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Glossary for the airline industry

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

relational indicator

The first field to be completed in any category, it indicates the relationship between data tables. The relational indicator for the initial table in any category is THEN. Other relational indicators are AND, OR, IF, ELSE.

release

A batch action type that creates a batch, sends the results through the validation process, applies the transactions to the database, and makes the batch available for filing (International) or distribution (US/CA).

remittance amount

The amount received by the airline for the ticket through ARC/BSP.

reservation booking designator

The prime one- or two-letter code that is used in a CRS/GDS to identify the class of service in which to book a passenger or the fare in an availability display. Also called booking code.

reservations

An airline IT system that processes the itinerary information, adds passenger and payment information, and issues the ticket. This system also stores the itinerary, processes any changes/refunds, and sends the information to the carrier's Departure Control System before the passenger flies.

resulting fare

The final fare amount and supporting fare class information produced from all steps in the Category 25 or in Categories 19-22.

Retailer

In dynamic offers, another name for the marketing carrier who is selling the offer to the passenger.

retailing

Umbrella term for the entire life cycle of a fare or offer, from pre-sale that starts with an airline’s creation of the offer, to point of sale, when a traveler purchases a ticket and the funds are settled, to post-sale, if and when the traveler requires servicing or support. 

revenue accounting

1. The quadrant of the life cycle of the fare where airlines process, audit, and collect sales from thousands of tickets.

2. (industry term) An airline IT application that examines past ticket sales in order to allocate revenue to appropriate carriers. Sales data is supplied to airlines by the GDSs and other sources via ATPCO's Sales Data Exchange, as well as internal airline systems. The tickets are then prorated based on existing agreements, and the results are sent to the ACH or IATA for settlement.

revenue management

The practice of matching a passenger's specific demand for a product with an equivalent price. Developed by the airline industry in the 1970s, this practice demands highly complex and comprehensive data systems that allow businesses to vary price and availability to different market segments, and adjust these as necessary to capture or increase market share and revenue. In the airline industry, these actions are carried out by yield management in the case of inventory changes, and fare management in the case of pricing changes.

RFIC

Reason for Issuance Codes. They are included on the EMD document and determine the generic reason for issuance of the document, as defined in IATA JPSC Resolution 722f Attachment A.

RI

Relational indicator.

ROE

Rate of Exchange.

round-the-world fares

(Subcategory 103, International fares) Travel from the point of origin and return thereto which involves only one crossing of the Atlantic Ocean and only one crossing of the Pacific Ocean. Note that a single round-the-world fare component does not validate against Subcategories 102 or 103 (validation is only against Subcategory 104 to determine if End-on-End is required). See also combinations.

round-trip

1. (Subcategory 102, US/CA fares) (data application) From point A to point B and return to point A on the same tariff, same carrier, same rule, and same round-trip fare class code. Note that if carriers wish to restrict the route of travel on the fares, then this can be done via the Routing Map and/or Category 4. See also combinations.

2. (Subcategory 102, International fares, excluding round-the-world fares) (data application) From point A to point B and return to point A using two fare components only, for which the applicable half-round-trip fare for each component, measured from point A, is the same for the routing traveled. Exception: If fares differ through class/season/day of week or carrier variation, it is still a round-trip. Note that after processing, if the results show a different HIP(Higher Intermediate Point) and/or a different mileage surcharge has been applied on fare component(s) in the pricing unit, then the above pricing solution would be considered a Circle Trip. See also combinations.

round-trip fare

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

2. (US/CA) A fare identified as Tag 2 on the Fare Record or Category 25 Resulting Fare data.

round-trip 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 of the journey is the same point as the origin point of the journey.

2. When the journey is international (at least two ticketed points are in different countries), a journey where the destination point of the journey is in the same country as the origin point of the journey.

Routehappy Content

Targeted information, messaging, and visual content that helps airlines differentiate fares, products, and services. There are three types of Routehappy Content: UPAs, UTAs, and Amenities.

routing

Restrictions on a fare based on travel routes and defined by routing maps.

 

routing-based fare

A fare that is governed by a designated routing map or routing restriction (other than MPM).