Availability Display and Selling

The following are the guidelines to ensure the most updated availability display could be obtained:

1. CX has implemented seamless availability with all major GDS except for Axess, the most updated availability request could be found in the seamless availability or Interactive Direct Access availability.
2. The first step to retrieve the most updated availability display is to retrieve the PNR so that all segments on the PNR will be taken into consideration. If the booking is a freshly new booking, please be reminded to ignore all existing PNRs before retrieve the availability display.
3. Travel agents could use Carrier Specific display option for displaying CX connections or Interactive Direct Access. Entries are as below:

Example of GDS Availability (AV) Display Entries

1. Travel agents are reminded to request seats on Origin and Destination basis. i.e. SYDLHR instead of SYDHKG and HKGLHR. Then use the Short Segment Sell entry to sell:

   Example:
   

   GDS	Entry
   ABACUS	01Y1Y2
   AMADEUS	SS1Y1
   APOLLO	01Y1Y2
   INFINI	01Y1Y2
   GALILEO	01Y1Y2
   SABRE	01Y1Y2
   WORLDSPAN	01Y1Y2

    

2. It is reminded Electronic ticketing cannot be supported when travel agent attempts to issue ET when segments are split into separate PNR. For example, LONHKG and HKGTPE are booked in separate PNR. Electronic ticketing is not supported in this scenario.

Seamless availability

It is a real time linkage which enables a real time availability processing between Airline and GDS. Every time agent input availability request from GDS core, It transmits “origin/ destination”, “point of sale (POS) information” and “Journey data” interactively to CX core.

Seamless availability has been implemented on all major GDS (i.e. Abacus, Sabre, Infini, Amadeus, Galileo, Apollo, Travelsky and Worldspan).

Journey data:

Journey data provides all the segments information that consisted in the PNR or being sold in the previous transaction. For example, If the PNR consisted of TPEHKGBJS in the previous transaction, when T/A request BJSHKGTPE, GDS will also provide TPEHKGBJS as journey data for airlines’ as reference.

Apart from availability, Journey data will be considered in the selling process. It is available in all major GDS including Abacus, Sabre, Infini, Amadeus, Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan.

Carrier specific availability:

GDS provide entry to specify the availability request with carrier preference. It facilitates GDS users to retrieve flights/ connections within CX networks.

Direct access availability:

Agent request a bias availability display from accessing carrier via GDS system. It in fact provides CX availability. However, as there is no journey data included in direct access availability, travel agents could encounters direct access availability unmatched with seamless availability and sell.

Example of possible mismatched scenario:

Existing PNR is holding LONHKG HK1, agent attempts to request availability of HKGTPE. The origin and destination information applies as below:

GDS Help Desk