Functional Differences

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Functional Differences

AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

April 2010

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

Author: Sabre / Abacus April 2010 Page 2

Overview

This document provides a high level overview of the functionality and format differences between Sabre and Abacus. This document is targeted for agencies that have a business need to have Global Branch Access with AAA (triple A) option between Sabre and Abacus in order to globally service their customer’s travel needs. An agent’s AAA is the pseudo city code (PCC) in which the agent is currently working, also referred to as the “Home PCC”. Changing the AAA enables the agent to work in an authorized branch pseudo city code of another GDS as if they were actually on site at that location, also referred to as the “Host PCC”.

For additional information refer to the Quick Formats Guide located on Agency e-Services

Functional Differences

There are functional differences between Sabre and Abacus and these are identified in this guide.

PNR

Sabre Functionality

Abacus Functionality

Changing Segment Status Codes

 Allowed to change segment status to XK on

non-AA flights

 Allowed to change segment status to XK on AA segments but restricted on Abacus Partner Airlines (i.e. SQ)

SSRs

 SSRs for AA are entered via 4entry and are

stored in the AA facts field of a PNR.

 SSRs for AA are entered via 3 entries and are stored in the general facts field of a PNR.

SSRs Cancel Entry

 31¤ Generates a Cancel message.  31¤ Does Not Generate a Cancel message.

Must enter 31.XX to generate cancel message.

SSR status code change

 Not Supported  Can change KK SSR status code to HK via

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

Infant Child OSI Messaging

 Placed in AA FACTS and GENERAL FACTS

Fields Automatically. Does not include Infant/Child age.

 OSI INF CHD has been discontinued and replaced with SSR INFT DOB and SSR CHLD DOB

Infant and Child types

 Not Supported  34 New Passenger types to identify infants

and children.( example I01-I12 for infant 1 or 12 months, and children C01 or C012 for years)

Passenger Types

 Optional, stored in PDT field.  Required, stored in PDT field on all Abacus

PNRs but has been automated no manual entries required.

PNR Retrieval with AA segments

 Sabre Connected agents and AA share the

same reservation/record locator

 Abacus has a separate reservation that creates a teletype booking in the AA reservation system. The reservation is not shared.

Groups

Sabre Functionality

Abacus Functionality

Block Space Group product (BSG)

 Offered to all Sabre locations.  Not offered, supported or marketed.

Corporate and Group Bookings (-C/)

 Supports regular PNR functions with the

exception of not requiring all passenger names.

 Used as primary group tool. The features and functions are the same as Sabre except for the following:

– Limited to participating airlines

– Air segments can only be requested using NN, IN, BK, BL, GK, GL status codes

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

Group Management Tool (GMT)

 Supported based on commercial agreement

with airlines.

 Not supported

Pre-Reserved Seats

 Sabre participating carriers may be different

from Abacus participating carriers

 Abacus participating carriers may be different from Sabre participating carriers

Associate Participation Levels

 Participation level varies between Sabre and

Abacus.

 Participation level varies between Abacus and Sabre.

Payment

Sabre Functionality

Abacus Functionality

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

Ticket Issuance

Sabre Functionality

Abacus Functionality

Phase IV/Rate-Desk priced & Ticket Fare

Record (TFR)

 Support “Phase IV”, whereby ticketing data is manually input by users. Itinerary can be priced and automatically stored in a Phase IV using the WD entry.

 Phase IV is always considered as manually priced.

 Do not support Automated Ticket Fare Record (TFR).

 Support “Rate Desk” pricing (known as “Phase IV” to Sabre users), whereby ticketing data is manual input by users using the <W#C> entry.

 Support Automated Ticket Fare Record (TFR). It is created when accepting a fare returned from Abacus SmartPrice (similar to Sabre ATSE) or Abacus FareX (unique to Abacus Net Fare system) pricing response.  An Abacus TFR can be flagged as:

– Manual Priced – specific fare conditions are not met

– Auto-priced – all fare rules are accepted and validated

– Rate-desk priced – all fare information is manually updated in the ticket fare record.

– All FareX NET TFR are tagged as Manual  Unable to ticket from Phase IV / TFR previously stored by PNR owner.

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

 Phase IV/Rate-Desk pricing will follow the rules of the PNR owner prime host. For example, the PNR is created by Sabre and service by Abacus, the rules of Sabre’s Phase IV will apply. The same goes for the display of Ticket list, i.e. **W.

 However, the above rules do not apply to some functions such as WTFR, baggage and NVB/NVA year indicators.

 WTFR – Not supported in AAA environment. Current GBA rule.

 Baggage – For Phase IV/TFR ticketing, it will follow the rules of the PNR owner. For Direct ticketing, it will follow the rules of the ticketing GDS.

 NVB/NVA year indicator – Not supported in Phase IV/Rate Desk pricing. Current GBA rule. However, it is supported in Abacus’s environment via Direct ticketing.

 Maximum 7 shells allowed. Deleted shells remain on the list flagged with “-D” and cannot be reused.

 Maximum 7 shells allowed. Deleted shells are removed and the slot can be reused.

 Phase IV & Rate Desk pricing gets updated with tour code and commission if these are input in the ticketing entry.

 Validating carrier code cannot be input in Phase IV.

 The Validating Carrier is stored in the TFR, which is the one applied by pricing and returned in the pricing response. The validating Carrier may also be manually updated in TFR

 Phase IV can be recreated after itinerary change.

 Automated TFRs can be refreshed after itinerary change or certain passenger type code changes.

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

 Pricing the PNR does not automatically delete a Phase IV.

 Re-pricing of PNR that has been updated/modified will be tagged as “AWAITING REPRICE” in the TFR status.  NET TFR will not be auto deleted. Agents

still have to manually delete it.  Tickets can be issued immediately after

itinerary changes or Passenger Type Code changes, except for Phase IV. If a Phase IV is present, an itinerary change causes the Phase IV to be flagged with itinerary change and the Phase IV must be recreated before a ticket can be issued from it.

 Itinerary changes and Passenger Type Code changes cause the PNR to be flagged as Awaiting Reprice. Tickets cannot be issued until the TFRs are refreshed or repriced.

 Phase IV shell history  No TFR history

 Phase IV mask allowed  Inhibited from using Phase IV mask.  Abacus uses TFR (Rate-desk Priced – W

‡

C)

and linear entries (Linear Entry Qualifier – W

‡

I).

WTFR

 WTFR is not supported even if is serviced in Abacus environment. Therefore, must create

Phase IV or Rate desk pricing.

NIL Baggage

 The Phase IV shows “NIL” and “NIL” prints

on the ticket. This applies to all PTC.

 TFR shows “NO” even though you inputs “NIL” in the manual TFR. This applies to all PTC.

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

PC Baggage

 Must include the number of pieces when

inputting into the Phase IV baggage

allowance based on pieces. Sabre supports up to 99P. Phase IV shows number followed by “P”. Example: 02P

 “PC” baggage is supported to represent “02P’. Otherwise, you may input the exact number of baggage. Abacus supports up to 99P.

NVB/NVA year indicator

 Phase IV and Rate-Desk pricing – Not supported in AAA environment.

 Direct Ticketing – Supported in Abacus environment but not Sabre.

Validating carrier check

 BSP agency must input a validating carrier in

the ticketing entry.

 For ARC and BSP Canada agency, if no validating carrier is input, the system defaults to a validating carrier.

 For Rate Desk /TFR ticketing, validating carrier not required in ticketing entry if present in the TFR. Can override the TFR validating carrier in the ticketing entry using W#I.

 For direct ticketing, validating carrier must be input in the ticketing entry.

Auto validation indicator

 Ticketing is not allowed even if Auto

validation is off in the TJR.

 For BSP can designate OPTAT stock and ticket when Auto Val is OFF in TJR. *s*p«

PY08.F1E2*AAP.A..PNR PRESENT AUTO VAL – OFF

W*IN« OK-0008

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

2 Forms of Payment

 Can input tax amounts associated with a

form of payment. Up to 2 taxes can be specified in the 2FOP format and will be paid with the second FOP. The remaining taxes will be paid with the first FOP. If no tax amount is specified, all taxes are assumed to be paid with the first form of payment.  2 FOP is not allowed for ARC or BSP Canada

agencies.

 Tax amounts cannot be input in the 2FOP entry. A validating carrier table indicator determines how taxes are associated when both cash and credit forms of payment are used.

 Tax Association indicator in validating carrier table is not viewable by Sabre BSP or ARC subscriber. Sabre personnel (FSG, HDQ) can see the indicator.

 Tax Association indicator in validating carrier table is viewable by Abacus subscriber.

Net Remit

 Net remit is not allowed with 2 forms of

payment.

 Net remit is not allowed for ARC or BSP Canada agencies.

 Net remit is allowed with 2 forms of payment

 Sabre edits to ensure that France requires a net amount and V* code.

 Abacus edits to ensure that Thailand and Korea require a net remit code when a net amount is input.

8 Digit Credit Card Approval Code

 Not supported  Korea can input a code which prints in the

validation area of the ticket.

 For 8 digit credit card approval code, entry still valid. It is printed on the applicable plain paper ET docs.

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

Ticket Exchange / Reissuance

Sabre Functionality

Abacus Functionality

Exchanges - Linear Commands

 In Sabre BSP environment, linear Exchange is

not supported if add collect taxes are more than 3 in the W# entry (without Phase IV).

Error returned: INVALID TAX AMOUNT-0152  In Sabre BSP environment, linear exchange is

not supported if add collect taxes are more than 2 in the W#T entry (i.e. with Phase IV). Error returned: ADD COLLECT TAX INVALID-0011

 In ARC environment linear exchange is not supported if add collect taxes are more than 2 in the W# or W#T entry. Error returned:

INVALID TAX AMOUNT-0152

 Support up to 99 taxes for original issue and Even exchange, 198 taxes for add collect.  QREX Plus is currently not available to

Abacus.

 For BSP agencies using a Phase IV for the exchange entry, Sabre requires input of original base fare and paid/unpaid taxes in Phase IV.

 ARC agencies are not allowed to input paid/unpaid taxes in Phase IV. Error

returned: Y*E ENTRY NOT ALLOWED-0080

 Abacus requires input of original base fare and paid/unpaid taxes.

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

Audit Trail Reporting

Sabre Functionality

Abacus Functionality

Audit Trail

 Commission amount is calculated and shown

on the audit trail.

 Korea shows only a commission percent. Other countries show a commission amount.

 Note: Abacus Audit Trail Net amount is calculated and it may not be the same as the remittance amount printed on Agent coupon

 The ticket total, including tax, is shown on the audit trail.

 The ticket total is not shown. Instead, the remittance amount is calculated and shown. Note for Korea it is the Ticket Total that is shown.

 The total sales are separated between Cash and Credit amounts.

 Korea, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Customized and Generic TAT show the total sales separated between Cash and Credit.

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

Pricing

Sabre Functionality

Abacus Functionality

Fares Display Response Format

Template selection is made via the agency’s Travel

Journal Record (TJR). Default fare display templates are established at the agency level, rather than the individual agent level. Template selection is restricted to users that possess duty code *9* and the EPR keywords *SUBMGR* and *CREATE*.

If no default fare display template is selected, the system defaults to Single-Carrier template 1 and Multi-Carrier template 1.

Uses Fare Display Template 31

Integrated Pricing

1S user returns the lowest applicable fare (either

Published, Private, or Cat 35 Fares) filed in ATPCO, SITA, (SITA CAT 35), and SMF (filed by authorized SMF users)

 Abacus SmartPrice returns the lowest applicable fare (either Published, Private or CAT 35 Fares) filed in ATPCO, SITA (SITA CAT 35 will be applicable soon), and SMF (filed by Sabre subscribers)

Passenger Type Codes

Does not auto-map to NEG/CNE/INE for a lower

fare. There is a TJR option to auto amp to such PTCs set by the user.

 Auto-maps to NEG/CNE/INE for a lower fare

Match and No Match pricing response

 WP Match returns a single lowest validated fare

on a match.

 WPA Match returns lowest 24 validated fares. When 24 validated fares are not found, system will backfill with no match options up to a maximum of 24 options.

 Returns a single lowest validated fare on a match

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

 WP no match will return an error response to the user, e.g. NO FARE FOR CLASS USED.  WPA No Match returns lowest 24 no match

options.

 When no match is found, system

automatically returns 12 lowest fare on a no match

 WP partial match will return an error response to the user for all PTCs if one or more PTCs are not valid, e.g. NO FARE FOR CLASS USED is returned to the user.

 WPA Partial match is returned to the user, i.e. up to 24 Match/No Match options are returned for the matched PTC and an error response is returned for the PTC where no matched or no matched options are found.

 Is able to return a partial match pricing response

Command Pricing

 No command pricing exceptions for travel to

mainland China Applies

 Returns CAT 8, 9, 12 charges up to maximum allowed by the fare rule  Command pricing exception for travel to

mainland China travel involving gateways of Macao and Hong Kong where system returns lowest fare to/from these points and interior China when request through fare is not found.

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

Net Remit Pricing &Ticketing

 Sabre can price 2 different types of Cat 35 fares

(with some known gaps)  CAT 35 Security

 CAT 35 Net Ticketing (IT/BT)

 Note: Cat 35 Net Remit is not auto priced but must be manually entered by the user today.

 Abacus SmartPrice can price the 3 different types of CAT 35 fares (with some known gaps)

 CAT 35 Security  CAT 35 Net Remit

 3- CAT 35 Net Ticketing (IT/BT)  Sabre does not process a CAT 35 Net Remit with

fare type indicator byte 101 filed as blank

 Abacus SmartPrice can process a CAT 35 Net Remit with fare type indicator Byte 101 filed as Blank

Non-PNR Pricing (WQ)

 Price Search (WQ) No PNR Pricing uses

Match/No Match processing logic.

 Abacus SmartPrice uses its own pre-designated Fare Type Matrix

Alternative Pricing (WPA)

 Enhancement to the basic WP formats. Use

WPA to request multiple fare calculations in a single entry

 WPAS was not introduced to Abacus SmartPrice users although Abacus did not opt out on this functionality

No Availability Check (CR29)

Sabre does process all RBD Conditional tags on

Availability based on T999. Availability is being checked in pricing today.

 Abacus SmartPrice does not process all RBD Conditional tags on Availability based on T999. Availability is not being checked in pricing today.

Store Fare

 Sabre User use Phase IV record  Abacus Users uses Abacus Ticket Fare

Record (TFR)

Ticket from Abacus TFR

 Not supported, Sabre uses Phase IV  Ticketing from a stored TFR is widely used

by Abacus markets.

Abacus FareX

 Not applicable to Sabre  Abacus FareX is used to price net fares filed

in Abacus FareX. Basic commands are NFD, NFP/NFT, NFQ, NFN

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Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus

Sabre My Fares (SMF)

 The next generation web-based fare

management tool that enables travel agencies to file private fare and rule data directly with the Sabre system. It further automates the

management of your negotiated fare contracts by providing the ability to input, edit, manage, and distribute multiple negotiated fare types. In addition, you can mark up net fares filed via these tools and redistribute them to branch locations or other stand-alone agencies.

 Not supported

QREX Exchange

 Applicable to Sabre  Not applicable at this time. To perform an

exchange Linear commands must be used.

Refund

 QREX  Abacus Quick Refund is an enhanced

version of QREX Refund

OB Fees (Sabre Phase 1)

 Sabre displays additional ticketing fees included

in the Sabre pricing and ticketing transactions related to vendor credit card processing costs.

 Not applicable at this time (Note: A PBE was just raised to activate OB Fees for Abacus SmartPrice)