Universal API uses Air Merchandising Web Services to allow access to Optional Services (or Ancillaries), which allows airlines and travel providers to sell ancillary products. The Air Merchandising Web Services allow a customer to shop Optional Services and book them in a PNR that already exists. Or, a customer can shop for Optional Services and book them at the same time as the Air Booking is created.
Optional Services can come from one of three sources:
- ATPCO-Filed Optional Services. These are services that carriers file directly with ATPCO.
- API-Sourced Optional Services. These services are not filed with ATPCO, but are delivered directly from the carrier, via the carrier's API.
- Low Cost Carrier (LCC). These services are linked to specific LCCs. The best practice is to purchase these services using the Universal API Shop, Price, Book, and Modify workflow, not the Air Merchandising Web Services.
The Optional Services that are available are dependent upon a user's provisioning in Universal API. As part of the Universal API setup, a user is set up with an Agency hierarchy, and the Agency is set up with Work Area Branches (WAB), which are equivalent to a Branch. Each WAB contains the PCC, IATA, and other agency information. The WAB also requires that the provider system (for example, Galileo (1G)) of the Agency is provisioned for merchandising transactions against PNRs in that provider.
As carriers roll out their Optional Services, some point-of-sale restrictions may apply. This means that Universal API users can only access Optional Services that carriers have made available for the countries in which the user's point-of-sale exists. Additionally, Optional Services may become available for any carrier, at any time, depending on when the carrier files its Optional Services.
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