Skip to main content

Glossary for the airline industry

From A-Z, this glossary covers definitions and explanations for common airline industry terminology.

O&D

Origin and Destination. Refers to the start and end points of each passenger's journey. The number of O&Ds also indicates the size and complexity of a carrier's route network, making them useful for analysis in fare management and yield management.

OA

IATA-defined code used for booking fees (optional, validating carrier only, not interlineable).

OAL

All other airlines. Used in the RBD product to state that the provisions coded apply for all other carrier’s fares.

OB

IATA-defined code used for ticketing fees (optional, validating carrier only, not interlineable).

OC

IATA-defined code used for fare related optional service or rule-buster service fees (optional, validating carrier only, not interlineable).

offer

The combination of the fare product and price (flight) with all associated ancillary services, bundled or à la carte. It refers to everything an airline presents to a traveler before a sale, including disclosure data. See also order.

offer creation

The act of building a complete offer to a consumer, regardless of how it is created (fare filing, direct channel, dynamic pricing). See also offer.

offer distribution

The act of making an offer available to a consumer, regardless of how it is transmitted (flat subscription file, NDC, API, dynamic pricing engine), so that data is operable in any system and integrates as much information as possible.

offer management

1. The process where a travel agent or channel requests a priced offer from an airline, and the airline creates and proposes the offer to the requestor. This process may include the full fare product, merchandising, rich content, and third-party services, and may have the capability to use dynamic pricing and personalization. See also fare management and order management.
2. The act of maintaining fare products as well as related products (fares, rules, optional services/ancillaries, etc.).

offer presentation

The act of merchandising an offer to consumers, whether with basic information or with rich content that supports comparison shopping, personalization, and shopping by attribute.

one-way fare

1. (US/CA fares) A fare identified as Tag 1 on the Fare Record or Category 25 Resulting Fare data.

2. (International fares) A fare identified as Tag 1 or Tag 3 on the Fare Record or Category 25 Resulting Fare data.

one-way journey

1. When the journey is wholly domestic (all ticketed points on the journey are in the same country), a journey where the destination point is not the same point as the origin.

2. When the journey is international (at least two ticketed points are in different countries), a journey where the destination point is not in the same country as the origin point.

online

The transferring from different flights services on the same carrier, or the transferring of services on the primary carrier only.

open jaw

1. A trip that is essentially of a round trip or circle trip nature except that the outward point of departure and the inward point of arrival, or vice versa, are not the same.

2. (Subcategory 101, US/CA fares) Turnaround Open Jaw = The outward point of arrival and the inward point of departure are different. At least one fare component must be priced using half of a round-trip fare. Origin Open Jaw = The outward point of departure and the inward point of arrival are different. At least one fare component must be priced using half of a round-trip fare. Single Open Jaw = Either the outward point of arrival and the inward point of departure are different, or the outward point of departure and the inward point of arrival are different. At least one fare component must be priced using half of a round-trip fare. Double Open Jaw = Both the outward point of arrival and the inward point of departure are different, and, the outward point of departure and the inward point of arrival are different. At least one fare component must be priced using half of a round-trip fare. Open Jaw = Any of the above. Open jaws can consist of two or more fare components unless otherwise restricted in Subcategory 101 Record 3. See also combinations.

3. (Subcategory 101, International fares) Using applicable half-round trip fares: Turnaround Open Jaw = The outward point of arrival and the inward point of departure are different. Origin Open Jaw = The outward point of departure and the inward point of arrival are different. Single Open Jaw = Either the outward point of arrival and the inward point of departure are different, or the outward point of departure and the inward point of arrival are different Double Open Jaw = Both the outward point of arrival and the inward point of departure are different, and the outward point of departure and the inward point of arrival are different Open Jaw = Any of the above. Open jaws can consist of two or more fare components unless otherwise restricted in Subcategory 101 Record 3.

operating carrier

The carrier actually providing flight service (it is not necessarily shown on the ticket).

operating certificate

A piece of paper issued by a government to an airline, allowing it to operate passenger service. This document is a prerequisite for obtaining a two-position IATA code.

optimized pricing

A method of dynamic pricing that uses predefined price points with dynamic availability. It includes static pricing, dual RBD, and quantum pricing mechanisms.

Optional Services

ATPCO product that supports automated pricing of a wide range of ancillary services from traditional in-flight amenities such as meals and entertainment to a variety of pre- and post-flight options including the sale of merchandise. It also supports options to prepay change and refund penalties at a reduced rate.
 

order

A unique record of the transaction agreement between the service provider and the traveler that includes data on services, payment, personal information, and other items. It includes sale and post-sale information from the PNR, the e-ticket, and EMDs. The order also contains all the details of the offer, such as flight and ancillary services and disclosure data. See also offer.

order management

The process where an airline creates, stores, and manages its offers, handling diverse customer and transaction data to support delivery, fulfillment, and accounting. The process can range from simply collecting the order and assigning it an ID to a sophisticated retail approach managing every aspect of the transaction and delivery. See also offer management.