System for managing travel vouchers and method of same
AssigneeAmadeus IT Group, S.A.
InventorsE. Pedron, Xavier Lagardere, Vincent Coquel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An on-line voucher management system which provides a user interface for travel agents, carriers and online customers to create and redeem vouchers is provided. The on-line portal has access to the GDS which stores PNRs. The voucher will be created as a standard PNR containing a fictitious air itinerary and its associated ticket data. Users specify the voucher amount and other required information through the user interface, and a PNR holding that information is created in the GDS. The PNR is then ticketed as for a standard booking process. Then voucher redemption is managed as a typical PNR reissue process.
Claims30
A method for issuing vouchers, comprising:
- storing a plurality of actual passenger name records in a global distribution system, each actual passenger name record including at least identification data and travel related data;
- creating a fictitious passenger name record that includes at least identification data, fictitious travel related data, and a value;
- storing the fictitious passenger name record in the global distribution system;
- receiving travel arrangements having a cost associated therewith;
- converting the fictitious passenger name record into an actual passenger name record, said converting including at least crediting at least a portion of said value against at least a portion of the cost;
- and
- storing the converted actual passenger name record in the global distribution system.
A method for issuing vouchers, comprising:
- storing real travel records in a database network, each travel record having associated therewith at least identification data and travel related data;
- creating a fictitious travel record that having associated therewith at least identification data, fictitious travel related data, and a value;
- storing the fictitious travel record in the database network;
- receiving travel arrangements having a cost associated therewith;
- converting the fictitious passenger name record into an real travel record, said converting including at least crediting at least a portion of said value against at least a portion of the cost;
- and
- storing the converted real travel record in the common database;
- wherein said fictitious travel record and said actual travel records have the same database format.
A method for issuing vouchers, comprising:
- storing a plurality of actual passenger name records in a global distribution system, each actual passenger name record having associated therewith at least identification data and travel related data;
- creating a fictitious passenger name record having associated therewith at least identification data, fictitious travel related data, and a value;
- designating said fictitious passenger name record as a redeemable asset;
- storing the fictitious passenger name record in the global distribution system;
- wherein the fictitious travel record has the same database format as the actual travel records.
A method of redeeming a travel voucher, comprising:
- retrieving a fictitious passenger name record from a global distribution system, the fictitious passenger name record having associated therewith at least identification data, fictitious travel related data, and a value;
- receiving travel arrangements having a cost associated therewith;
- converting the fictitious passenger name record into an actual passenger name record, said converting including at least crediting at least a portion of said value against at least a portion of the cost;
- and
- storing the converted actual passenger name record in the global distribution system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.