Computer Reservation Systems (CRS) booking and ... - Air Canada

Computer Reservation Systems (CRS) booking and ticketing
procedures
Air Canada’s policy requires that only one reservation exists per
passenger(s) per itinerary. Please review and adhere to this list of
acceptable booking practices.
1. If your agency uses more than one CRS, you must book and ticket within
the same system.
2. You may not duplicate segments by moving segments between CRS. Air
Canada will not be held liable for duplicate segment fees incurred by
the movement of segments between CRS or associated with the PNRs
involved in travel agency CRS systems conversions. Air Canada Call
Centres will not assist an agency attempting to claim a PNR owned by
another CRS.
3. You may not create active or passive duplicate bookings this includes
any simultaneous combination of bookings for a passenger(s) which
logically cannot be flown.
4. Passive segments are not permitted. On an exceptional basis, AC will
allow the creation of passive segments for group PNRS (10 or more
passengers) originally booked by Air Canada where interline space is
involved or where an authorization from AC appears on the file. Group
PNRS must only be claimed immediately prior ticketing. You may not
claim a group booking more than once from Air Canada.
5. Travel agents who ticket bookings on behalf of sub-agents must ticket
from the original live booking created in the CRS.
6. You may not hold inventory for potential future sales. The full name
and title of each passenger must be entered at the time of booking.
Name changes are not permitted once the PNR has been created. Name
corrections are only permitted if the customer name has been
misspelled or to reflect legal documents.
7. Fictitious or speculative bookings, including blocking or holding a
reservation due to expected demand or the customer’s indecision are
not permitted under any circumstances.
8. Whenever possible, limit the use of open segments.
9. All CRS bookings must be either ticketed as per tariff rules or
cancelled in the CRS immediately when not required and prior to
departure.
10. Changes to itinerary segment status as a result of schedule
changes, irregular operations, flight firming, flight cancellations
or other extraordinary circumstances will be queued to your CRS and
must be actioned at least 24 hours prior to flight departure. This
includes cancelling ticketed or unticketed segments with a status code
of UN, NO, HX, WK, WL, or WN. Also, please action or cancel all
unnecessary segments in your PNRs with the following status codes: UC,
US, and DS.
11. Multiple bookings and cancellations for the purpose of extending
ticket time limits are not permitted.
12. You may not use the AC airline designator with fictitious flight
numbers to store flight information for a carrier not listed in the
CRS.
Subject to change without prior notice.
Revised May 31 st , 2007.
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13. Test or training PNRS must only be built in “ Training mode ” and
must not affect our seat inventory.
14. Air Canada reserves the right to issue debit memos or invoices for
situations where passengers no show on agency CRS PNRs that do not
have valid ticket numbers on file. Debit memos or invoice penalties
will be on a zone basis for following amounts:
o Travel within North America $250 CA or equivalent local currency
per instance
o International Travel $ 350 CA or equivalent local currency per
instance
15. Air Canada reserves the right to inhibit access to inventory and/or
booking capability for any travel agency that has:
o Overdue debit memos or invoices for booking infractions more
than 30 days past due
o Engaged in fraudulent booking and ticketing activities
o 10 or more no-show passengers or a 25% no-show factor in any
given month
16. You must adhere to all terms and conditions regarding the use of
Aeroplan Upgrade Certificates when booking upgrade space on Air Canada
flights.
17. Air Canada requires all e-ticket eligible itineraries be issued as
e-ticket. Paper override for customer preference is no longer
permitted. Air Canada reserves the right to issue debit memos or
invoices with a penalty of $ 50 CA or equivalent local currency per
instance.
18. All confirmed and/or waitlisted space in your computer reservation system (CRS) must be
cancelled prior to refunding or voiding a ticket.
Fees and Charges
If Air Canada determines that a CRS subscriber has engaged in practices
that conflict with the guidelines listed in this Computer Reservation
System (CRS) booking & ticketing procedures, Air Canada will assess the
following penalty from the travel agency:
A charge of $ 20 CA or equivalent local currency per passenger per
segment will apply for each of the above mentioned infractions, with the
exception of the fees associated with no show passengers and paper
tickets as noted in paragraph 14 and 17.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does the CRS audit program consist of?
Air Canada first introduced the CRS audit policy in 1997. The goal was
to eliminate non- value added expenses resulting from travel agencies
inappropriate booking practices and to inform travel agencies on Air
Canada’s booking and ticketing procedures through different CRS systems.
2. What happens when a travel agency does not comply with the CRS audit
policy?
Air Canada provided travel agencies with extensive communication when we
introduced our booking and ticketing procedures. Air Canada now monitors
inappropriate booking practices and may issue debit memos/invoices upon
initial identification of inappropriate booking practices.
Subject to change without prior notice.
Revised May 31 st , 2007.
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3. Why does Air Canada feel it is necessary to issue CRS guidelines?
The airline industry is continually reviewing distribution costs in
order to reduce expenses that do not add value for our mutual customers.
We believe that some agencies are unaware that certain practices incur
unnecessary costs to the airline industry and many times these charges
are not related to the ticketed passenger’s actual revenue. These
guidelines help us educate agencies about Air Canada’s booking and
ticketing procedures.
4. How will travel agencies know if they are affected?
All agencies are expected to adhere to our booking and ticketing
procedures. Should an agency not comply, they may receive a debit
memo/invoice with a report detailing anomalies in segments/PNRs created
during a specific period.
5. Can travel agencies book passive segments?
No. Passive segments must not be used for any purposes other than for
group PNRs with OAL segments.
Please contact your CRS provider for further information on procedures
to address your specific requirements such as; invoicing and back-office
needs.
Air Canada will allow passive bookings for group PNRs booked by Air
Canada where there is OAL space in the PNR. These PNRs may not be
claimed using group claim functionality. We require an OSI message with
the ticket numbers and the reference to the AC group PNR number.
6. How can a travel agency provide training when they are unable to
create PNRs using the AC designator?
All CRSs provide travel agencies with a //test/training// mode for this
purpose.
7. When are multiple bookings/cancellations considered inappropriate?
Multiple bookings/cancellations are inappropriate when Air Canada
identifies a pattern of excessive cancellation and rebooking of segments
within the same or different PNRs to extend time limit.
8. How can a travel agency quote an accurate fare including taxes and
surcharges if they can not
book a PNR?
A PNR does not need to be created in order to provide pricing or
schedule information. An agency can build an itinerary for fare quote
purposes as long as they do not end the file, i.e. ignore PNR instead of
END transaction.
9. What is considered a duplicate booking?
Any combination of bookings for the same passenger held simultaneously,
which cannot all be flown due to timeline and/or illogical itinerary.
This includes instances where there is more than 1 booking for the same
passenger in the same or different PNR, with the same or different
travel segments, in the same or different booking classes, in the same
or different CRS system.
10. How can agencies avoid duplicate segments when customers request
them?
It is the agency’s responsibility to adhere to Air Canada’s booking and
ticketing procedures. Duplicate segments incur non-value added segment
fees and decrement inventory when in fact the client cannot physically
travel all booked segments.
11. Is the travel agency allowed to make a name change?
Subject to change without prior notice.
Revised May 31 st , 2007.
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No. Name changes are not permitted, however, a name correction is
permitted when a customer’s name has been misspelled or to reflect the
customer’s legal name to match travel documents.
12. Are travel agencies monitored for not cancelling unticketed
bookings?
Travel agencies will be monitored for not cancelling unticketed bookings
in their respective CRS prior to date of flight. Travel agencies are
responsible to cancel any unticketed booking in their CRS to avoid
blocking space that would otherwise be available for genuine sales.
GROUPS
13. Can travel agencies use passive segments to ticket an AC group PNR
with OAL space?
Yes, Air Canada will allow passive bookings for group PNRs, booked by
Air Canada where there is OAL space in the PNR. These PNRs may not be
claimed using group claim functionality. We require an OSI message with
the ticket numbers and the reference to the AC group PNR number.
14. How can agencies avoid multiple PNR claim for group files?
Agencies can only claim the PNR once; therefore it is recommended that
this be done just prior to ticketing.
15. For group bookings with deviation, will Air Canada authorize passive
segments?
Air Canada will not authorize passive segments on group bookings with
deviation under any circumstances. In the event of changes, which
require a division from the original group PNR and would result in reissuance
of the ticket by the travel agency, Air Canada will allow the
PNR to be reclaimed to reflect the change.
A Copy of these instructions as well as questions and answers can be
found at aircanada.com/agents and in CIC*170/49.
Subject to change without prior notice.
Revised May 31 st , 2007.
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