DRAFT RFP - FY25 Auto Cancellation Template.docx

December 2023

FY 25 AUTO-CANCELLATION TEMPLATE

Table of Contents Recommendations for Airline and TMC 48-hour Messaging Coordination… 2 Recommendations for Airline and TMC 7-day Business Class and Premium Economy Fares Messaging Coordination… 7

December 2023 192023

GSA Source Selection Sensitive

I. Recommendations for Airline and TMC 48-hour Messaging Coordination Preface

The General Services Administration’s (GSA’s) Center for Travel Management would like to reinforce our understanding of your carrier’s plans for continued implementation of the 48-hour auto cancellation rule allowed for the City Pair Program (CPP) during the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 contract period. GSA’s goal is to ensure the E-Gov Travel Service 2 (ETS2) and Travel Management Centers (TMC) vendor community are continuing compliance with changes implemented which provides travelers with notifications that are necessary to avoid unintended flight cancellations and prevent travelers from arriving at the airport without tickets.

To minimize impact to TMCs attributable to the 48-hour rule requested by the airlines, it will be advantageous for the ETS2 vendors and/or TMCs to be able to employ automation tools at their disposal to advise Federally funded travelers of the terms applicable to CPP fares. This will ensure travelers get prompt notifications of all cancellations made by airlines when the 48-hour rule applies to FY2025 reservations.

Unfortunately, the use of such automation by ETS2 vendors and/or TMCs will only be possible with support from the carriers. Detailed information about each carrier’s plans for presenting its fare rule changes in the Global Distribution System (GDS) and the formats for documenting affected Passenger Name Records (PNR) are needed for TMCs to enable such automation.

GOAL

The information you provide should enable TMCs to issue the following important traveler notifications associated with the CPP 48 hour cancellation rule:

· Notification on Itinerary (Itinerary Remark) - Notify the traveler that fare rules may result in cancellation if the reservation is not ticketed at least 48 hours prior to scheduled departure.

· Notification Prior to Ticketing Window (Email Message) - Follow-up traveler notification, 72 hours prior to travel, emailed to travelers whose reservation(s) has/have not yet been traveled.

In the event of actual cancellation by the airline, TMCs should notify the traveler and provide instructions to remediate, if necessary:

· Notification of Cancellation (Email Message) – Upon receipt of carrier-provided cancellation notice via the GDS, TMC shall email (or otherwise contact) the affected traveler(s), notifying him/her of the cancelled flight(s), and provide instructions to: attempt rebooking of the affected segments; cancel the balance of the affected PNR; or arrange travel for a replacement itinerary.

Note that while the TMCs’ ability to fulfill the first two traveler notifications are not dependent on the mode or format of carrier-provided notifications, arguably the most important notification (Notification of Cancellation) can only be achieved in conjunction with consistent carrier provided messaging and delivery.

Thank you in advance for your willingness to provide this important information.

Request for Additional Information

SCREEN CAPTURES

To minimize traveler inconvenience, it is important that airlines help TMCs employ software-enabled automation to perform some or most of the tasks triggered by carrier-implemented actions and PNR messages relating to the 48 hour rule. The information you deliver in response to this request will be crucial in enabling TMCs to maximize their use of automation and minimize the need for costly manual PNR processing. Depending on the tools being utilized by TMCs, and their respective method of interfacing with each GDS, specific requirements for detailed information may differ among the affected parties; however, providing GDS screen captures of the requested elements should satisfy the requirements for most TMCs to implement the automated, or automation assisted, traveler notifications desired.

Please Note: In order for the ETS2 vendors and TMCs to successfully implement the necessary automation to deliver required traveler notifications, it is crucial that the information you provide accurately defines the actions your carrier will take. Examples you provide in the form of GDS screen captures, precisely depict the content and formatting of all PNR messaging and changes to the fare rules.

PLACEMENT OF RESTRICTION CONTENT AT THE TIME OF BOOKING:

Placement of Restriction:

Text to be added to Category 5 Fare Rules (if applicable) Please provide a screen capture of the fare rules associated with CPP fare types as they will appear effective 01 October 2024. If the text to be used or the format of the text is presented differently in one or more GDS, please submit (or insert) a screen capture for the GDS’:01 October

GDS Booking Notification (Reference attached image file or insert screen capture here)

Carrier Appended Messages at the Time of Booking (if applicable) Notification:

Please provide a screen capture of the Other Services Indicated/Special Service Requested/Required (OSI/SSR) message to be inserted by your carrier’s automation system at the time of booking of reservations for travel commencing on or after 01 October 2024. To account for any differences in message content or formatting associated with the booking GDS, please submit (or insert) a captured screen image of a test/sample PNR including the OSI/SSR message that will be inserted by your carrier at the time of booking. In addition, define the queue/category of the originating pseudo city into which you will place each updated PNR, for the GDS’:

For Reservations Booked 72 Hours or More than 72 Hours Prior to Travel The following examples presume a scheduled departure date of 21 OCT 2024 at 8:10AM21

OCT

at 8:

10AM

For Reservations Booked Between 72 Hours and 48 Hours Prior to Travel The following examples presume a scheduled departure date of 21 OCT 2024 at 8:10 AM21

OCT

at 8:

10AM

GDS Booking Notification (Reference attached image file or insert screen capture here)

For Reservations Booked 48 Hours or Less than 48 Hours Prior to Travel

NOTIFICATION UPON CANCELLATION BY CARRIER:

In order to enable proper notification to Federally funded travelers by Government-contracted TMCs, CPP carriers implementing auto-cancellation of qualifying PNRs are asked to provide timely, properly, and consistently formatted notifications of all carrier-implemented cancellations of unticketed reservations cancelled 48 hours or less than 48 hours of departure, pursuant to the revised terms governing CPP fares.

Please provide a screen capture of the OSI/SSR reservation cancellation notice to be inserted by your carrier’s automation system at the time of cancellation for unticketed reservations for travel commencing on or after 01 October 2024. To account for any differences in message content or formatting associated with the booking GDS, please submit (or insert) a captured screen image of a test/sample PNR, including the OSI/SSR message that will be inserted by your carrier at the time of booking. In addition, for the following GDSs, define the queue/category of the PNR’s originating pseudo city into which you will place each updated PNR:

For Reservations Booked 72 Hours or More than 72 Hours Prior to Travel The following examples presume a scheduled departure date of 21 OCT 2024 at 8:10AM21

OCT

at 8:

10AM

GDS Cancellation Notification:

For Reservations Booked Between 72 Hours and 48 Hours Prior to Travel The following examples presume a scheduled departure date of 21 OCT 2024 at 8:10AM21 OCT at 8:

10AM

GDS Cancellation Notification:

(Reference attached image file or insert screen capture here)

For Reservations Booked 48 Hours or Less than 48 Hours Prior to Travel The following examples presume a scheduled departure date of 21 OCT 2024 at 8:10AM21 OCT at 8:

10AM

This is the SSR message that gets appended shortly after PNR creation:

8. SSRADTK1SKK2.TKT {IATA AIRLINE CODE} SEGS BY 09JUL24 TO AVOID AUTO CXL /EARLIER

9. SSRADTK1SKK2.TICKETING MAY BE REQUIRED BY FARE RULE\

December 2023 220232023

This is the reminder SSR message that gets appended 24 hours prior to cancellation: 37.SSRADTK1PKK4.REMINDER {IATA AIRLINE CODE} SEGS SUBJ TO CXL ON 22JUL24

This is the SSR message that gets appended after PNR cancellation: 10.SSRADTK1SKK2.UNTICKETED {IATA AIRLINE CODE} SEGMENTS CANCELLED

II. Recommendations for Airline and TMC 7-Day Business Class and Premium Economy Fares Messaging Coordination

Preface

GSA’s Center for Travel Management would like to reinforce our understanding of your carrier’s plans for continued implementation of the 7-day (calendar days) auto-cancellation allowed for CPP Business Class and Premium Economy Fares during the FY25 contract period. GSA’s goal is to ensure the ETS2 and TMC vendor community are continuing compliance with changes, which provides travelers with notifications that are necessary to avoid unintended flight cancellations and prevent travelers from arriving at the airport without tickets.

To minimize impact to TMCs attributable to the 7-day rule requested by the airlines, it will be advantageous for the ETS2 vendors and/or TMCs to be able to employ automation tools at their disposal to advise Federally-funded travelers of the terms applicable to CPP fares and to ensure travelers get prompt notifications of all cancellations made by airlines when the 7-day rule applies to FY25 reservations.

Unfortunately, the use of such automation by the ETS2 vendors and/or TMCs will only be possible with support from the carriers. Detailed information about each carrier’s plans for presenting its fare rule changes in the GDS and the formats for documenting affected PNRs are needed in order for TMCs to enable such automation.

GOAL

The information you provide should enable TMCs to provide the following important traveler notifications associated with the 7-day change:

· Notification on Itinerary (Itinerary Remark) - Notify the traveler that fare rules may result in cancellation if the reservation is not ticketed at least 7 days prior to scheduled departure.

· Notification Prior to Ticketing Window (Email Message) - Follow-up traveler notification, 8 days prior to travel, emailed to travelers whose reservation(s) has/have not yet been traveled.

In the event of actual cancellation by the airline, TMCs should notify the traveler and provide instructions to remediate, if necessary:

· Notification of Cancellation (Email Message) – Upon receipt of carrier-provided cancellation notice via the GDS, TMC shall email (or otherwise contact) the affected traveler(s) notifying him/her of the cancelled flight(s) and provide instructions to: attempt rebooking of the affected segments; cancel the balance of the affected PNR; or arrange travel for a replacement itinerary.

Note that while the TMCs’ ability to fulfill the first two traveler notifications are not dependent on the mode or format of carrier-provided notifications, arguably the most important notification (Notification of Cancellation) can only be achieved in conjunction with consistent carrier provided messaging and delivery.

Thank you in advance for your willingness to provide this important information.

Request for Additional Information

SCREEN CAPTURES

To minimize traveler inconvenience, it is important that airlines help TMCs employ software-enabled automation to perform some or most of the tasks triggered by carrier-implemented actions and PNR messages relating to the auto cancellation rule. The information you deliver in response to this request will be crucial in enabling TMCs to maximize their use of automation and minimize the need for costly manual PNR processing. Depending on the tools being utilized by TMCs, and their respective method of interfacing with each GDS, specific requirements for detailed information may differ among the affected parties; however, providing GDS screen captures of the requested elements should satisfy the requirements for most TMCs to implement the automated, or automation assisted, traveler notifications desired.

Please Note: In order for the ETS2 vendors and TMCs to successfully implement the necessary automation to deliver required traveler notifications, it is crucial that the information you provide accurately defines the actions your carrier will take. Examples you provide in the form of GDS screen captures, precisely depict the content and formatting of all PNR messaging and changes to the fare rules.

PLACEMENT OF RESTRICTION CONTENT AT THE TIME OF BOOKING:

Placement of Restriction:

Text to be added to Category 5 Fare Rules (if applicable) Please provide a screen capture of the fare rules associated with CPP fare types as they will appear effective 01 October 2023. If the text to be used or the format of the text is presented differently in one or more GDS please submit (or insert) a screen capture for the GDS’:202

GDS

(Reference attached image file or insert screen capture here) Carrier Appended Messages at the Time of Booking (if applicable) Notification:

Please provide a screen capture of the OSI/SSR message to be inserted by your carrier’s automation system at the time of booking of reservations for travel commencing on or after 01 October 2024. To account for any differences in message content or formatting associated with the booking GDS, please submit (or insert) a captured screen image of a test/sample PNR including the OSI/SSR message that will be inserted by your carrier at the time of booking. In addition, define the queue/category of the originating pseudo city into which you will place each updated PNR, for the following GDS’:

For Reservations Booked 8 Days or More than 8 Days Prior to Travel The following examples presume a scheduled departure date of 21 OCT 2024 at 8:10AM21

OCT

at 8:

10AM

GDS Booking Notification:

For Reservations Booked Between 8 Days and 7 Days Prior to Travel at 8:

10AM

GDS Booking Notification:

(Reference attached image file or insert screen capture here)

For Reservations Booked 7 Days or Less than 7 Days Prior to Travel GDS Booking Notification:

(Reference attached image file or insert screen capture here)

NOTIFICATION UPON CANCELLATION BY CARRIER:

In order to enable proper notification to Federally funded travelers by Government-contracted TMCs, CPP carriers implementing auto-cancellation of qualifying PNRs are asked to provide timely, properly, and consistently formatted notifications of all carrier-implemented cancellations of unticketed reservations cancelled 7 days or less than 7 days prior to departure, pursuant to the revised terms governing CPP fares.

Please provide a screen capture of the OSI/SSR reservation cancellation notice to be inserted by your carrier’s automation system at the time of cancellation for unticketed reservations for travel commencing on or after 01 October 2024. To account for any differences in message content or formatting associated with the booking GDS, please submit (or insert) a captured screen image of a test/sample PNR, including the OSI/SSR message that will be inserted by your carrier at the time of booking. In addition, for the following GDSs, define the queue/category of the PNR’s originating pseudo city into which you will place each updated PNR:

For Reservations Booked 8 Days or More than 8 Days Prior to Travel The following examples presume a scheduled departure date of 21 OCT 2024 at 8:10AM21 OCT at 8:

10AM

For Reservations Booked Between 8 Days and 7 Days Prior to Travel at

For Reservations Booked 7 Days or Less than 7 Days Prior to Travel The following examples presume a scheduled departure date of 21 OCT 2024 at 8:10AM21

OCT

at

This is the SSR message that gets appended shortly after PNR creation:

8. SSRADTK1SKK2.TKT {IATA AIRLINE CODE} SEGS BY 09JUL23 TO AVOID AUTO CXL /EARLIER09JUL

9. SSRADTK1SKK2.TICKETING MAY BE REQUIRED BY FARE RULE\

This is the reminder SSR message that gets appended 24 hours prior to cancellation: 37.SSRADTK1PKK4.REMINDER {IATA AIRLINE CODE} SEGS SUBJ TO CXL ON 22JUL24

This is the SSR message that gets appended after PNR cancellation: 10.SSRADTK1SKK2.UNTICKETED {IATA AIRLINE CODE} SEGMENTS CANCELLED

GSA Source Selection Sensitive Page 11 of 11