Abacus . One of the main computer reservation systems.

Act of God. Force majeure; A meteorological or seismic event

over which a travel provider has no control and, hence, no legal
responsibility.
Actual flying time. Total time spent in the air, as opposed to
scheduled flight time or time spent waiting on the ground.
AD. Agency Discount
Adjoining Rooms. Accommodation that are side by side but
don't have a communicating door between them.
Airline Clubs. Airport amenities sponsored by each airline.
APEX. Abbreviated form for Advance Purchase Excursion Fare. discounted international
fares. Such fares usually require tickets to be purchased in advance (such as 7, 14, or 21
day minimum advance purchase), and will have other restrictions - non-refundable,
change fees are just a few of the possible restrictions.
Benefits for club members include a private waiting area, business
center, complimentary refreshment and the service of an air
representative.
Airline Reporting Corporation (ARC). A conference consisting of
members airlines, railroad, and other travel vendors.
Air Traffic Control. FAA employees whose responsible for a flight
after it becomes airborne.
All-Inclusive. Package holiday which includes transportation,
accommodation, meals and drinks (as specified).
Amadeus. One of two main European computer reservation systems
Apollo. US computer reservation system
ARUNK or ARNK. GDS term used to indicate a surface segment.
Back-of-the- House. The support areas behind the scenes in a
hotel or motel, including housekeeping, laundry, engineering, and
food service.
Base Fare. An airfare that does not include tax.
Boarding Pass. Document that usually issued by airline that
indicates a passengers assigned seat for a flight.
Booking Classes. The first or only letters of the fare basis
code that indicates first class, business class, or coach class
seating as well as the airfare being purchased. Also known as
primary code.
Bulk Rates. Prices for a travel product that are applicable only
when a minimum number is purchased.
Bulkheads. Dividing walls or partitions between passenger cabin
on an aircraft or ship.
Bumping. The airline practice of removing paid passengers
from a flight when too many seats have been sold.
Cabin. 1) Room on a ship; 2) A section, such as first class,
business class, or coach class on a flight.
Cancellation policy. A statement by a supplier such as an airline
or hotel that details the terms under which a booking or reservation
may be rescinded, any penalties incurred by so doing, and so forth.
CANX/DEL. Cancel(lation) /delete
CBX. Telecommunications department of a accommodations. Also
known as PBX.
Chateau.. French term for a country house or castle
Child. In the travel industry, a designation used to determine
fares and other rates. The precise definition varies from carrier to
carrier and hotel to hotel. Generally, a "child" is at least two
years old, as opposed to an "infant" who is younger. The upper limit
can be anywhere from 11 to 18 years of age.
City Code. Three letter code unique to every city.
Code Sharing. An airline practice of contracting another airline
to the other airline's code designation.
Commissionable rate. Rates subject to commission for travel agents and booking agents.
Common rated. Describing two identical fares to geographically
close destinations.
Compact. A rental car size category that is slightly larger
than economy size but slightly smaller than intermediate size.
Comping. Offering a complimentary service without charge.
Complimentary. Free. Without charge.
Concierge. A uniformed employee of a hotel who works at a desk
in the lobby or on special concierge floors and answers questions,
solves problems, and performs the services of a private secretary
for the hotel's guests.
Confidential Tariff. Wholesale rates intended for markup to
retail pricing.
Configuration. The interior design of an aircraft or floor plan
that indicates seating areas, exit doors, wing area, lavatories,
closet galley, and flight deck.
Confirmation Number. An alphanumeric code used to identify and
document a booking.
Confirmed Reservation. A reservation made by a guest that is
confirmed by the hotel for the dates they plan on staying.
Conjunction tickets. Two or more tickets used on a single
itinerary.
Connecting flight. A flight that requires a passenger to change
from one plane to another.
Connecting Rooms. Accommodation that are side by side and have
a communicating door between them.
Consortium. An organization with member travel agencies that
combines sales volume for better negotiation with travel vendors.
Consulate. A branch office of an embassy. Consulates issue
travel visas to people visiting the country.
Contracted rates. Special rates negotiated between airlines and travel agents for their
employees, packages and group clients.
Corporate rates. These are special rates offered to regular business clients and special
group of people. These special rates are given to encourage repeat business.
Corporate Travel/Traveler. Indicates travel arrangements for
people who need to travel away from their office as part of their
job.
Coupon. The portion of an airline ticket collected from the
passenger at the time of boarding. 2. A pre-paid voucher which can
be exchanged for certain specified goods or services, as a hotel
room. 3. Any printed voucher providing for free or reduced cost
services or goods.
Credit memo. An informal document indicating that one company has
a specific dollar amount credit with another, typically as a result
of overpayment.
CRS. Computerized Reservation System. Also known as GDS.
Cruise Document. A pocket sent to the travel agency by the
cruise line that contains the passenger cruise ticket baggage tags,
itinerary, information on ports of call, cruise tips, and possibly
airline ticket.
Daily Rate. A rental car rate that is calculated per 24-hopur
period.
Day rate. 1. In hotels, the fee charged for a stay of limited
duration, typically during daylight hours. 2. A fee charged for the
use of a facility during a twenty-four hour period.
Denied Boarding Compensation (DBC). A voucher given by the
airline when a flight is overbooked to passenger who volunteer to
take a later flight and bumped revenue passengers.
Debit memo. An informal invoice from a supplier showing an
additional amount due. ARC will issue a debit memo when it feels the
agency has made an error.
Direct flight. Any flight between two places that carries a single
flight number. Unlike a nonstop, a direct flight will make one or
more stops between the two places. The passenger may have to change
planes or even change airlines. This is a change in meaning. In the
past, direct flights made stops but required no change of plane.
Double booking. The practice of booking and confirming two or more
reservations when only one will be used.
Double connection. Flight patters that require two plane
changes.
Downgrade. To move to a lower grade or quality of services or
accommodations.
Downsizing. A corporate restructuring aimed at making the
organization smaller, more efficient, and more profitable by selling
("spinning off") various product lines and/or business units and
permanently eliminating many jobs.
Drop Off. Term used by Car Hire/Rental companies for the
return of the hired car to a rental office of the company.
Duplicate Booking (DUP Booking). Unethical practice of making
more than one reservation for a travelers trip.
Early Bird Rate. A discounted rate for booking early
Elapsed Flying Time. The actual number of minimum hours a flight
takes.
Electronic ticketing. A computerized system used by airlines in
which no physical ticket or boarding pass is generated.
Embargo. A government order forbidding the departure of a
commercial vehicle from an airport, port, or whatever or prohibiting
commerce. Example: an embargo on rice shipments.
Embark. To board a ship, plane, or other transportation
vehicle. 2. To start out.
Embassy. The office of one country's ambassador within a host
country.
Emigrant. A person who leaves the country where he or she
lives to settle in another.
Emigrate. To leave one country to assume permanent residence
in another.
En Route. Between station of origin and station of destination
ETA. Estimated Time of Arrival.
ETD. Estimated Time of Departure.
Eurailpass. A type of rail ticket that is valid in several
European countries for a number of days with unlimited stopover
opportunities.
Europass. A type of rail ticket that provide unlimited rail
travel in five of the most popular European countries within a two-
month period.
Excursion fare. Lower priced fares that involve restrictions like advance purchase, time
of year, minimum/maximum stay, etc.
FAA (Federal Aviation Authority). Department that is
responsible for air traffic control, aircraft certificate, passenger
safety, and pilot licensing.
Familiarization Trip / Tour (FAM TOUR). Trip designed for the
education of travel professionals that is sponsored by travel
companies.
Fare basis. The specific fare for a ticket at a designated level
of service; specified by one or more letters or by a combination of
letters and numbers. Example: The letter "Y" designates coach
service on an airline.
FIT. Free Independent Travelers - visitors on holiday who do not
purchase pre-packaged travel or pay for anything other than
international airfares prior to arrival. They organize their own
travel as they go, do not travel as part of a tour group or on a
coach tour.
FIT. Foreign independent tour. Now generally used to indicate any
independent travel, domestic or international, that does not involve
a package tour.
FOREX. Foreign Exchange Earnings
Frequency. The number of flights by a given airline or other
carrier on a given route during a given period of time.
Frequent flyer. A person who flies frequently.
Frequent Flyer Program. Airline program in which members accumulate
miles from airlines and other travel vendors. The accumulated miles
can be exchanged for airfare discounts, flight upgrades, free air
travel, and other travel related products.
Front-of-the- House. Comprises all areas with which guests come
in contact, including lobby, corridors, elevators, guestrooms,
restaurants and bars, meeting rooms, and toilet.
Fuel Surcharge. Extra fee charged to boarding passengers by an
airline at various airports because of fuel shortages or escalating
fuel costs.
Galley. Kitchen of an aircraft or ship.
Gateway. The first point of entry into a country.
GDS (Global Distribution System). Also known as CRS before.
Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre, and Worldspan. A computer reservation
system typically owned jointly by airline that includes reservation
database of suppliers in many countries.
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The time at the Greenwich Meridian
(0 degree, just outside London). All locations around the world as
being so many hours behind (-) or ahead (+) of GMT.
Gross Rate. Rate that includes all expenses, overheads, and taxes.
Ground Operator. Vendors who arrange travel components such
as hotels, sightseeing, transfers, and meals.
GSA. General Sales Agent
Guaranteed reservation. A reservation that will be held all night,
whether or not the party arrives on time. Generally, the buyer pays
for the privilege by guaranteeing payment whether or not the
reservation is used.
Host. An employee of a tour operator who is available at the desk
to the tour participants at specified time.
Hosted Tour. Moderately structured tour with a host who is
available for assistance at specified times.
Hotel voucher. A pre-paid coupon that can be exchanged at certain
hotels for a night's lodging.
Hub and Spoke. Airline practice of using an airport as a home base
(hub) and feeding flights from surrounding airports (spokes) into
the hub.
IATA (International Air Transport Association) . A conference whose
members are international airlines. The appointing body for travel
agency to sell air travel.
Immigrant. A person who enters a country of which he is not
native to settle.
Independent Tour. Least structured tours, participants are
basically on their own.
Infant. A child under the age of two years old.
Inside Cabins. Passenger rooms onboard ship that do not have a
window or porthole.
Interline Agreement. Agreements between two airlines that share
ticketing, transference of passengers, baggage and cargo.
Intermediate. A rental car size category that is slightly larger
than compact but slightly smaller than standard. Also known as
midsize.
Inventory Control. An airline policy that divides total number
of seats on a flight into price category.
Itinerary Field. The portion of a PNR that includes flights,
surface segments, car, hotels, cruises, tours, and other travel
product.
Joint fare. The fare charged for travel that utilizes more than
one airline. The fare is agreed upon by the airlines involved.
Land arrangements. All travel elements provided to a client
after arrival at the destination, such as hotel, sightseeing, and so
forth.
Late booking fee. An additional charge levied by some tour
operators for reservations made shortly before departure.
Lavatory. A toilet. Rest room
Locator. A reference number given on a travel booking which
enables the booking information to be recalled quickly if it needs
to be referred to at a later date.
Long-haul Travel. Air travel of 8 or more hours duration
Manifest. A document listing the contents of a shipment or the
passengers on a ship.
Mark-up. The process of adding profit to a price.
MCO. Miscellaneous Charges Order
Medium-haul Travel. Air travel of between 4 and 8 hours duration
Meet-and-Assist. An airline service in which an attendant
meets a passenger and helps her to the next gate or other area of
the airport.
Mileage. Number of miles traveled or covered. Used as a system of measurement for
frequent flyer program (See Passenger Mile)
Minimum Connecting Time. The least amount of time that must
be allowed for a change of planes.
Net Rate. A rate that does not have a travel agency commission
built in.
No show. A passenger who doesn't arrive for a flight or a
hotel guest who reserves but never arrives.
Non-commissionable. Referring to elements of a travel product
for which the passenger must pay but for which the travel agent
receives no commission. For example, port fees.
Non-refundable. Of a ticket, no moneys will be returned should the
trip be cancelled. The amount of the ticket, minus a service fee,
may be applied to another trip in many cases.
Nonstop. Transportation comprising a single segment. Without
intermediate stops.
Non-transferable. Cannot be used by anyone other than the
person to which it was issued, as a ticket.
Occupancy rate. The percentage of hotel rooms occupied during a
specific time period, omitting rooms not available for one reason or
another
Offline Connection. A type of flight pattern in which the
traveler must change planes form one airline's flight to a different
airline's flight.
Online Connection. A change of planes that does not involve a
change of airlines.
Open Jaw. Type of trip that involves the origin and two other
cities and travel between one city pair by means other than
commercial air.
Open seating, Open sitting. Seats or tables are not assigned and
will be occupied on a first-come basis.
Open segment, Open ticket. An airline ticket with no date
specified.
Option date. Date by which payment must be made to secure a
reservation.
Origin. The starting point of travel.
Overbooking. A policy in which more seats on a flight or rooms at
an accommodation are booked than are actually available. Five to
fifteen percent more seats or rooms.
Outside Cabin. Passenger rooms on a ship that have a window or
porthole.
Passenger mile. A statistical norm comprising one passenger
traveling one mile. Passenger mileage is determined by multiplying
the total number of miles flown (for airlines) by the total number
of passengers carried.
Passenger name record (PNR). A file on a global distribution
system containing all the information relating to a specific
booking. Also called "personal name record." Includes reservation
for air, rental cars, hotel, cruise tour, and other travel services.
Passive booking, Passive segment. A segment entered in a GDS
that does not result in a ticket being issued. Typically used by
agents to generate itineraries or make notes.
PBX. Telecommunications department of a accommodations. Also
known as CBX.
Phone Field. The portion of the PNR that includes travel agency's
name, passenger name, business and destinations contact numbers.
Phonetic Alphabet Regularly used by the travel industry to
ensure codes is recorded correctly.
Pick Up. Term used by Car Hire/Rental companies for
the return of the hired car to a rental office of the company. It
is also used when a taxi or limousine driver meets a person and
takes them on to their meeting or accommodation.
Pitch. The distance between the rows of seats on an aircraft.
POE. Point of embarkation.
Point to point. 1. Referring to fares between two cities. 2.
Referring to service between two cities only, without any additional
segments or continuation.
Port. A harbor and docking area for ships.
Port Charges. Fees levied by each port of call applicable to all
cruise passenger, paid as part of the cruise fare.
Port of Call. Cities or islands where cruise ships and passengers
may go on a shore.
Private Charter. The leasing of any mode of transportation by
a group of individual traveling together.
Promotional fare. Special fares offered by airline.
Public Charter. A packaged trip utilizing non-scheduled
transportation that can be purchased by the public.
Published fare. Any fare specifically listed in the carrier's tariff.
Quote. 1. v. To state a price. 2. n. The price so stated.
R&R. Rest and relaxation/ rehabilitation/ recreation.
Rack Rate. Retail price of accommodation, airfares,
activities/attracti ons. 2. The standard published rate for a room
in a hotel, or resort; also known as the walk-in rate; not a
discounted rate. 3. The price a hotel charges for a room before any
discount has been taken into account. The published rate for a room,
sometimes set artificially high and used to calculate a variety of
discounts.
Rate desk. The office of an airline that calculates fares for
travel agents and passengers.
Reconfirm. To check again, as an airline reservation. Some
reservations may be cancelled unless reconfirmed.
Record locator, Record locator number. An alphanumeric string which
serves as a unique identifier of a booking or a PNR in a GDS.
Red light district. A part of a city set aside, either by
municipal ordinance or informal custom, for prostitution and other
sex-related businesses.
Regional Airlines. Small airlines, sometimes called commute
airlines, that operates short-haul routes.
Restricted Inventory. A limited number of seats on a flight that
can be sold at a specified fare.
ROE. Rate of Exchange - usually the rate of exchange on
the day that the ticket was purchased.
Seamen's Fares. Reduced air fares to which seamen are commonly
entitled when travelling to join or leave a ship.
Seat Assignment. Automated identification of passenger
assigned row number and seat on a flight.
Short-haul Travel. Air travel of less than 4 hours duration.
Short-haul. Of airline routes, of limited length and duration,
often to, from, or between
Single Connection. A type of flight pattern that involves
single change of planes.
Special Interest Tour. A type of tour designed to attract
particular types of clients or those interested in a specific
subject or activity.
Standard. The largest size category of rental cars.
Tender. A small vessel actually accommodating 100 people that takes
cruise passenger to shore while ship is at anchor.
Terminal. Central part of the airport.
Ticket Date Field. Portion of PNR that indicates the date
ticket was issues, paid and possibly ticketing related information.
Ticket Stock. Blank airline tickets.
Ticketless Travel. Electronic ticketing.
Time Table. A publication of departure and arrival times for
various forms of transportation.
Time Zones. Divisions around the Earth, all reference to GMT,
that assists with calculating time comparisons and elapsed flying
time.
Tour Basing Fare. A type of airfare that can only be purchased
in conjunction with a tour.
Tour Escort. An employee of a tour operator who travels with the
group throughout the trip.
Tour Operator. The company that package and market tour products.
Unaccompanied Minor. Children over five and under twelve who are
traveling alone.
VFR. A trip for the purpose of Visiting Friends or Relatives for
1 - 365 days.
Visa. Official written permission of a government for a traveler
to enter that country for specific reason and length of time.
Wait list, Waitlist. 1. n. A roster of names of those wishing
passage on a full flight or other trip, usually honored in order in
case of cancellations. 2. n. A group of people waiting for
cancellations. 3. v. To place someone on such a list.
Wake-up call. In a hotel, a telephone call delivered either by a
person or a computerized system to a guest's room at a prearranged
time.
Walk-in. In a hotel, a guest who arrives without a
reservation. In a travel agency, a customer who arrives unannounced,
especially a new customer.
Walking-the- Guest. An accommodation policy in which the guest
is taken to another property of equal or greater value when the
booked accommodation is oversold.
Wide Body Aircraft. Aircraft that has two aisles.

Balcony - A private seating area on the outside of the ship accessed from your cabin. Also
known as a Veranda.
Bow - Front of the ship.
Bridge - Navigational, command, and control center of the ship, where the Captain
works.
Brig - Place where unruly teenagers and their parents are held prior to their being thrown
off the ship at the next port of call.
Cabin - Passenger room on a ship.
Course - Path the ship will take to get to its destination.
Crow's Nest - High look-out point on the ship where crew can observe obstacles in the
ship's path (ie. "Iceberg!").
Disembark - Exiting the ship, usually at the end of your cruise.
Deck - Floor of the ship, especially the open areas.
Dock - Act of parking a ship at the pier.
Embark - To board a ship, especially at the start of your cruise.
Gross Tonnage - The total enclosed revenue-earning space of a ship. 100 cubic feet
equals one gross ton.
Inside Cabin / Interior Cabin - A cabin inside the ship with no view of the water.
Knot - One nautical mile per hour. (One knot is about 15% faster than one mile per hour).
Outside Cabin - Usually a cabin with a porthole, window, or veranda.
Penthouse Suite - The largest passenger cabin. Sometimes referred to as an Owner's
Suite.
Porthole - A small window.
Port of Call - A destination that your ship stops at on your voyage.
Promenade - A ship's "shopping mall".
Stabilizer - Hydraulic activated underwater fins to minimize ship's roll.