Important: Rich Content and Branding functionality is based on carriers participating in Travelport's Rich Content and Branding program.
Brands and Upsell Brands are returned automatically in the responses for Low Fare Shopping and Air Pricing, when included by the carrier. Specific details from the pricing response must be included in the Air Booking request to ensure the Air Booking response includes all details of the brand.
Brand Tier / Host Token and Host Token Ref
In Release 16.2.1 a Host Token was implemented to aid with the pricing and booking of branded fares. Some fare components identifying certain brands were complex for the current pricing and booking transactions. The new implementation contains all the required fare components to properly retain a specific fare (and associated brand) when performing a pricing and/or booking transaction. The Host Token solution applies to Galileo and Worldspan. Apollo users should see the Brand Tier solution.
In 18.1, the Brand Tier modifier was implemented to also aid with the pricing and booking of these complex branded fares. The Host Token solution is unique to Universal API while the Brand Tier modifier is used by all points of sale at Travelport (Smartpoint, Galileo Desktop, WorldspanGO). The Brand Tier modifier is the preferred way to price and book branded fares. The Fare Host Token may still be used but might be retired in the future. Release 18.1
Differences between the two solutions:
- Host Token: Retains the exact fare during the book transaction that was returned in the AirPrice response.
- Brand Tier: Reprices the fare during the book transaction to get the best fare within the desired brand.
Important:
- When both brand tier and a fare host token are sent in a pricing request, the brand tier is used and the fare host token is ignored. A warning is returned: The fare HostToken has been ignored. The BrandTier has been applied.
- In a price response, a brand tier and fare host token may be returned. If you copy and paste the entire pricing solution into the Air Booking or Universal Record Modify transaction without removing either the brand tier or the fare host token, then the fare host token is ignored.
- To use the host token instead of the brand tier, remove the brand tier from the Air Booking or Universal Record Modify request in Universal.xsd v43.0 and later. Release 18.1
Notes:
- The Host Token should be used in the Air Price and Air Booking requests for both branded and non-branded fares.
The HostToken can be included in the AirPriceReq to price a specific brand or fare. Regardless of whether they are included in the Air Price request, both the HostToken and HostTokenRef are returned in the Air Price response and should be used in the Air Create Reservation request to successfully book the desired brand or fare, or in the Universal Record Modify AirAdd to successfully add the desired brand or fare to the UR. If they are not sent in the Air Create Reservation request or the Universal Record Modify Air Add request, the lowest brand or fare is typically booked by default.
- AirPricingSolution/AirPricingInfo/BookingInfo @HostTokenRef
- AirPricingSolution/HostToken
Note: The HostToken and HostTokenRef are supported for 1G, 1V, and 1P and are different from ACH Host Tokens.
Please see the Universal API Demo site for sample XML of the implementation of these Host Tokens.
Transactional Workflow
The flow diagram below shows the transactions that display Rich Content and Branding in their responses or require details to be included in the request.
Workflow with transactional details
The flow diagram below shows the Air Booking flow, including branded fare details. Note that Rich Content and Branding details display as part of a Low Fare Shopping/Air Booking flow.
Errors/Warnings
General
- The brand tier is a 1 to 4 numeric field. If the brand tier sent in the transaction request is not 1 to 4 numeric, a warning is returned: BrandTier should be 1-9999. BrandTier has been ignored.
Accepted BrandTier examples: BrandTier="5" , BrandTier="05" , BrandTier="005" , BrandTier="0005"
Unaccepted BrandTier example: BrandTier="00005" or anything with more digits
Price
- When one brand tier is specified in the price request with a segment modifier and another brand tier is specified in the price request without a segment modifier, an error is returned: All AirSegmentPricingModifers with BrandTier must have a unique AirSegmentRef.
- When multiple brand tiers are specified in the price request with segment modifiers, but the segment modifiers are not unique, an error is returned: All AirSegmentPricingModifers with BrandTier must have a unique AirSegmentRef.
- When multiple brand tiers are specified in the price request without segment modifiers and the brand tiers are different, an error is returned: Multiple BrandTier are not allowed unless a unique air segment is referenced for every BrandTier.
- When a brand tier is specified in the price request with a segment modifier that does not match any air segment, an error is returned: Key reference not found for AirSegment with key reference [AirSegmentRef key number] inside AirSegmentPricingModifiers.
Book and Universal Record Modify
- The brand tier must be the same for all passenger types in a stored fare. If the brand tiers are different, an error is returned: The Brand Tier must be the same for all passengers in a stored fare. This includes the scenario where a brand tier is sent for one passenger type, but not for the other passenger type.
- If the brand tier is sent in the book or Universal Record Modify request AirSegmentPricingModifiers element, the brand tier is ignored and a warning is returned: BrandTier should be sent in FareInfo/Brand. AirSegmentPricingModifiers/BrandTier has been ignored.
Shared Booking:Booking Pricing
- The brand tier must be the same for all passenger types in a stored fare. If the brand tiers are different, an error is returned: The Brand Tier must be the same for all passengers in a stored fare. This includes the scenario where a brand tier is sent for one passenger type, but not for the other passenger type.
Ticketing
- When one brand tier is specified in the ticketing request with a segment modifier and another brand tier is specified in the ticketing request without a segment modifier, an error is returned: All AirSegmentTicketingModifers with BrandTier must have a unique AirSegmentRef.
- When multiple brand tiers are specified in the ticketing request with segment modifiers, but the segment modifiers are not unique, an error is returned: All AirSegmentTicketingModifers with BrandTier must have a unique AirSegmentRef.
- When multiple brand tiers are specified in the ticketing request without segment modifiers and the brand tiers are different, an error is returned: Multiple BrandTier are not allowed unless a unique air segment is referenced for every BrandTier.
- When a brand tier is specified in the ticketing request with a segment modifier that does not match any air segment, an error is returned: Invalid AirSegmentRef provided in AirSegmentTicketingModifiers.
