Air Merchandising Fulfillment for Low Cost and API Carriers

The Air Merchandising Fulfillment request for API carriers (e.g., Delta, United, etc.) and Low Cost Carriers (LCC) such as easyJet that are sourced through Airline Content Hub (ACH), can include optional services for multiple carriers and multiple providers. The request is made post-booking, and the response returns the confirmed Optional Services.

Schema

Located in AirReqRsp.xsd:

• AirMerchandisingFulfillmentReq
• AirMerchandisingFulfillmentRsp

Request

AirMerchandisingFulfillmentReq supports the fulfillment of Optional Services.

Fulfillment of the optional service paid seat is done by the carrier, and a credit card form of payment must be sent in the request.

1. Enter the minimum data required for all carriers and providers in the Air Merchandising Fulfillment request.
2. Enter the minimum data required for API and Low Cost carriers:

HostToken

A HostToken is required if a HostToken was returned in the previous web service in the flow (in this case, the SeatMapRsp).

• A HostToken @Key is needed to reference the matching air segment.
• A HostToken is expected for each AirSegment sent in the request.

HostReservation

HostReservation is required and must include the CarrierLocatorCode and the ProviderCode.

AirSolution

AirSolution/AirSegment is required.

• Each AirSegment identifies the flight associated with the seats being added or modified.
• Each AirSegment should include a HostTokenRef with the associated HostToken @Key value

CreditCard

A credit card form of payment is required in the Air Merchandising Fulfillment request if the seat has a charge. CreditCard includes the payment and billing address to b e used.

Delta requires at least one space between names in CreditCard @Name. Examples:

Name="Robert Smith"

Name="Robert E Smith"

The following @Name values will return an error:

Name="Smith"

Name="Smith-Jones"

OptionalService

An OptionalService, taken from AirMerchandisingOfferAvailabilityRsp, must be sent for each air segment and traveler.

• OptionalService must include the applicable AirSegmentRef and BookingTravelerRef.
• OptionalService can include the seat assignment in ServiceData/@Data. Or, the seat assignment can be sent in SpecificSeatAssignment.
• A standard seat in the back of the plane is identified if Remark or Description is not sent and when the price is 0.00.

Universal API compares the price of each Optional Service sent in the request with the Optional Service returned by ACH.

• @ProviderDefinedType can be included in the request. @ProviderDefinedType is available for users that copy the OptionalService from the Air Merchandising Offer Availability response. If OptionalService @ProviderDefinedType is not included in the request, Universal API sends OptionalService @Type.

The Air Merchandising Fulfillment response returns OptionalService @Type and @ProviderDefinedType in all schema versions.

• An OptionalService taken from SeatMapRsp (Air v35 and later) must be sent with ServiceStatus="Offered".

3. Enter additional request data to refine the response.

AirSolution/SearchTraveler

Each SearchTraveler identifies the name of the traveler associated with the seats being added or modified.

SpecificSeatAssignment

The seat assignments can be sent in either SpecificSeatAssignment or OptionalService/ServiceData @Data.

If SpecificSeatAssignment is used, BookingTravelerRef must be sent to associate the correct traveler, and SegmentRef must be sent to associate the correct air segment.

<air:SpecificSeatAssignment BookingTravelerRef="2" SegmentRef="0T" SeatId="19E"/>

Note: If an invalid Loyalty Card is sent in the request, it is ignored an no warning is returned.

United Paid Seat - Pre-ticketing

Previously, United Airlines (UA) required a ticketed PNR in order to purchase a seat upgrade. However, UA has removed the ticketing requirement. Universal API supports the fulfillment of UA paid seats pre-ticketing.

• The form of payment must be sent in the AirMerchandisingFulfillmentReq with the paid seat optional service. UA confirms the paid seat, but does not issue the EMD until the ticket is issued.
• The OptionalService in the AirMerchandisingFulfillmentRsp does not have a @Confirmation attribute when an EMD has not yet been issued.
• After an EMD is issued, the EMD number is not returned in the OptionalService @Confirmation, nor saved in the Universal Record (UR) unless another AirMerchandisingFulfillmentReq is sent.

Response

AirMerchandisingFulfillmentRsp contains the entire Universal Record including new or updated Optional Service information. The response returns:

• UniversalRecord. UniversalRecord displays items such as traveler, seat assignment, loyalty information, and optional services purchased.
• OptionalService.
  •  When an Optional Service has been cancelled:
    • The Optional Service is deleted and OptionalService="Canceled" is not returned in the response.
    • The deleted Optional Service is recorded in the Universal Record History.
  • The Optional Service shows “Fulfilled” when the airline issues the EMD.

The provider reservation is updated by the carrier with the added or modified seat assignments.

Note: Delta updates the provider reservation for Worldspan (1P) bookings only.

Typically, the best price available for any one passenger is also applied to any other passengers in the booking. Responses may vary by carrier.

Based on a carrier's reconciliation process, the status of the Optional Service can vary. For example, a paid Optional Service that has been changed may still show as confirmed in the Air Merchandising Fulfillment response.

 

For Low Cost Carriers on ACH:

• Universal API returns one OptionalService element for one booking traveler that may contain a Quantity greater than "1".
• When an AirMerchandisingFulfillmentReq that includes OptionalService/ @Quantity greater than “1” is sent to the ACH provider for a Low Cost Carrier (LCC), the Quantity returned is the total number of Optional Services requested, which may reference multiple air segments but always one booking traveler.

The TotalPrice of the OptionalService is returned in TotalPrice in AirCreateReservationRsp/UniversalRecord/AirReservation/OptionalService.

Note: These enhancements are only supported by Airline Content Hub for Low Cost Carriers. For all other providers, only @Quantity="1" is supported.

For suppliers that include payment in the Fulfillment request:

• Upon successful fulfillment, a Payment is created within the Universal Record. The FOP used for Merchandising is saved to the Universal Record. The credit card used to purchase Optional Services may or may not be the same form of payment used to purchase the airline tickets. This payment includes the amount charged for the Merchandising transaction.
• If there is a Currency 0.00 Payment, then all Optional Services were free, and no Payment or Form of Payment is saved to the Universal Record because nothing was charged.
• If the Universal Record is retrieved at a later time, no synchronization of the Form of Payment is made with the supplier's Form of Payment of the PNR. The credit card used to purchase the Optional Service will not be overwritten by any other credit card found in the PNR/UR.

Errors and Warnings