Interface: PoweredLowestFare

Introduction

The PoweredLowestFare Search interface provides access to the high-performance, flexible and interactive low fare search tool within the Amadeus System designed to enable a web customer to navigate through a large volume of flight combinations and associated fares (recommendations). Integrated state of the art low fare search algorithms and technology for both domestic and international requests optimize the search process, returning a wide range of recommendations for flight and fare options with one single query request.

The Amadeus Lowest Fare search facility has the ability to process both Public fares as well as Non-Corporate and Corporate UNIFARES (Amadeus Negotiated Fares, Dynamic Discounted Fares, ATPCO Private Fares and ATPCO CAT35 Negotiated Fares). This feature ensures that all possible fares available to the requesting agent are reflected in the recommendations returned.

The Lowest Fare operations have been categorized into the following functions:

Search

This operation provides the ability to search the Amadeus fare systems for lowest fare recommendations with regards to specified trip requirements.

SellFromRecommendation

This function has been designed to sell a recommendation proposed by the PoweredLowestFare_Search function. An optional selling algorithm can be activated to overcome situations where a simple sell would normally be rejected by the airline.

Considerations

Additional information about the recommendation, such as Fare Notes, Flight Information and so forth, which may not be available with the Powered_LowestFareSearch Interface, can be obtained using alternative APIv2 Powered Interfaces.

Limitations

Not applicable.

Unsupported Functions

Not applicable.

Prerequisites

Currently, this interface may return a maximum size of 64K for any message. Although not all messages returned will contain such a large amount of information, the user's platform must be able to accept this maximum size to avoid potential error conditions.

Function: Search

Overview

This function is designed to facilitate a wide range of options, ensuring that customers can narrow down or broaden the fare search, in order to precisely match their request. The flexibility of this function provides the potential to receive up to 200 trip recommendations, enabling web-based customers to easily navigate through many choices.

A basic low fare search is composed of the following mandatory elements:

• Itinerary geographical information (Origin(s)//Destination(s))
• Itinerary Date Information
• Passenger information (Number of passenger seats required, and associated passenger type codes for travelling passengers)
• Number of Recommendations to be returned

In providing maximum flexibility to narrow or broaden the lowest fare search recommendations returned, optional elements may be included in a request. Optional elements may apply to the common low fare search, flight search, or fare search. The following optional elements are outlined below identifying the specific applicable search areas affected as well as whether the option is generally utilized to broaden or narrow the recommendations of a requested search.

The ability to request segments for travel with optional filter parameters is provided and the system will return recommendations of proposed segments making up a journey for the requested segments of an itinerary with applicable price information. Thus, allowing the user to navigate through the list of recommendations to determine the best choice for travel arrangements.
The following is a high level overview of this process;

Supported Operations

The following operations are supported with this function:

Limitations

Unsupported Operations

It should be noted that the additional field at the extreme right of the column is used to indicate whether the field option impacts the query or the reply procedures.

Expanded Parameters for Fare Types

At the present time, this function will not process the following fare type qualifiers if specified under the Expanded Parameter input option:

Longitude/Latitude

The ability to specify a search request with a longitude or latitude is currently not processed.

Passenger Type Codes

The cumulative and associative discounts are currently not processed.

Origin/Destination - Forced Location

The option to force a location to a city from a previously requested segment search result is currently not processed. e.g., 2nd requested departure city indicated to match the 1st requested arrival city of a proposed segment.

Sequence Number - Overnight Not Allowed

It is currently not possible to indicate that flight combinations with overnights are not allowed for the low fare search.
Therefore, the following Sequence Number is not supported;

Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Building A Query

Depending on the flavor of the API that is used, each query will follow a given structure. The queries for the function operations are clearly explained with data element examples in a generic table view that can be adapted to the specific flavor of the API in use.

It is important to note that the examples in each chapter are only illustrations and are meant to provide the basis for a better understanding on which fields are mandatory for basic operation utilisation. In some cases it is not a full explanation of every field that can be utilised for the operation, but rather a guideline to its use.

Receiving A Reply

For each query requested, either an applicable error message or a valid response will be returned. Applicable error message information is provided under each element section within this document.
The reply information will vary depending on the query information provided.

Reply Structure

As it is not possible to cover every reply structure possible, only a sample of a possible reply structure is provided as a guideline of the typical reply message expected.
Each reply will contain the following:

• Proposed Flight Segments for each requested segment
• Journeys consisting of combinations of proposed flight segments to complete the requested trip.
• Applicable Fares for journeys
• Applicable Fare Details

It should be noted that the number of recommendations returned are dispersed between applicable fares and will be less than or equal to the number recommendations requested in the query. E.g, One applicable Fare may contain more than one journey, resulting in a set of recommendations based on the same Fare.

Below is a typical reply structure that can be expected to the query sample provided in the "Building A Query" section of this document. The sample reply structure contains the following information for 5 recommendations to a query containing 2 requested segments (1st - Nice to Houston, 2nd - Houston to Nice):

NOTE: The reply structure contains all proposed segments listed first followed by associated fare information for the proposed segments to complete each recommendation.

Error Messages

Specific error conditions exist for each mandatory and optional parameter in the query. However, as these errors may be returned in several instances and it is not always apparent to which operational parameter they apply, this section provides the following general errors that may be returned when building a query;

Operation: Search With Mandatory Elements

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Operation: Search With Option Airline

The Include and Exclude options may be combined with any other option. Both the Include and Exclude options may be utilised in the same request. The Preferred option can be combined with any other option but the Preferred Connecting Point. And it cannot be specified at the same level (itinerary, same requested segment) as the Include/Exclude Airline options.

If a YY carrier code is used in the "Include" option at the same time as a specific Airline, then, this specific Airline can be proposed as Non-Stop or Direct flights and in connections with any other Airline.

If the "Exclude" option is utlised, the search process may propose any carrier except those carriers specified in the exclude parameter.

If "Include" option is combined with the "Exclude" option, the "Include" option must contain a YY carrier code for the processing of the Exclude option.

If not specified otherwise, no occurrence of an Exclude carrier as Non Stop, Direct and/or in any part of a connection is selected. In case of Joint Operation, both airline codes have to be checked. Marketing carrier and operating carrier will have to be checked.

Preferred Airline codes can be used to ensure that proposed segments considered by the system when building recommendations will include online solutions on those airlines. This option does not ensure that recommendations returned by Master Pricer will include such Proposed Segments as the objective is still to propose the lowest available recommendations.

Examples:

If the same airline code appears twice within the same option the request is not rejected, rather the second occurrence of the airline code is automatically ignored.

The example below illustrates a low fare search including an optional Airline element specified with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• Total trip itinerary from Paris to NYC.
• AF is mandatory within the trip and my be combined with any other airline(YY) at the itinerary level (for each requested segment).
• Exclusion of AA as for the proposed segments between Paris and Miami. . BA preferred on proposed segments from Miami to NYC

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Airline Code

The airline codes are a 2 alpha numeric character code that is defined in the Amadeus System. If the airline code specified is invalid, the entire entry will be rejected and the error "Invalid Airline Code" will be returned.
Verify the airline codes specified in the request and resend the request.

Invalid Exclude Airline Option

YY Airline Code Not Present in Combined Include Option
If the "Exclude" option is combined with the "Include" option and the YY code is not used as an include airline code, the entire entry is rejected with the following message:
"INVALID EXCLUDE AIRLINE OPTION"
Example:

Request	Process
Include: TW, CO, AA Exclude: US	Entry rejected.

YY Airline Code in Exclude Option
If the YY code is used in the "Exclude" option, the entire entry is rejected with the following message:
"INVALID EXCLUDE AIRLINE OPTION"

Airline Cannot Be At the Same Time Included and Excluded

If the same airline code is specified as "Include" and "Exclude", at the same request level, the entire entry is rejected with the following message:
"AIRLINE CANNOT BE AT THE SAME TIME INCLUDED AND EXCLUDED"

• If more than 3 airline codes are specified, the entire entry is rejected with the following message:
  INVALID 3 PREFERRED AIRLINE CODES MAXIMUM
• If the Preferred Airline option is requested in combination with the Include/Exclude Airline option, the entry is rejected with the message:
  PREFERRED AND INCLUDE/EXCLUDE AIRLINE CANNOT BE MIXED
• If the Preferred Airline option is requested in combination with the Preferred connecting Point option, the entry is rejected with the message:
  PREFERRED AIRLINE AND CONNECTION OPTIONS CANNOT BE MIXED

If an airline code is specified more than once, the entry is not rejected: the second occurrence is just ignored.

Operation: Search With Option Pricing Scheme Reference

The example below illustrates a low fare search including an optional Pricing Scheme reference number specified with the following information.

Query Requirements:

• Total trip itinerary from Paris to NYC.
• AF is mandatory within the trip and my be combined with any other airline(YY) at the itinerary level (for each requested segment).
• Pricing scheme reference provided to calculate Service Fees.

Query Structure

Possible Errors

See "Error Messages" section.

Operation: Search With No Cabin Defaulting

This cabin class applies to the entire requested itinerary. It is only possible to default to other classes of service in the case where it has been requested to do so and at least one flight of the proposed segment contains the cabin class specified.

Cabin class may not be specified at individual segment levels. The following cabins may be specified:

• First/Supersonic
• Business
• Economic

For a marketing carrier, the cabin corresponding to each booking code is determined by the booking code and the first letter based on the Cabin definition stored in Amadeus System (e.g. C, CN)

When a Cabin is specified, the lowest fares are proposed using the Classes that are identified as matching the requested Cabin. Non-Stops, Directs, Connecting and Change of Gauges for which the cabin is not defined or not available are not selected.

The cabin option applies to the entire trip and must be specified at the itinerary level of the request. Requested cabin options at the segment level will result in an error.

Whenever the User specifies it, and whenever the requested cabin does not exist on some flights - either not defined or closed - the other cabins may be considered by the system. This process is only applied when in at least one of the flights of a Proposed segment on the requested cabin exists. Whenever a Proposed segment may not be booked in the requested cabin on any flight, this Proposed segment is eliminated, even if the end user allowed defaulting to other cabins.

Examples:

The example below illustrates a low fare search including an optional Cabin element specified with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• Requested cabin service: F
• No cabin defaulting, requested cabin must be on entire trip recommendation

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Cabin Code

If the cabin code does not exist, the following error message is returned:
"INVALID CABIN CODE".

Option Cannot be Applied at Requested Segment Level

If the cabin code is not requested at the itinerary level, the following error message is returned:
"OPTION CANNOT BE APPLIED AT REQUESTED SEGMENT LEVEL".

Operation: Search With Cabin Defaulting

The example below illustrates a low fare search including an optional Cabin element specified with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• Requested cabin service: F
• Cabin defaulting, when applicable, for flights that do not have the requested cabin service available. Note, however, that at least one of flight on each requested segment must propose the requested cabin in order to be eligible.

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Cabin Code

If the cabin code does not exist, the following error message is returned:
"INVALID CABIN CODE".

Option Cannot be Applied at Requested Segment Level

If the cabin code is not requested at the itinerary level, the following error message is returned:
"OPTION CANNOT BE APPLIED AT REQUESTED SEGMENT LEVEL".

Operation: Connection Point

Connection points must be segment specific. They may be combined with any other option, excluding the Non-Stop Flight Category - in which, an error message is not returned, but the connection point specified is ignored. Connecting Points to Include may be combined with the Connection Points to exclude, providing the same connection points are not used for both categories.

One additional specific combination restriction for preferred connection option: Preferred connecting point option can be combined with any other option except the "Non-Stop" Flight Category option and the preferred Airline option.

The connection points are 3 character IATA City or Airport codes. When an Include Connecting Point option is specified, all itineraries returned must at least go via this Connecting Point. When two Include Connecting Points are requested, proposed itineraries must at least go via both these Connecting Points in the order specified in the entry. The Change of Gauge and direct flights whose stops are in the requested point are not selected there.

Direct flights, Change of Gauge (COG) and Connections that have at least one stop at one of the exclude connect points are excluded. When two Excluded Connecting Points are specified, any itinerary going through one of those Connecting Points is excluded.

If an Exclude Connecting Point is specified at the same time as a Non-Stop Flight Category option, the system returns Non-Stop flights recommendations and ignores the Connecting Point requested.

If an airport code is specified as an Excluded connecting point, the alternate airports associated to the same city are candidates to the selection.

If a city code is specified as an Excluded connecting point, all Airports associated to that City are excluded.

When a preferred Connecting Point option is specified, the system will use it to build "Preferred" Proposed Segments. Those "Preferred" Proposed Segments will go via at least one of the Preferred Connecting Points requested. These preferred proposed segments will be considered by the system when building the recommendations.(The Change of Gauge and direct flights whose stops are in the requested point are not selected here.)

Preferred Connecting Point can be used to ensure that proposed segments considered by the system when building recommendations will include online solutions on those connecting point. This option does not ensure that recommendations returned by Master Pricer will include such Proposed Segments as the objective is still to propose the lowest available recommendations.

Examples:

The example below illustrates a low fare search including an optional Connection Point element specified with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• Entire Itinerary: Paris - Miami Return
• Exclusion of LGW airport for first requested segment
• Inclusion of NYC and LON cities for second requested segment
• Preferred connecting point specifies JFK airport for second requested segment

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Connecting Point

If the city or the airport code does not exist, the following error message is returned:
"INVALID CONNECTING POINT".

Same City/Airport Code Cannot be Included and Excluded

The error "SAME CITY/AIRPORT CODE CANNOT BE INCLUDED AND EXCLUDED" is returned in the following situations:

• If the same City/Airport code is used in the "Exclude" and in the "Include" list.
• If a City code is specified as an Exclude Connecting Point and an Airport associated to that city is specified as an Include Connecting Point, the entire message is rejected.

Non-Stop Cannot be Requested with Connect Point Option

If an Include Connecting Point is specified at the same time as a Non-Stop Flight Category option, the entire request is rejected and the following error message is returned:
"NON-STOP CANNOT BE REQUESTED WITH CONNECT POINT OPTION".

No Itinerary Found for Requested Segment

If no itinerary can be found then the entire itinerary is rejected with the message:
"NO ITINERARY FOUND FOR REQUESTED SEGMENT n"
where n is the number of the first Requested Segment that failed.

If a Preferred Connecting Point is specified at the same time as a Non-Stop Flight Category option, the entire request is rejected and the following error message is returned: "NON-STOP CANNOT BE REQUESTED WITH CONNECT POINT OPTION".

If a Preferred Connecting Point option is specified at the same time as a preferred airline option, the entire query is rejected and the following error message is returned: "PREFERRED AND INCLUDE/EXCLUDE AIRLINE CANNOT BE MIXED"

Operation: Currency Conversion

The currency conversion option may be combined with any other option.

It is mandatory that the ticketing price type be set to "CUC" to indicate a currency conversion request. It is mandatory for any query including the currency conversion option.

It is mandatory that a currency code be specified for the conversion. All price amounts for recommendations are converted in the requested Currency. There is no default currency for conversion, it must be specified.

The example below illustrates a low fare search including an optional Currency Conversion element specified with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• Currency to be returned: eEUROS

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Currency Conversion

If an unknown Currency is specified, the entire request is rejected and the following error message is returned:
"INVALID CONVERSION CURRENCY".

Currency must be specified

If the ticketing price type is set to currency conversion (CUC), yet a currency code is not specified for the conversion, the entire query is rejected with the following error:
"CURRENCY MUST BE SPECIFIED"

Invalid Value - ConversionRate

If a currency code for conversion is specified, yet the ticketing price type has not be set for the currency conversion (CUC), the entire query is rejected with the following error message:
"INVALID VALUE - CONVERSION RATE"

Operation: Fare Type - Expanded Parameter

The fare type - expanded parameter option may be combined with any other option. With the exception that the No Restriction parameter (NR) may not be combined with any other expanded parameter.
The following fare type - Expanded Parameters are supported:

Advance purchase: NAP

Search for low fares having no advance purchase.

Penalty information for cancellation: NPE

Search for low fares having no penalty.

No Restriction: NR

Search for low fares having no restrictions.

Refundable fares: RF

Search for low fares that may be refundable.

A maximum of 3 expanded parameter may be requested.

The example below illustrates a low fare search including an optional Expanded Parameter element specified with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• Only refundable fares should be returned in the recommendations

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Value - Pricing / Tick Info

The only valid expanded parameter options applicable are NAP, NPE, NR and RF. If an unknown Expanded Parameter is specified in the entry, the entire request is rejected and the following error message is returned:
"INVALID VALUE - PRICING/TICK INFO".

Conflicting Options Used

It is not possible to combine the No Restriction (NR) Expanded Parameter with any other Expanded Parameter. If this check fails, the entire request is rejected and the following error message is returned:
"CONFLICTING OPTIONS USED".

Operation: Flight Category

The following Flight Categories are supported:

• Non-Stop: N
• Direct: D
• Connecting: C

The rules defined in Availability apply regarding the definition of the Change of Gauge (COG) flights:

• US market: the COG is considered as a Direct flight
• EU market: the COG is included in the Connecting flights.

This information is usually obtained from the User Office Profile settings. However, due to current information limitations, the change of gauge will be always considered as a connecting flight within this function.

A maximum of 3 flight categories per requested segment may be specified and may be combined with any other option, excluding an include connection point with a Non-Stop flight category.

The example below illustrates a low fare search including an optional Flight Category element specified with the following information. Query Requirements:

• Trip from Paris to New York
• Non-Stop and Direct flight categories requested for entire trip
• Direct Flight category for 1st segment connection Miami to New York

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Flight Category

If an unknown Flight Category is specified in the entry, the entire request is rejected and the following error message is returned:
"INVALID FLIGHT CATEGORY".

Invalid Flight Category

If an Include Connecting Point is specified at the same time as a Non-Stop Flight Category option, the entire request is rejected and the following error message is returned:
"NON-STOP CANNOT BE REQUESTED WITH CONNECT POINT OPTION".

Operation: Multi City

This option may be combined with any other option except the Area option on the same Origin or Destination point of a Requested Segment.

Constraint: All Cities/Airports at each Origin and/or Destination must be in the same country.

When a Multi-city option is specified, search is extended to the whole list of Cities and Airports specified in the entry.

When the number of Airports is significant, preference is given at the Origin/Destination level of each Requested Segment - to the Cities/Airports according to the order specified by the End User. Cities or Airports specified too far in the list may be ignored. The number of airports to consider in such a case must be tuned to fit the quality objectives and the technical constraints.

When many airports must be considered for both end points of a requested segment, they must be all considered fairly in the search process, being equally considered in the flight research. No preference should be given to the variety of city at Origin, compared to the variety at destination, and vice versa.

Examples:

The example below illustrates a low fare search including an optional Multi City element specified with the following information:
Query Requirements:

• 1st segment search multiple departure cities (Paris or Lille) matching multiple arrival cities (Fort Lauderdale)

Query Structure

Possible Errors

City/Airports Must be in Same Country

At each Origin/Destination level of each Requested Segments, all Cities and/or Airports must belong to the same country. If this check fails, the entire entry is rejected with the following error message:
"CITY/AIRPORTS MUST BE IN SAME COUNTRY".

Operation: Origin Destination Area

A radius of search may be specified on any Origin and/or Destination point of each requested segment.

The units of measure for a radius search must be specified in kilometers. A maximum radius of 300 kilometers may be specified.

The Area of search is restricted to the Cities/Airports in the same country as the City/Airport of reference. Whenever the reference point of the area is an airport, all the airports of its city are considered in the request, as long as they are in the same country.

When an Origin/Destination Area option is specified, search is extended to all the Cities/Airports existing in the requested Area providing these Cities/Airports belong to the same country as the City/Airport of reference.

Examples:

Technical constraints may lead to a limited search. In such a case, preference is given to the cities of the area whose density is higher and that are closer to the city of reference.
To do so, a 2-step selection will be used, for technical reasons:

1. Select the cities within the specified radius
2. Select highest density Cities by decreasing density. Same density cities closer to the reference city are preferred.

Since density and distance are repeated for each city pair, these values may be modified manually to handle specific cases where a city should not be selected, despite its high density, due to its relative inaccessibility. For example eliminate Bastia from a Nice + 300 Km request. The density of the city of reference is normally not considered, since the city of reference is normally always used. However, a manual modification of the density value should allow tuning for specific cases.

When many cities must be considered for both end points of a requested segment, both end point variety must be handled fairly in the search process: no preference should be given to the variety of cities at Origin, compared to the variety at destination, and vice versa.

Examples:

The example below illustrates a low fare search including an optional Origin/Destination Area element specified with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• First itinerary segment. Departure MUC city + 150km. Arrival NYC airport + 100km.
• Second itinerary segment Departure from NYC Arrival MUC

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Conflicting Multi-City Options

If an Origin/Destination Area option and a Multi-city option are both specified at the same time on the same Origin or Destination point, the entire entry is rejected with the following error message:
"CONFLICTING MULTI-CITY OPTIONS".

Conflicting Multi-City Options

The radius must be between 0 and 300km. \ If this check fails, the entire request is rejected with the following error message:
"INVALID RADIUS - MAXIMUM ALLOWED 300KM"

Invalid Value - departureLocalization/arrivalLocalization

If the unit of measure is not specified or is specified as anything other than Kilometers (K), the entire query will be rejected and depending on whether the radius search was requested on the departure or arrival location one of the following applicable error message:
"INVALID VALUE - DEPARTURELOCALIZATION" or "INVALID VALUE - ARRIVALLOCALIZATION"

Operation: Price To Beat

This option may be combined with any other option.
The Price to Beat amount can be composed of up to 9 digits, and the value must be higher than zero. No decimal placement is allowed in the input.

The currency of the Price to Beat is the requested Currency of Conversion if specified; otherwise, it is the default selling currency that is determined as per usual pricing rules.

If no Price to Beat is specified, all prices will be considered valid as a qualifying recommendation.

The example below illustrates a low fare search including the optional Price to Beat element specified with the following information:
Query Requirements:

• Price to Beat is 3500 Euros

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Price to Beat Value

If the Price to Beat amount is composed of more than 9 digits, the value is not higher than zero, or a decimal placement is included in the input, the entire request is rejected and the following error message is returned:
"INVALID PRICE TO BEAT VALUE"

No Recommendation Found with Lower or Equal Price

The Price to Beat is used as a reference. No recommendation that is returned to the End-User may have an higher price. If no lower price recommendation is found, the following error message is returned:
"NO RECOMMENDATION FOUND WITH LOWER OR EQUAL PRICE".

Operation: Range Of Dates

When a Range of plus and/or minus one Day is specified on a Requested Segment, search of flights applies on a Range of Dates of up to three days - the current day plus and/or minus 1 day. Search is only allowed on a Range of up to three days:

• Either requested date plus 2 days maximum
• Or requested date minus 2 days maximum
• Or requested date plus and minus 1 day maximum

In the search, no preference is given to any of the dates. The only preference factor will be the price and the carrier variety. A good distribution and variety of recommendations is expected on the different days of the range.

The example below illustrates a low fare search including the optional Range of Dates element specified with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• Search the Departure date plus 1 day
• Search the Arrival date minus 1 day

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Range of Dates Option

Search is only allowed on a Range of two days: i.e. the requested Date plus or minus one day. If a plus or minus more than one day option is specified or if a plus and minus one day option is specified, the entire entry is rejected with the following error message:
"INVALID RANGE OF DATES OPTION".

Operation: Selling Ticketing Cities Override

The requested Selling and/or a Ticketing Cities are used to determine applicable fares and currency for the recommendations. The selling and ticketing cities are applied from the requestor's system office ID city settings. If the selling or ticketing city override option is used, the cities specified will be utilized instead of the requestor Office-id City.

The city code specified must be a valid city code stored in the Amadeus System. Airport codes may not be utilized, unless the airport and city code are the same.

Examples:

A maximum of one selling and one ticketing city may be specified applicable to the entire request. These options may be combined together and/or with any other option.

The example below illustrates a low fare search including the optional selling/ticketing cities override element specified with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• Selling city is PAR
• Ticketing city is PAR

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Ticketing/Selling City

If the requested Selling or Ticketing city are not a valid city code in the Amadeus System, the entire request is rejected and the following message is returned:
"INVALID TICKETING/SELLING CITY"

Operation: Time Option Departure Arrival

The Time option can be:

A Time of Departure: TD

If no range of dates is requested, search for flights that depart between the requested time and 11:59PM. If a range of dates is requested, the TD applies on the first day of the range. The search for flights applies for the period between the TD on the first day of the range and 23h59 on the last day of the range like it is described in the figure below:

A Time of Arrival: TA

If no range of dates is requested, search for flights that arrive between 00:00AM and the requested time. If a range of dates is requested, search for flights that arrive on the last day of the date range before the requested time, or any time the previous day(s).

Examples:

Refer to the paragraph for the Departure/Arrival time handling when both options are combined.

The example below illustrates a low fare search including the Times by Arrival and Departure elements specified with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• Departure from origin by 6pm on 23AUG01

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Time Option

The error message "INVALID TIME OPTION" is returned in the following instances:

• If an hour is specified without any indication about whether it means a Time of Departure or a Time of Arrival
• If no time is specified after the Time of Departure or the Time of Arrival indicator

Operation: Time Window

Valid time range values range between 1 and 12.

The Time Window applies either on the Time of Departure or the Time of Arrival to restrict the search on the flights in the range of hours around (+ and -) the requested date and time.

When requested on a unique departure/arrival date, the time window may overlap to the previous/next day to fulfill the request.

When requested on a range of dates, the time window is interpreted on each day of the date range. Consequently, the time window may not extend the requested date range.

Note: The Time of Departure/Arrival option with a specified date is mandatory when using this option.

Examples:

The example below illustrates a low fare search including the Times by Arrival and Departure elements specified with an optional time Window element with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• Arrival on 23AUG01 or plus one day around 10pm with time window of 4 hours.

Note: Achieving the same results, the time Window could also be specified as:

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Time Window Option

The time window value varies from 1 to 12 hours. If this check fails, the entire entry is rejected with the following message:
"INVALID TIME WINDOW OPTION"

Time of Departure/Arrival is Mandatory if Time Window Requested

If no Time of Departure/Arrival is specified, the entire request is rejected with the following error message:
"TIME OF DEPARTURE/ARRIVAL IS MANDATORY IF TIME WINDOW REQUESTED".

Date is Mandatory

If no date is specified, the entire request is rejected with the following error message:
"DATE IS MANDATORY".

Operation: Type of Ticket (Electronic/Paper Ticket)

The paper and electronic ticket surcharge concept is driven from fare data filed by the airline.

Three new pricing options are available to allow the End User to link the fare priced and the type of Fare required.

'/PT' FOR PAPER TICKET
'/ET' FOR ELETRONIC TICKET
'/EP' FOR ELECTRONIC AND PAPER TICKET

Note: that Electronic Ticketing (ET) is not yet available in all markets or all carriers, for further details contact your local Amadeus Help Desk for more information, to ensure that the Office Profile has been modified accordingly and the market where the airlines are situated can benefit from Electronic Ticketing (ET).

Examples:

The example below illustrates a low fare search for Electronic Ticket solutions only.
Query Requirements:

• Search to include Published Fares, non corporate Unifares and Coporate Fares (Coporate code 12345)

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Time Window Option

The time window value varies from 1 to 12 hours. If this check fails, the entire entry is rejected with the following message:
"INVALID TIME WINDOW OPTION"

Time of Departure/Arrival is Mandatory if Time Window Requested

If no Time of Departure/Arrival is specified, the entire request is rejected with the following error message:
"TIME OF DEPARTURE/ARRIVAL IS MANDATORY IF TIME WINDOW REQUESTED".

Date is Mandatory

If no date is specified, the entire request is rejected with the following error message:
"DATE IS MANDATORY".

Operation: Unifare

If the specific types of fares are not requested, only the public fares will be searched.

This option may be combined with any other option.
The following Unifares options are supported:

• Published fares: RP
• Unifares: RU
• Corporate Unifares: RW with a mandatory Corporate number xxxxxx
• Amadeus Nego: RN
• Amadeus Corporate: RC with a mandatory Corporate number xxxxxx

These fare type searches may be combined, with the exception of Unifares (RU) or Corporate Unifares (RW) with an Amadeus Nego (RN) or Amadeus Nego Corporate (RC) in the same entry.

An associated corporate number must be specified for Corporate Unifares or Amadeus Nego Corporate requests.

Note: The search is restricted to one corporateid (Corporate identity) Value.

The example below illustrates a low fare search including the optional Unifares element with the following information.
Query Requirements:

• Search to include Published Fares, non corporate Unifares and Coporate Fares (Coporate code 12345)

Query Structure

Possible Errors

Invalid Value - Corporate

If a valid corporate type is not specified (RW or RC) or if the corporate number specified is not matching the corporate type requested (RW or RC), then the entire query is rejected with the following error message
"INVALID VALUE - CORPORATE"

Corporate Number Must be Specified

If a corporate type (RC or RW) has been specified, yet no associated corporate number is included in the query, the entire query is rejected with the following error:
"CORPORATE NUMBER MUST BE SPECIFIED"

Conflicting Options Used

Unifares and Amadeus Nego/Corporate options are not combinable. If this check fails, the entire request is rejected and the following message is returned:
"CONFLICTING OPTIONS USED"

Operation: Infant Taking Seat

This example shows a query for an adult and an infant (ins) both taking a seat.

Query Structure

Possible Errors

See "Error Messages" section.

Operation: Technical Stop

This example shows a reply with a 'technical stop' flight solution.

In the reply extract below note the technical stop on flight BA 772 between LHR and SYD: item 86.

Query Structure

Possible Errors

See "Error Messages" section.

Operation: Change Of Gauge

This example illustrates a 'change of gauge' flight solution.

The reply has been limited to 3 units (instead of 200) this is primarily due to the size of the output.
In Proposed segment 2, see the change of gauge (i.e. change of equipment) on flight IB6173 between MAD and SJO. Traveller stops in MIA and changes of equipment Boeing 747 => Airbus 319.