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Glossary for the airline industry

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

decision support

See fare management.

departure control system

An airline IT application that manages Check-In/Boarding and Load Control for airlines at airport locations. Checked baggage, optional services, reissues, refunds, and even fare/rule data are instances where ATPCO data is used in these applications.

destination

Ultimate stopping place of the journey as shown on the ticket. When the word destination is used in a fare rule, general rule, or Rule 2, it will be necessary to determine the carrier's own definition.

direct channel

The process of pricing and booking tickets within an airline's own internal environment, without using pricing systems or other intermediated industry data. This is most commonly handled through a carrier's website, but may also be done via a call center or at airport/city ticket offices.

direct connect

See direct channel.

directional fare

Fares that are published with a directional indicator (either on the fare record or footnote). Directional fares are usually international. See inbound and outbound.

directional indicator

A tag that determines the true origin and destination of a fare or application of supporting text. This allows data to be stored most efficiently and displays the data in its true order (from point A to point B or vice versa).

directionality

A tag used on the Record 1 or 2 to indicate that that Record 3 provision applies in a certain direction only.

Directionality tag 1

A tag used on the Record 1 or 2 to indicate that the Record 3 provision applies from Location 1 to Location 2.

Directionality tag 2

A tag used on the Record 1 or 2 to indicate that the Record 3 provision applies from Location 2 to Location 1.

Directionality tag 3

A tag used on the Record 1 or 2 to indicate that the Record 3 provision applies for travel originating in Location 1.

Directionality tag 4

A tag used on the Record 1 or 2 to indicate that the Record 3 provision applies for travel originating in Location 2.

discounted passenger

The passenger travelling at a discounted fare that requires another full-fare passenger. Also referred to as accompanied passenger.

DISH

Data Interchange Standards Handbook, the definitive guide of file standards and specifications for the BSP HOT file.

DOT

Department of Transportation. A division of the US federal government that has governed and regulated the Airline Industry since absorbing the CAB on 1 January 1985. It regulates all international and US/CA fares and cargo rates.

DPE

Dynamic pricing engine.

DPE generated pricing

A type of adjusted pricing where the DPE determines the optimal price at time of shopping/pricing and adjusts a pre-distributed price.

DPE predetermined pricing

A type of adjusted pricing where the DPE determines the optimal price from a set of predefined (pre-distributed) prices. Airlines predefine and distribute all possible price points up front. These prices are only available when received in an applicable response from the airline’s DPE.

dual RBD

A type of optimized pricing where airlines can increase possible price points from 26 to 182 by requiring inventory in two different reservation booking designators (RBDs).

dynamic bundle

A bundle of atomic products that is created (grouped together) at the time of shopping.