Functional Differences
AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
April 2010
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
Overview
This document provides a high level overview of the functionality and format differences between Sabre and Abacus. This document is targeted
for agencies that have a business need to have Global Branch Access with AAA (triple A) option between Sabre and Abacus in order to globally
service their customer’s travel needs. An agent’s AAA is the pseudo city code (PCC) in which the agent is currently working, also referred to as
the “Home PCC”. Changing the AAA enables the agent to work in an authorized branch pseudo city code of another GDS as if they were actually
on site at that location, also referred to as the “Host PCC”.
For additional information refer to the Quick Formats Guide located on Agency e-Services
Functional Differences
There are functional differences between Sabre and Abacus and these are identified in this guide.
PNR
Sabre Functionality
Abacus Functionality
Changing Segment Status Codes
 Allowed to change segment status to XK on
non-AA flights
 Allowed to change segment status to XK on
AA segments but restricted on Abacus
Partner Airlines (i.e. SQ)
SSRs
 SSRs for AA are entered via 4entry and are
stored in the AA facts field of a PNR.
 SSRs for AA are entered via 3 entries and are
stored in the general facts field of a PNR.
SSRs Cancel Entry
 31¤ Generates a Cancel message.
 31¤ Does Not Generate a Cancel message.
Must enter 31.XX to generate cancel
message.
SSR status code change
 Not Supported
 Can change KK SSR status code to HK via
31.HK entry.
Author: Sabre / Abacus
April 2010
Page 2
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
Infant Child OSI Messaging
 Placed in AA FACTS and GENERAL FACTS
Fields Automatically. Does not include
Infant/Child age.
 OSI INF CHD has been discontinued and
replaced with SSR INFT DOB and SSR CHLD
DOB
Infant and Child types
 Not Supported
 34 New Passenger types to identify infants
and children.( example I01-I12 for infant 1 or
12 months, and children C01 or C012 for
years)
Passenger Types
 Optional, stored in PDT field.
 Required, stored in PDT field on all Abacus
PNRs but has been automated no manual
entries required.
PNR Retrieval with AA segments
 Sabre Connected agents and AA share the
same reservation/record locator
 Abacus has a separate reservation that
creates a teletype booking in the AA
reservation system. The reservation is not
shared.
Groups
Sabre Functionality
Abacus Functionality
Block Space Group product (BSG)
 Offered to all Sabre locations.
 Not offered, supported or marketed.
Corporate and Group Bookings (-C/)
 Supports regular PNR functions with the
exception of not requiring all passenger
names.
 Used as primary group tool. The features
and functions are the same as Sabre except
for the following:
– Limited to participating airlines
– Air segments can only be requested using
NN, IN, BK, BL, GK, GL status codes
Author: Sabre / Abacus
April 2010
Page 3
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
Group Management Tool (GMT)
 Supported based on commercial agreement
with airlines.
 Not supported
Pre-Reserved Seats
 Sabre participating carriers may be different
from Abacus participating carriers
 Abacus participating carriers may be
different from Sabre participating carriers
Associate Participation Levels
 Participation level varies between Sabre and
Abacus.
 Participation level varies between Abacus
and Sabre.
Payment
Sabre Functionality
Credit Cards
Author: Sabre / Abacus
 Cannot use local Korea credit cards.
April 2010
Abacus Functionality
 Can use local Korea credit cards in Korea.
Page 4
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
Ticket Issuance
Sabre Functionality
Phase IV/Rate-Desk priced & Ticket Fare
Record (TFR)
Abacus Functionality
 Support “Phase IV”, whereby ticketing data
is manually input by users. Itinerary can be
priced and automatically stored in a Phase IV
using the WD entry.
 Support “Rate Desk” pricing (known as
“Phase IV” to Sabre users), whereby
ticketing data is manual input by users
using the <W#C> entry.
 Phase IV is always considered as manually
priced.
 Support Automated Ticket Fare Record
(TFR). It is created when accepting a fare
returned from Abacus SmartPrice (similar
to Sabre ATSE) or Abacus FareX (unique to
Abacus Net Fare system) pricing response.
 Do not support Automated Ticket Fare
Record (TFR).
 An Abacus TFR can be flagged as:
– Manual Priced – specific fare conditions
are not met
– Auto-priced – all fare rules are accepted
and validated
– Rate-desk priced – all fare information is
manually updated in the ticket fare
record.
– All FareX NET TFR are tagged as Manual
 Unable to ticket from Phase IV / TFR previously stored by PNR owner.
Author: Sabre / Abacus
April 2010
Page 5
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
 Phase IV/Rate-Desk pricing will follow the rules of the PNR owner prime host. For example,
the PNR is created by Sabre and service by Abacus, the rules of Sabre’s Phase IV will apply.
The same goes for the display of Ticket list, i.e. **W.
 However, the above rules do not apply to some functions such as WTFR, baggage and
NVB/NVA year indicators.
 WTFR – Not supported in AAA environment. Current GBA rule.
 Baggage – For Phase IV/TFR ticketing, it will follow the rules of the PNR owner. For Direct
ticketing, it will follow the rules of the ticketing GDS.
 NVB/NVA year indicator – Not supported in Phase IV/Rate Desk pricing. Current GBA rule.
However, it is supported in Abacus’s environment via Direct ticketing.
 Maximum 7 shells allowed. Deleted shells
remain on the list flagged with “-D” and
cannot be reused.
 Maximum 7 shells allowed. Deleted shells
are removed and the slot can be reused.
 Phase IV & Rate Desk pricing gets updated with tour code and commission if these are input
in the ticketing entry.
Author: Sabre / Abacus
 Validating carrier code cannot be input in
Phase IV.
 The Validating Carrier is stored in the TFR,
which is the one applied by pricing and
returned in the pricing response. The
validating Carrier may also be manually
updated in TFR
 Phase IV can be recreated after itinerary
change.
 Automated TFRs can be refreshed after
itinerary change or certain passenger type
code changes.
April 2010
Page 6
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
 Pricing the PNR does not automatically
delete a Phase IV.
 Re-pricing of PNR that has been
updated/modified will be tagged as
“AWAITING REPRICE” in the TFR status.
 NET TFR will not be auto deleted. Agents
still have to manually delete it.
 Tickets can be issued immediately after
itinerary changes or Passenger Type Code
changes, except for Phase IV. If a Phase IV is
present, an itinerary change causes the
Phase IV to be flagged with itinerary change
and the Phase IV must be recreated before a
ticket can be issued from it.
 Itinerary changes and Passenger Type Code
changes cause the PNR to be flagged as
Awaiting Reprice. Tickets cannot be issued
until the TFRs are refreshed or repriced.
 Phase IV shell history
 No TFR history
 Phase IV mask allowed
 Inhibited from using Phase IV mask.
 Abacus uses TFR (Rate-desk Priced – W‡C)
and linear entries (Linear Entry Qualifier –
W‡I).
WTFR
 WTFR is not supported even if is serviced in Abacus environment. Therefore, must create
Phase IV or Rate desk pricing.
NIL Baggage
 The Phase IV shows “NIL” and “NIL” prints
on the ticket. This applies to all PTC.
Author: Sabre / Abacus
April 2010
 TFR shows “NO” even though you inputs
“NIL” in the manual TFR. This applies to all
PTC.
Page 7
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
PC Baggage
 Must include the number of pieces when
inputting into the Phase IV baggage
allowance based on pieces. Sabre supports
up to 99P. Phase IV shows number followed
by “P”. Example: 02P
 “PC” baggage is supported to represent
“02P’. Otherwise, you may input the exact
number of baggage. Abacus supports up to
99P.
NVB/NVA year indicator
 Phase IV and Rate-Desk pricing – Not supported in AAA environment.
 Direct Ticketing – Supported in Abacus environment but not Sabre.
Validating carrier check
 BSP agency must input a validating carrier in
the ticketing entry.
 For ARC and BSP Canada agency, if no
validating carrier is input, the system
defaults to a validating carrier.
 For Rate Desk /TFR ticketing, validating
carrier not required in ticketing entry if
present in the TFR. Can override the TFR
validating carrier in the ticketing entry using
W#I.
 For direct ticketing, validating carrier must
be input in the ticketing entry.
Auto validation indicator
 Ticketing is not allowed even if Auto
validation is off in the TJR.
 For BSP can designate OPTAT stock and
ticket when Auto Val is OFF in TJR.
*s*p«
PY08.F1E2*AAP.A..PNR PRESENT
AUTO VAL – OFF
W*IN«
OK-0008
Author: Sabre / Abacus
April 2010
Page 8
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
2 Forms of Payment
 Can input tax amounts associated with a
form of payment. Up to 2 taxes can be
specified in the 2FOP format and will be paid
with the second FOP. The remaining taxes
will be paid with the first FOP. If no tax
amount is specified, all taxes are assumed to
be paid with the first form of payment.
 Tax amounts cannot be input in the 2FOP
entry. A validating carrier table indicator
determines how taxes are associated when
both cash and credit forms of payment are
used.
 2 FOP is not allowed for ARC or BSP Canada
agencies.
Net Remit
 Tax Association indicator in validating carrier
table is not viewable by Sabre BSP or ARC
subscriber. Sabre personnel (FSG, HDQ) can
see the indicator.
 Tax Association indicator in validating
carrier table is viewable by Abacus
subscriber.
 Net remit is not allowed with 2 forms of
payment.
 Net remit is allowed with 2 forms of
payment
 Net remit is not allowed for ARC or BSP
Canada agencies.
8 Digit Credit Card Approval Code
 Sabre edits to ensure that France requires a
net amount and V* code.
 Abacus edits to ensure that Thailand and
Korea require a net remit code when a net
amount is input.
 Not supported
 Korea can input a code which prints in the
validation area of the ticket.
 For 8 digit credit card approval code, entry
still valid. It is printed on the applicable
plain paper ET docs.
Author: Sabre / Abacus
April 2010
Page 9
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
Ticket Exchange / Reissuance
Exchanges - Linear Commands
Sabre Functionality
Abacus Functionality
 In Sabre BSP environment, linear Exchange is
not supported if add collect taxes are more
than 3 in the W# entry (without Phase IV).
Error returned: INVALID TAX AMOUNT-0152
 Support up to 99 taxes for original issue and
Even exchange, 198 taxes for add collect.
 QREX Plus is currently not available to
Abacus.
 In Sabre BSP environment, linear exchange is
not supported if add collect taxes are more
than 2 in the W#T entry (i.e. with Phase IV).
Error returned: ADD COLLECT TAX INVALID0011
 In ARC environment linear exchange is not
supported if add collect taxes are more than
2 in the W# or W#T entry. Error returned:
INVALID TAX AMOUNT-0152
 For BSP agencies using a Phase IV for the
exchange entry, Sabre requires input of
original base fare and paid/unpaid taxes in
Phase IV.
 Abacus requires input of original base fare
and paid/unpaid taxes.
 ARC agencies are not allowed to input
paid/unpaid taxes in Phase IV. Error
returned: Y*E ENTRY NOT ALLOWED-0080
Author: Sabre / Abacus
April 2010
Page 10
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
Audit Trail Reporting
Sabre Functionality
Audit Trail
 Commission amount is calculated and shown
on the audit trail.
Abacus Functionality
 Korea shows only a commission percent.
Other countries show a commission
amount.
 Note: Abacus Audit Trail Net amount is
calculated and it may not be the same as
the remittance amount printed on Agent
coupon
Author: Sabre / Abacus
 The ticket total, including tax, is shown on
the audit trail.
 The ticket total is not shown. Instead, the
remittance amount is calculated and
shown. Note for Korea it is the Ticket Total
that is shown.
 The total sales are separated between Cash
and Credit amounts.
 Korea, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Customized
and Generic TAT show the total sales
separated between Cash and Credit.
April 2010
Page 11
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
Pricing
Sabre Functionality
Fares Display Response Format
Template selection is made via the agency’s Travel
Journal Record (TJR). Default fare display
templates are established at the agency level,
rather than the individual agent level. Template
selection is restricted to users that possess duty
code *9* and the EPR keywords *SUBMGR* and
*CREATE*.
Abacus Functionality
Uses Fare Display Template 31
If no default fare display template is selected, the
system defaults to Single-Carrier template 1 and
Multi-Carrier template 1.
Integrated Pricing
1S user returns the lowest applicable fare (either
Published, Private, or Cat 35 Fares) filed in ATPCO,
SITA, (SITA CAT 35), and SMF (filed by authorized
SMF users)
 Abacus SmartPrice returns the lowest
applicable fare (either Published, Private or
CAT 35 Fares) filed in ATPCO, SITA (SITA
CAT 35 will be applicable soon), and SMF
(filed by Sabre subscribers)
Passenger Type Codes
Does not auto-map to NEG/CNE/INE for a lower
fare. There is a TJR option to auto amp to such
PTCs set by the user.
 Auto-maps to NEG/CNE/INE for a lower fare
Match and No Match pricing response
 WP Match returns a single lowest validated fare
on a match.
 Returns a single lowest validated fare on a
match
 WPA Match returns lowest 24 validated fares.
When 24 validated fares are not found, system
will backfill with no match options up to a
maximum of 24 options.
Author: Sabre / Abacus
April 2010
Page 12
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
 WP no match will return an error response to
the user, e.g. NO FARE FOR CLASS USED.
 WPA No Match returns lowest 24 no match
options.
 WP partial match will return an error response
to the user for all PTCs if one or more PTCs are
not valid, e.g. NO FARE FOR CLASS USED is
returned to the user.
 When no match is found, system
automatically returns 12 lowest fare on a
no match
 Is able to return a partial match pricing
response
 WPA Partial match is returned to the user, i.e. up
to 24 Match/No Match options are returned for
the matched PTC and an error response is
returned for the PTC where no matched or no
matched options are found.
Command Pricing
 No command pricing exceptions for travel to
mainland China Applies
 Returns CAT 8, 9, 12 charges up to
maximum allowed by the fare rule
 Command pricing exception for travel to
mainland China travel involving gateways of
Macao and Hong Kong where system
returns lowest fare to/from these points
and interior China when request through
fare is not found.
Author: Sabre / Abacus
April 2010
Page 13
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
Net Remit Pricing &Ticketing
 Sabre can price 2 different types of Cat 35 fares
(with some known gaps)
 CAT 35 Security
 CAT 35 Net Ticketing (IT/BT)
 Note: Cat 35 Net Remit is not auto priced but
must be manually entered by the user today.
 Abacus SmartPrice can price the 3 different
types of CAT 35 fares (with some known
gaps)
 CAT 35 Security
 CAT 35 Net Remit
 3- CAT 35 Net Ticketing (IT/BT)
 Sabre does not process a CAT 35 Net Remit with
fare type indicator byte 101 filed as blank
 Abacus SmartPrice can process a CAT 35
Net Remit with fare type indicator Byte 101
filed as Blank
Non-PNR Pricing (WQ)
 Price Search (WQ) No PNR Pricing uses
Match/No Match processing logic.
 Abacus SmartPrice uses its own predesignated Fare Type Matrix
Alternative Pricing (WPA)
 Enhancement to the basic WP formats. Use
WPA to request multiple fare calculations in a
single entry
 WPAS was not introduced to Abacus
SmartPrice users although Abacus did not
opt out on this functionality
No Availability Check (CR29)
Sabre does process all RBD Conditional tags on
Availability based on T999. Availability is being
checked in pricing today.
 Abacus SmartPrice does not process all RBD
Conditional tags on Availability based on
T999. Availability is not being checked in
pricing today.
Store Fare
 Sabre User use Phase IV record
 Abacus Users uses Abacus Ticket Fare
Record (TFR)
Ticket from Abacus TFR
 Not supported, Sabre uses Phase IV
 Ticketing from a stored TFR is widely used
by Abacus markets.
Abacus FareX
 Not applicable to Sabre
 Abacus FareX is used to price net fares filed
in Abacus FareX. Basic commands are NFD,
NFP/NFT, NFQ, NFN
Author: Sabre / Abacus
April 2010
Page 14
Functional Differences - AAA (triple A) between Sabre and Abacus
Sabre My Fares (SMF)
 The next generation web-based fare
management tool that enables travel agencies to
file private fare and rule data directly with the
Sabre system. It further automates the
management of your negotiated fare contracts
by providing the ability to input, edit, manage,
and distribute multiple negotiated fare types. In
addition, you can mark up net fares filed via
these tools and redistribute them to branch
locations or other stand-alone agencies.
 Not supported
QREX Exchange
 Applicable to Sabre
 Not applicable at this time. To perform an
exchange Linear commands must be used.
Refund
 QREX
 Abacus Quick Refund is an enhanced
version of QREX Refund
OB Fees (Sabre Phase 1)
 Sabre displays additional ticketing fees included
in the Sabre pricing and ticketing transactions
related to vendor credit card processing costs.
 Not applicable at this time (Note: A PBE was
just raised to activate OB Fees for Abacus
SmartPrice)
Author: Sabre / Abacus
April 2010
Page 15