Predator™ Automated Flight Firming: Predator™ Automated Flight Firming


Slide2: Predator™ Automated Flight Firming PK Processor TTR Processor PPS © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Slide3: What is Predator™? A family of robotic software applications that improve the quality of bookings. Predator™ modules include: automated flight firming, teletype reject processing, PK queue notification processing, and more. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Automated Flight Firming: Automated Flight Firming Predator™ reviews all bookings coming in the host airline system. Ticketing time limits (TTL’s) are set on each qualified PNR according to TTL rules provided by the carrier. An SSR message is sent to the booking entity requesting ticket numbers by the TTL deadline. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Automated Flight Firming: Automated Flight Firming Predator™ checks the PNR again after the TTL expires. If a ticket has been issued, the airline has another happy (ticketed) customer. If a ticket has not been issued, at the carrier’s option the PNR can be canceled, queued for manual work, or another request sent. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Process: PNR Does it need TTL? Assign one Send SSR Log TTL YES NO Do other stuff Process © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Other Stuff: Other Stuff Fictitious names Duplicate segments Booking audit © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


The Troll: The Troll Searches PNRs for fictitious names, then advises you via e-mail or sends the offending record to a specific queue for review. Troll uses a database of fictitious names, plus a “trap” that captures single character first initials, e.g., Smith/A/B/C DEAD/F/R/O/G/S. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Duplicate Segments: Duplicate Segments Predator’s PNR Dupe-Snooper identifies duplicate Segments in the same PNR during first-pass firming and takes immediate action, i.e., cancels dupe space. (Super Dupe Snooper identifies duplicate PNRs across all PNRs.) Duplicate space can be detected between host airline and other airline segments. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Slide10: Premium class can be handled differently, e.g., queued, not canceled. Uses booking chronology to ensure last booked segment is kept, earlier booked segment is canceled. Duplicate Segments © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Slide11: Breaking advance purchase rules Booking in restricted classes Suspected agency abuses Booking Audit Minimum connecting times OW booking in RT class © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Flight Firming Robots: Flight Firming Robots There are two flight firming robots that perform all of the functions: ‘Sweeper’ - monitors flight inventories daily, looking for new PNRs. ‘Enforcer’ - Continuously works off Sweeper’s log, looking for ticket numbers in PNRs with expired TTL’s. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Flight Firming Robots: Flight Firming Robots Predator™ automated flight firming robots operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Flights don’t have to be queued to the robots, the robots go out and find the PNR’s that need firming. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Slide14: AAI runs the robots. You run your airline. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


How Predator Works: How Predator Works Multi Host Data line installed at AAI. (Currently we have SABRE, APOLLO, Worldspan, Amadeus, Deltamatic, and SHARES.) AAI is granted access/TAs in the airline’s partition. AAI is assigned sines/authorization to perform required functions. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


How it Works: How it Works Identifies travel agency or OA bookings through CRS address or IATA/ARC number. Logging system ensures it remembers which PNR’s it has already worked, so the firming robots don’t needlessly churn through your inventory and waste (our) time and (your) money. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


How TTLs Work: How TTLs Work TTLs assigned as per the airline’s rules. Request sent to booking agency via SSR message. All messages to agency recorded historically in PNR. Messages can be customized, foreign languages, etc. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


How TTLs Work: TTLs can be customized by class of service, flight number, booking date, travel date, origin, destination, Passenger Type Code, Frequent Flyer number or tier, IATA number, point of sale, special OSI/SSR message, or any combination. How TTLs Work © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


How TTLs Work: How TTLs Work Point of sale indicators in ARC/IATA numbers allow precise application of TTL rules. Combining class,market,book date vs. travel date, and OW vs. RT reduces the need for fare basis code. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


How TTLs Work: How TTLs Work Effective/Discontinue dates on TTLs allow for high season/low season. Predator™ handles TTL hierarchy when multiple TTLs apply to the same PNR. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


How TTLs Work: How TTLs Work Second warnings can be sent 24 hours prior to TTL expiration as a reminder. Manual override of robot set TTLs possible with special sine authorization controlled by the carrier. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Internal Logging: Internal Logging A complete copy of every new PNR is recorded (CRM implications). All robot PNR actions are recorded, as well as the multi host response. A copy of the PNR ‘before’ and ‘after’ is logged during each firming round. Easy to answer questions from the field. Logs kept on file at AAI. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Ticket Numbers: Ticket Numbers Acceptance can be customized to strict or loose formats, depending upon airline preference. Require specific ticket number prefixes Can check for ticket validity using 14th check digit, if desired. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Ticket Numbers: Ticket Numbers Each ticket number saved in an airline-specific database. PNR’s with invalid or duplicated ticket numbers can be queued, canceled, or a warning sent directly to agency. Also can be used to locate lost or stolen ticket numbers being used fraudulently. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Customized Agency Handling: Customized Agency Handling Assign special TTLs for wholesalers, consolidator’s, tour operators, corporate accounts. Exclude agency’s from processing by IATA or Pseudo city code, e.g., UK point of sale. Queue any booking from any agency suspected of abusive booking behavior in real-time. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


More Customization: More Customization Easy to ignore code-share or other special relationship carriers. ‘Cancel or Queue’ -- cancel PNRs with expired TTLs or send to a queue for manual processing. Customize ticket number request messages by GDS, point of sale, date of booking, date of departure, and more. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Smart TTLs: Smart TTLs Predator™ never sets a TTL that will expire on a weekend or a holiday (unless you want him to). User-supplied customized holiday tables tell Predator™ the holidays around the world. TTLs can be as complex or simple as your airline tariffs. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Detail Oriented: Detail Oriented Predator™ remembers each PNR processed, so no divided records are missed. Predator™ can use either the schedule data in host system or your SSIM file. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Smart Processing: Smart Processing Computer resources assigned based on your airline’s booking curve and volume to ensure PNRs are worked the day they come into your system. Special processing is easy for peak holiday periods and special events. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Enhancements: Enhancements Secure Internet access for all reports, logs, and queries - FREE! Super Dupe Snooper will locate duplicate and multiple PNRs from an AAI PNR database created specifically for your airline. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Data & Reporting: Data & Reporting Daily Operating Statistics Report shows the daily work output of the robots. Cancelled Segments database provides management information in 2 standard reports. Data available to create custom Cancelled Segments reports. No Show by class and city pair. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Slide32: Data & Reporting © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Slide33: Data & Reporting © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Here’s our promise...: Here’s our promise... Enforce your carrier’s TTL rules for 90 days and compare data to pre-TTL processed flights. Flight Firming Benefits: Lower Spoilage and no-show factors. Higher onboard passenger numbers on sold out flights. More 100% load factor flights. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Condition for success…: Condition for success… To be effective, automated flight firming needs to run all the time - not ad hoc. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Condition for success…: Condition for success… PC-based queue processors are fine for small jobs, but firming your system is not a small job. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


PK Processor: PK Processor © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


PK Processor : PK Processor Passive Bookings do not sell airline seats, they generate additional cost. The PK notification queue receive a message each time an agency makes a passive booking. PK Processor works the queue and monitors agency passive booking activity. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


PK Processor: PK Processor PK Processor matches the passive message in the PK notification queue to an active booking in the host system. If there is a mismatch between the passive and active bookings, PK Processor rejects the passive back to the agency with a ‘NO’ status code. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


The Results: The Results There are three possible results in working the PK notification queue: Mismatch - class of service doesn’t match the host booking. No-Rec - There is no record of the PNR, or the names and/or itinerary do not match. A matching PNR is found. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Mismatches: Mismatches Active booking in higher class, passive booking in lower class. Invalid tickets can be issued from the passive booking. Yield Management seat allocations made ineffective. PK Processor captures the ‘evidence’. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Mismatches: Mismatches Daily report generated with copy of PNR, PK message, and discrepancy noted. PK Processor saves the pricing information to make the comparison easier. The airline determines the amount of discrepancy and issues the debit memo. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Name Matching Logic: Name Matching Logic Utilizes the latest technology -- using NameHunterTM by Language Analysis Systems. Allows sound-alike names to match, e.g., Kathy vs. Cathy, Janes vs. Jones. Letter chronology tolerant, e.g., Roberts vs. Robrets. Truncates spelling to recognize typos, e.g., Flanigan vs. Flannigan. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


PK Processor Protects Earnings: PK Processor Protects Earnings Monitors class of service mismatches and ‘no-recs’. Records queue message and PNR. Allows the airline to verify fare paid vs. fare reserved. Provides documentation for debit memo issuance. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Customized Response: Customized Response Message responses and processing tailored to each GDS. Can be used to train travel agents to use non-billable segment codes. Handles host booked and agency booked PNRs differently. Handles special wholesaler-retailer relationships via ARC recognition. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


PK Processor’s Proven Results: PK Processor’s Proven Results Re-claim significant amounts of lost earnings. Train agents away from invalid booking activity in the future. Improve effectiveness of Yield Management. Reduce total passive bookings. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Data & Reporting: Data & Reporting Daily, weekly, or monthly status reports. Custom interfaces available to cross-check ticket information directly from the airline’s revenue accounting system. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


TTR Processor: TTR Processor Works the airline teletype reject (TTR) queue. Customize rules for search, name recognition, and building PNRs. Works with Automated Flight Firming to ensure no duplicate records are built. © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Passenger Security System: Passenger Security System Scan PNRs for detection of “bad guys.” Use of FBI Watchlist (updated twice daily). Processes worked for current clients. Notification to queue or via email © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Pricing - Predator: Pricing - Predator One-Time Implementation Fee … based on current CRS and connectivity Monthly Fee -- on a Per PNR basis … with monthly minimum © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.


Slide51: Thank you! © 2001 Airline Automation, Inc.