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Glossary for the airline industry

From A-Z, this glossary covers definitions and explanations for common airline industry terminology.

data application

The industry-endorsed processing laws that apply to ATPCO data for itinerary pricing solutions. Data application creates an industry standard aligning ATPCO, data providers, and data subscribers for consistent industry-wide itinerary pricing. Now part of Industry Standards.

Data Distribution (G30)

Directory that controls which organizations (subscribers) receive what public and private data from ATPCO for processing. Now replaced by the Data Distribution Control.

Data Distribution Control

The replacement for G30 Distribution Control for fare and rule data.  DDC is a key feature of distribution where data providers indicate which subscribers are eligible to receive their data, and access may be controlled at the Carrier, Tariff, and Rule level.

data owner

The carrier who owns the fare products.

data provider

The organization that contracts with ATPCO to file fares, rules, and other data in its own files under its own control.

data table

A table used to house rule provisions in the FareManager Rules system. See also Record 3.

data table set

A series of data tables within the string between a THEN data table to the next THEN data table or ELSE data table.

data table string

A series of 1 to 200 data table numbers and the relational indicators contained on the recurring segment of the Record 2.

data table subset

A series of data tables in a string that can stand alone to validate the fare component. Generally this is equal to one Record 3 table when tables are strung with OR. It can also be a group of tables which constitute a unit of thought when there is an AND relational indicator. Subsets include the following situations: THEN, AND THEN (when the next table is OR and there is no 'If' condition) THEN, IF THEN, AND, IF THEN, IF, AND THEN, AND, IF, AND ELSE, AND OR ELSE

date logic

The programmatic handling of effective and discontinue dates on records as mandated by the business rules of a product (such as whether a product permits or does not permit date gaps or prevents date overlaps).

DCS

Departure control system.

DDC

Data Distribution Control.

de facto

Standards that are based on facts but not formally recognized by law.

decision support

See fare management.

departure control system

An airline IT application that manages Check-In/Boarding and Load Control for airlines at airport locations. Checked baggage, optional services, reissues, refunds, and even fare/rule data are instances where ATPCO data is used in these applications.

destination

Ultimate stopping place of the journey as shown on the ticket. When the word destination is used in a fare rule, general rule, or Rule 2, it will be necessary to determine the carrier's own definition.

direct channel

The process of pricing and booking tickets within an airline's own internal environment, without using pricing systems or other intermediated industry data. This is most commonly handled through a carrier's website, but may also be done via a call center or at airport/city ticket offices.

direct connect

See direct channel.

directional fare

Fares that are published with a directional indicator (either on the fare record or footnote). Directional fares are usually international. See inbound and outbound.

directional indicator

A tag that determines the true origin and destination of a fare or application of supporting text. This allows data to be stored most efficiently and displays the data in its true order (from point A to point B or vice versa).