How Airline Reservations Work: A Behind-the-Scenes Look
Southwest Airlines is famous for its “Bags Fly Free’ policy. This is one of the significant benefits of traveling with this airline, apart from its cheaper Southwest Airlines reservations.

As simple as it seems, with just one click, you can book your flight tickets, but in reality, airline reservation is a complicated and hectic task that involves multiple factors ranging from technicalities to well-executed strategies. It involves several processes and inventories. Are you curious to know how airline reservations work and how they manage the smooth and seamless process with over a million people travelling every day. Let’s break down the process of airline reservations in this article and also have a touchdown on some BTS unknown trivia.
Breakdown of the Process of Flight Ticket Booking
Time to lift the veil and go behind the curtains. Let’s have a comprehensive breakdown of how this entire process works.
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The nitty-gritty of GDS or Global Distribution System. Often, third-party websites, such as first fly or middlemen, connect various flight routes, websites, ticketing systems, and schedules with travelers. These third-party services ensure that travelers remain updated with all the latest information about flights. These middlemen connect flights with booking websites, travel websites, and other online platforms. In recent times, the era of digitization has allowed airlines to reclaim their power by taking direct control of ticket booking or offering it via their official websites.
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You must be wondering how your closed friend is traveling in the same class to the same place at half the price that you are. That’s because not all airline seats cost the same. Yes, a startling fact: the fares of airline seats even in the same economy class vary. The fare of a seat is decided and finalized by the revenue system. Fares are based on a standard and renowned economic concept: the ratio of demand and supply. Flight fares are based on the demand and supply. It also varies according to the specific flight policies, such as baggage policies, etc.
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You may be surprised to know that behind your one click, an entire process is unfolding when you browse flight tickets. Your browser searches and displays the required data that you want, either from airlines' websites or from Global Distribution Systems (GDS). When you lock in a particular flight ticket, it places a temporary hold on that seat till the time you book it.
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After booking, a PNR (Passenger Name Record) number is issued, which is unique and specific to each individual. This number is for the flights to keep track of all the data in their folder. Tickets are issued a few days before you embark on the journey. This entire process is remarkably smooth and agile, taking place within just a couple of minutes.
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It’s time to discuss the actual process of flight check-ins and boarding. After the ticket wording process, the entire work shifts towards an airline’s DCS or Departure Control System. Your seat is recognized, and then your boarding pass is issued by the authorities. Your luggage bags are marked and tagged according to the various policy guidelines, and the system updates your travel status in real-time.
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Travelling is not always a delightful process. It can sometimes be a stressful and traumatic experience. Rebooking, delays, and cancellations are the part and parcel of a flight journey. In the event of rebooking, the airline allocates you a different seat and charges extra or less, depending on the fare of the particular seat. In case of a cancellation, it’s the sole and entire responsibility of the airlines to either refund your money or take necessary actions to redeem themselves.
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The secret behind the convenient and seamless booking of flight tickets lies in the extra assistance provided by PSS. Also known as the Passenger Service System, they handle everything from scratch. From reservations to profiling of different individuals, PSS takes responsibility for every significant task and handles it efficiently. Equipped with robust technology, PSS plays a crucial role in flight booking and traveling.
The Future Looks Bright
The future of airline reservations looks bright. In this era of Modern Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Airlines are equipping and integrating their processes with AI, providing cutting-edge solutions to make the entire airline reservation process smoother and more user-friendly. Southwest Airlines is one such airline.
Equipped with robust technology, Southwest Airlines reservations are easy to do with their user-friendly interface and mobile-friendly apps. Founded in 1967. Southwest Airlines is famous for its “Bags Fly Free’ policy. This is one of the significant benefits of traveling with this airline, apart from its cheaper Southwest Airlines reservations. This policy allows travelers to carry one bag without any additional costs.
With advanced AI booking tools and biometric verifications, this has drastically changed the entire airline ticket reservation process. Nowadays, different AI bots and chatbots can book your flight tickets if you are finding it challenging to navigate through the complexities of the entire flight fare booking process. With AI, most airline companies are further customizing and automating their entire booking process.
In a Nutshell
To wrap everything up, it can therefore be concluded that there’s an entire process and technology works behind the closed veils of an airline's reservations process. As more facts will unravel, the more you will find the entire flight ticket booking process fascinating and amazing. So, it’s not just a click, it’s like entering into a world of endless possibilities.
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