This technology allows airlines not to make a refund to the payer at the moment, but to use the originally issued ticket as a voucher for future traffic.
The functionality of Sirena-Travel GDS allows the airline to formulate a clear and flexible commercial policy regarding the use of the originally issued ticket as a voucher in its own sales offices and travel agents.
In order to implement the technology of using the originally issued ticket as a voucher for paying for future flights in accordance with standard procedures in the Sirena-Travel GDS, airlines need to include the following key points in their own commercial policies and rules for booking and selling:
- Unused amount for an originally issued unused or partially used ticket is accepted as payment for a new ticket. Revalidation operations (changes in the originally issued ticket), or exchange without surcharge, exchange with surcharge or part-exchanges.
- The ability to change the status of the originally issued unused or partially used ticket, which will be used as a voucher for future transportation, in order to be able to select the originally issued tickets as vouchers for accounting systems. Transfer of coupon statuses on an originally issued ticket to U (Unavailable) status with subsequent status change when exchanging a ticket for E (Exchange) status. For TCH tickets is a mandatory requirement.
- The period during which the originally issued ticket can be accepted for exchange (for a fully or partially unused ticket). In the event of a forced change in the conditions of transportation, an originally issued ticket can be set to any period (for example, 1 year or more). At the same time, the carrier may establish that the expiration dates of the originally issued ticket are rejected. In case of voluntary changes in the conditions of transportation, the period may not be more than 1 year from the date of issuance of the originally issued ticket
- The dates of transportation and the route of the new ticket is not limited by the conditions of the originally issued ticket.
- A new ticket can be issued according to the tariffs and for categories of passengers differing from the tariffs and passenger category applied in the originally issued ticket.
- The form of payment for the new ticket should contain information about the form of payment for the originally issued ticket. It is especially important for payments by bank cards. For TCH tickets it is a mandatory requirement.
- A new route must be booked in the original PNR.
- An initially issued ticket can be accepted in exchange for a new ticket for flights of another carrier - an interline partner, while saving the settlement code in a new ticket.
- An initially issued ticket can be returned after the expiration of a new term set by the carrier, a refund operation and using a manual mask.
- The possibility of using SSR elements to inform the airline, of its own or agent sale, that this PNR and ticket will be used for registration of future flights indicating the expiration date established by the carrier. The presence of an SSR element will allow the use of this information for accounting systems. For TCH tickets it is a mandatory requirement.
- Possibility of exchanging a neutral ticket for an Airline ticket in Airline session. This opportunity is determined by the carrier whose settlement code is indicated in the originally issued ticket.
- If there is an EMD issued for additional carrier services to the originally issued ticket. The new expiration date of the ticket set by the carrier applies to EMDs issued for the ticket. At the same time (when exchanging a ticket), a new EMD will be issued through the EMD refund operation against the amount of the originally issued EMD.