, making it difficult to debug. We need to enhance our _authenticate method in search_service.py to include robust error logging and handling. This involves adding detailed logs for any authentication failures, implementing retry logic with a maximum of three attempts, and returning clear, informative error messages instead of silent failures. By doing this, we can quickly identify and resolve any authentication issues that arise, ensuring a more stable and reliable connection to the Amadeus API.

Transitioning Away from Mock Data

The next critical step is to remove our dependency on mock data. Currently, the service defaults to using mock data, which is not ideal for a production environment. To fix this, we need to change the default behavior by setting self.use_mock to False unless explicitly specified otherwise in the configuration. This ensures that the service defaults to using the Amadeus API for flight searches, providing users with real-time and accurate flight information. By removing the reliance on mock data, we can significantly improve the user experience and the credibility of our search service.

Enhancing Airport Code Lookup

Finally, we need to improve our airport code lookup mechanism. The current implementation uses a hardcoded mapping, which limits the number of cities our service supports. To address this, we should replace the hardcoded mapping with a dynamic lookup using the Amadeus Airport Search API (/v1/reference-data/locations). This involves calling the Amadeus API to retrieve airport codes based on city names. To optimize performance and reduce API calls, we should cache the results. Additionally, we need to handle cases where a city is not found in the API, providing appropriate error messages or alternative suggestions to the user. By implementing a dynamic airport code lookup, we can support a broader range of destinations and enhance the overall usability of our search service.

What Needs to Be Done

Here’s a breakdown of the tasks required to fix these issues:

1. Fix Amadeus Authentication

We need to improve the _authenticate method in search_service.py:

# In search_service.py, improve the _authenticate method:
def _authenticate(self) -> bool:
    # Add proper error logging
    # Add retry logic (max 3 attempts)
    # Return clear error messages instead of silent failures

This involves adding detailed logs for any authentication failures, implementing retry logic with a maximum of three attempts, and returning clear, informative error messages instead of silent failures. By doing this, we can quickly identify and resolve any authentication issues that arise, ensuring a more stable and reliable connection to the Amadeus API. This ensures that we have a robust and reliable connection to the Amadeus API.

2. Remove Mock Data Dependency

We need to change the default behavior:

# Change default behavior:
self.use_mock = flight_config.get('use_mock', False)  # Default to False

This ensures that the service defaults to using the Amadeus API for flight searches, providing users with real-time and accurate flight information. By removing the reliance on mock data, we can significantly improve the user experience and the credibility of our search service. This is crucial for providing accurate and up-to-date flight information to our users.

3. Improve Airport Code Lookup

We need to replace the hardcoded mapping with an API call:

# Replace hardcoded mapping with API call:
def _get_airport_code(self, city: str) -> str:
    # Use Amadeus Airport Search API: /v1/reference-data/locations
    # Cache results to avoid repeated calls
    # Handle cases where city isn't found

This involves calling the Amadeus API to retrieve airport codes based on city names. To optimize performance and reduce API calls, we should cache the results. Additionally, we need to handle cases where a city is not found in the API, providing appropriate error messages or alternative suggestions to the user. By implementing a dynamic airport code lookup, we can support a broader range of destinations and enhance the overall usability of our search service. This will allow our users to search for flights to and from a wider range of destinations.

Acceptance Criteria

To ensure we’ve successfully addressed these issues, we need to meet the following acceptance criteria:

[ ] Amadeus API authentication works reliably
[ ] Search returns real flight data instead of mock data
[ ] Proper error messages when API calls fail
[ ] Support for more cities (not just hardcoded list)
[ ] Clear logging of what's happening during search

These criteria will help us verify that the changes we've made are effective and that the search service is functioning as expected. Each criterion is crucial for delivering a high-quality user experience.

Reliable Amadeus API Authentication

Ensuring that the Amadeus API authentication works reliably is paramount. This means that the system should be able to consistently authenticate with the Amadeus API without any failures. We need to implement robust error handling and retry mechanisms to address any potential authentication issues. Reliable authentication is the foundation for accessing real-time flight data and providing accurate search results to our users. Without it, the entire search service would be compromised.

Real Flight Data Instead of Mock Data

The core of this fix is to ensure that the search service returns real flight data from the Amadeus API instead of mock data. Users should be able to search for flights and receive accurate, up-to-date information. This requires that we completely remove the dependency on mock data and configure the system to use the Amadeus API by default. Providing real flight data is essential for the credibility and usefulness of our travel chatbot.

Proper Error Messages for API Call Failures

When API calls fail, it's crucial that we provide proper error messages. These messages should be informative and help us diagnose and resolve issues quickly. Silent failures are unacceptable as they make it difficult to identify the root cause of problems. Clear error messages enable us to maintain a stable and reliable search service. This includes logging detailed information about the failure, such as the error code, timestamp, and any relevant context.

Support for More Cities

Our search service should support a wide range of cities, not just a hardcoded list. This requires us to implement a dynamic airport code lookup mechanism that uses the Amadeus Airport Search API. By supporting more cities, we can cater to a larger user base and enhance the overall usability of our travel chatbot. This also ensures that users can search for flights to and from a greater variety of destinations.

Clear Logging During Search

Clear logging of what's happening during the search process is essential for debugging and monitoring the service. We need to log key events, such as API calls, authentication attempts, and any errors that occur. This logging should be detailed enough to help us understand the flow of the search process and identify any potential bottlenecks or issues. Comprehensive logging is a key component of a well-maintained and reliable search service.

Expected Outcome

The expected outcome is that when a user searches for