Accessone Blog The Airline Reservation System is a web-based Airline booking engine that is used to conduct flight bookings. It involves Airline schedules, fare tariffs, passenger reservations, and PNRs. In simple terms, the Airline booking system helps passengers book flights by checking flights- schedules, pricing/fares, and seat availability.

Travel Booking Engines have been increasing in popularity especially due to the recent pandemic. Customers are increasingly using the internet for their travel needs and it is critical for any travel company to have a travel booking engine on their website. But, in the era of copycats and false promises, it is easy to fall prey to companies that promise the sun and the moon but fail to deliver a working product. So, as a travel company, it is important to know what functionalities to look for in a travel booking engine. Listed below are some of the top ones of importance.

Supported business models (B2C / B2B / B2E)

Depending on your business model, you may need a retail (B2C), wholesale (B2B), or a corporate (B2E) booking engine. Ideally, you should look for a provider that can support all the business models as you may grow in the future. The most common business model is a retail (B2C) booking engine where retail customers come directly to your website to buy travel products. Focus on a customer experience-oriented website which is fast and smooth. For wholesale (B2B) and corporate (B2E), ensure the product fits your needs for fare types (NET, Commission, Tours, etc.) as well as customer needs like profile management.

GDS and Non-GDS Support

The travel content has become fragmented and it is becoming more fragmented in the future. Gone are the days when you could find all your products in a single GDS platform like Sabre, Amadeus, or Travelport. Nowadays, you need to connect to hotel suppliers like Expedia/Priceline and connect to GDS as well as non-GDS content like NDC and direct connect to ensure you can be competitive in the market. You need to ensure your provider supports multiple GDS as well as non-GDS connectors. In addition, you may need connectivity to third-party airline consolidators and hotel suppliers. Pick wisely!!!

Omni-channel support

In the modern mobile revolution, it is extremely important to have a booking engine that has omni-channels support. Customers may use a desktop, laptop, or a mobile device/tablet and it is important to ensure your booking engine works in all platform. In some cases, you may want to consider having your own mobile apps but it requires more investment. Ensure the provider you pick supports a mobile-friendly product and uses modern technologies to ensure a customer-friendly experience.

Multi-lingual support

In today’s globally connected customer, it is important for your travel booking engine to support multiple languages. While you don’t need to support every language in the world, you should support at least the top 10-15 languages and have the ability to add specific languages you may require. You present a global image to your customers with a multi-lingual website.

Off-the-shelf white-labeled or customized product

Your provider should offer an off-the-shelf white-label solution which is the easiest to integrate with minimal effort on your part. But, for future growth, you should have the ability to grow into a customized solution with API support. While you may not need it today, this ensures your provider can handle larger volumes when the need arises. It is better to plan now before investing in an inadequate solution.

While there are numerous solutions in the market, AccessOne has a proven track record of offering a solution that would fit your needs. We have solutions to fit the needs of a small-to-midsize agency as well as the ability to support a more comprehensive solution as your business grows.