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From: shaprkg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Bob Shapiro)
Newsgroups: net.travel
Subject: Re: How to access airline reservation systems?
Message-ID: <1742@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 7-Feb-85 18:50:20 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.1742
Posted: Thu Feb  7 18:50:20 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Feb-85 05:33:28 EST
References: <275@idi.UUCP>
Reply-To: shaprkg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Bob Shapiro)
Distribution: net
Organization: System Development Corp. R+D, Santa Monica
Lines: 74
Summary: 

In article <275@idi.UUCP> kiessig@idi.UUCP (Rick Kiessig) writes:
>Does anyone out there have any idea about how to
>(legitimately) access airline reservation systems?
>I'm thinking of ones like United's Apollo system -
>not toys like the Official Airline Guide.  Do you
>have to be a "real" travel agent?  If so, what does
>it take to become "real"?  Seems to me we have one
>or more ex-travel agents out there, who I'm hoping
>can shed some light on this for me.  Thanks,
>
>-- 
>Rick Kiessig
>{decvax, ucbvax}!sun!idi!kiessig
>{akgua, allegra, amd, burl, cbosgd, decwrl, dual, ihnp4}!idi!kiessig
>Phone: 408-996-2399

   To my knowledge the only people who get to use airline systems are those
with a genuine need-to-know. This encompasses at least the following:
   1. Airlines
   2. Travel Agents
   3. Corporate travel bureaus  (Not the same as travel agents)
   4. Certain select businesses which have an interest in the system such as
      A. Car rental companies
      B. Hotel chains
      C. Deak-Perera (A money changing firm)
      D. Cruise lines
      E. Tour Companies
      F. Amtrak
      These businesses use the airline systems and have links to most of the
      major systems so that the system user can perform almost any travel
      service on a single system.

   The problem with giving the general public access to one of these systems
is twofold. First of all the typical prices given to travel agents are less
than what the real cost would be. This is because there is an inherent
advantage for an airline to have its system in a travel agent's office as the
travel agent tends to be very biased towards that airline. (This is what those
dummies at the CAB didn't understand when they were worrying about bias
caused by placement of flights on a screen which is trivial as opposed to the
gigantic bias given to the airline which supports the host). Thus it is rather
foolish to give away your computing services to someone who has little to
give back to you. Airlines usually require even travel agents to have a
minimum annual volume in sales before they will put a system in their office.
Secondly, there is a great deal of damage that can be done to the airlines by
a user with malice. e.g. Booking large numbers of seats on an airline to
increase its no-show problem. It is important to cancel space on a flight when
you find out it will not be used. There is also poor security in the systems
and it is relatively easy to screw up somebody else's reservation. While the
systems have an audit trail which permits them to usually nail a bad guy,
they have a lot more clout upon a travel agency or supplier then they do
with a single individual.  As a travel agent, if I am caught doing malicious
things on the computer not only can the system be removed from my office, but
I also can be fined or in a severe case put out of business.

   There has been a tendancy recently toward giving the public more access
through systems such as Compuserve. TWA has been the leader towards freeing
up their inventory but other airlines have been very strong in their objection
to this kind of freedom because of the loss of control.  I suspect we will see
more of a tendancy toward passive information such as schedules and fares, but
it may be a while before the public really gets its hands onto a full airline
data base.

   Finally let me add that the typical airline system is not at all "user
friendly". They were originally designed in the 60's for printer terminals
so they have a lot of the characteristics of a line editor. Only some of
the newer features utilize curser control. It takes a great deal of time to
become proficient in one of these systems. Typically the airlines offer free
schooling to travel agents who purchase or lease one of their systems. I
would guess that it takes a minimum of 2 full weeks plus several advanced
courses given on week-ends before you complete the training. Then it takes
several months of on-the-job training before you really get good.


		Bob Shapiro