Overview

Users have the option to integrate their Softrip system with a variety of GDS platforms. These types of integrations can vary from shopping air and land packages directly through the system, managing schedule changes with or without shopping, and the ability to import existing PNR’s into the reservation.

Softrip has the ability to automate schedule changes within the Operations, however, the first step for any new user is to manage these schedule changes manually.

Setting up Operations- Air Schedule Changes

The below four steps are an overview of what is needed to set-up the schedule change queue in operations.

Access the Operations system
Select “Air Schedule Changes”
Fill in the schedule change filters
Set-up the Schedule Change Queue in Operations

Note: Each GDS has different queues for schedule changes. Users will need to review their individual GDS to obtain the queue details. This is a necessary step in order to enter the correct information within Softrip.

Defining the fields

Air Server

The Air Server is the internal resource server that lays between Softrip and the GDS.

CRS

The CRS correlates to the GDS that is being used by the company to pull the the data and flights from. Softrip will set-up the three letter code that correlates to the GDS that is being used.

Start Q

Enter details for the GDS queue that contains unprocessed schedule changes.

Each GDS has their own queue convention. For example, schedule changes may always fall into queue 7 for Amadeus.

Success Q

Once a schedule change is processed successfully, Softrip will move the PNR to the success queue.

Failure Q

Based on the filters the user identified, schedule changes that cannot be procsesed will be placed on this GDS queue.

Fail on Flight # Change

The "fail on flight number change" is a "yes or no" prompt. Users should select the checkbox if a flight record should appear on the "failed" queue if the schedule change changes the flight number on the air record.

Flight # Change Carriers

The "flight # change carriers" option allows users to identify specific airline carriers where a flight should fail if a flight number change occurs. By entering comma delimited airline codes into this field, the schedule change will only fail if a flight number changes on the carriers listed.

Fail on # Conn. Change

The "fail on number of connections/connection change" option is a "yes or no" prompt. Users should select the checkbox if a schedule change should appear on the "failed" queue if a schedule change includes adding a connection city to a non-stop flight or if the number of connections change.

Fail on Max Time Diff

Enter the numerical value in minutes of the time difference that a schedule change should fail on. This is set by the business.

Connection Check

If selected, the application will run a GDS command to ensure the minimum legal connection times are met. The command is programmed by the GDS.

Capture Only

Selecting capture only will update the Softrip bookings with the latest schedule.

Place on TKT Q

The place on ticketing queue option allows users to designate the number of days prior to departure that a PNR should appear again on the GDS ticketing queue in order to be ticketed again with the updated schedule.

This only applies to accepted schedule changes that require a ticket to be re-issued.

Min/Max Conn time

The min/max time field is the acceptable minimum and maximum flight connection times.

Major/Minor Time

Enter a number of minutes that determines whether a change in time is a minor change or a major change.

Ref In

Always “N”

Ref Key

The reference key, typically an asterisk. This is how a booking number is identified in a PNR.

The below is an example of a typical schedule change workflow

Setting up the schedule change queue

The schedule change queue is a feature that is included in the Air Operations set-up process.

Just like other resqueues, Softrip will set up the events/actions that will be associated to the queue itself under the booking rule EVT-SCHCHG. The customer will be responsible for customizing the e-mail communication within the queue settings.

The queue is designed to send notifications to the customer on any schedule change that has been processed through Air Schedule Changes in Operations.