Group bookings with Sabre Multi Access

Sabre Multi Access enables you to create a group booking via an Amadeus office ID allocated to Sabre DFW1W2GRP. This procedure will allow you to issue tickets for groups you have booked on British Airways flights from a passive PNR.

BOOKING PROCESS

Please use/key in the following mandatory entries:

1. ¤¤BAL
Move into Multi-Access mode

2. 117JULAMSLON
Availability entry (the system will search for available seats in booking class G, T, I and A)

3. 015G7
Request 15 seats in G-class from line 7 (The response will always be a request booking with status “NN”)

4. -C/10BAGROUP
Add number of passengers and group name.
-C/(nbr in party plus group name)

5. –0_C/15TESTSABRE
Amend group name (Please note: this is only possible in PNR creation)

6. 9 020 12345678 AGENT NAME REF SK
Add telephone number with agency details

7. 5 IATA NUMBER
Add remark with agency IATA number

8. 3 SSRGRPF BA ADHOC GROUP
Add SSR with „ADHOC GROUP”

9. 6 REF LW
Add received from field

10. *A
Display all PNR elements including individual names

11. QP/AMSBA07R1/87
Queue PNR to British Airways. You will find the correct queue number in the prompt-card.

NOTE: Apart from the IATA number in step 7 above, do not add any remarks to the booking except in the following situations:

• Requesting over 99 seats – request 99 seats and add the following remark:
  5 TCP120 (specifying the number of seats required)
• Travel date outside of system range – request for another date and add the following remark:
  5 DATE 20NOV05 – 27NOV05 (specifying the dates required)
• Pre-agreed special rates – add the following remark:
  5 PREAGREED GROUP RATE EUR500 (specifying the agreed rate of EUR500)
• Requesting additional servicing – add the following remark:
  5 free format

Do not add any free format remarks until you have obtained a group quote, otherwise free format remarks cannot be read.

It is strictly forbidden to book groups space directly in the normal availability display. All groups bookings must be requested as above including small incremental requests to existing bookings. British Airways groups department will then confirm or counter your request.

FARES

Fares, where loaded, can be displayed and quoted with the following entries:

• FQAMSLON20AUG-BA‡PNEG or
• FQAMSLON20AUG-BA‡PGRP if loaded with a specific group passenger and fare type
• WPPNEG or
• WPPGIT if loaded with a specific group passenger and fare type

CONFIRMATION OF RESERVATION

Confirmation of booking and price will be sent with status code “HK“ to your Multi Access queue 0. The fare to be confirmed will show in the SR element in the PNR. On acceptance please enter the following remark and queue the PNR back to BA.

• 5 KK EUR500
  Add remark confirming the quoted rate of 500
• QP/AMSBA07R1/87
  Queue PNR to British Airway

MAINTENANCE OF GROUP BOOKINGS

You can easily maintain your group bookings:

• -1 TEST/MR
  Add names (Please be aware that bookings without names can be cancelled by BA 30 days before departure.)
  -2APPLES/AMRS/JIM (CHD)
  Add multiple names with child
  -1ORANGE/AMR(INF/AMBER)
  Add individual name with infant
• -10¤
  Removing name for passenger 10
• -10¤
  Amending names by removing the old name, end
  transaction, then retrieve PNR again and add new name
• DC/2
  Divide PNR with group name (divide 2 passengers)
• D1
  Divide PNR with individual names (divide passenger 1)
• 3 SSRGRPF BA TCP20*123ACB
  Request additional seats by creating a new booking for the additional seats and add an SR referring to the original PNR (123ABC – PNR code of the original PNR)
• ZZRS(segment to be changed),(new position)
  Rearrange segments in PNR in BAL system 

QC/ALL Queue count
Q To access the BA queue
I Ignore the PNR and leave it on the queue
E End the PNR after changes made and remove from the queue
QR Removes PNR unchanged from the queue
QX Exit the queue

MOVE BACK INTO SABRE:

¤¤RES Leaving connection to BA open
QUIT Ending connection to BA

HOW TO ISSUE AN E-TICKET FOR GROUP BOOKINGS

When the booking in Sabre Multi Access is finalised a passive PNR (Merge Back PNR) is automatically created in Sabre. Once you are ready to ticket you only need to update the passive PNR with the passenger names and the fare calculation and can then issue the tickets from there.

Group bookings are defined as bookings with 10+ passengers but can also be for less than 10 passengers who are attached to a group. The following processes apply to both booking types.

• Step 1: Mergeback BA PNR to Sabre

  To ensure successful e-ticket issue, please key in the following MANDATORY entries:
  

1. ¤¤BAL
Move into Multi Access mode

2. *Record Locator
Retrieve BA Group PNR

3. 6REF AGENT NAME
Enter received from field 6

4. E
End BA PNR which will then merge back into Sabre as a GK

5. -C/15GROUPNAME
Add number of party and group name - group name must be exactly match with group name and number in BA PNR including spaces

6. -25SMITH/LEOMR/BERYLMRS
Add passenger names - passenger names must exactly match with passengers name in the BA PNR including spaces

Complete PNR as normal, moving over agency star, etc...

• Step 2: Issuing e-tickets in the Sabre PNR

  Issue the e-tickets as normal utilising Phase 3, 3.5, 3.75 or 4 ticketing. However, the maximum number of e-tickets that can be issued at one time is 9. Therefore, for any PNRs that exceed this number the ticketing entry will be required to be name related. End and retrieve the PNR after each batch of up to 9 e-tickets have been issued. This will generate smaller teletype messages to be transferred between systems.
  

Example: ‡N2-5.2.

Example e-ticketing entry:
W‡T1N2-5.2‡ABA‡FAGENTNONREF‡UB*1212121‡ETR
(first nine passengers)

W‡T1N5.3-8.2‡ABA‡FAGENTNONREF‡UB*1212121‡ETR
(second nine passengers)

Once e-tickets have been issued check the e-ticket numbers have been transferred to the British Airways group PNR, if not please contact BA Group Sales.

• Step 3: Corrective Procedures

1. Group name in Sabre PNR must exactly match group name in BA PNR otherwise the e-ticket will not be transferred to BA.

Corrective action:
If e-tickets have already been issued, then VOID. Delete existing -C/name by entering -1¤. Re-enter correct -C/15GROUP NAME including/excluding spaces and any applicable slashes.

2. Individual name in Sabre PNR must exactly match name in BA PNR including spaces otherwise a "NO" status will be returned.

Corrective action:
Correct name in Sabre PNR. Remerge BA segments onto Sabre PNR cancelling NO segments. Issue e-tickets.

3. Check e-ticket numbers have been transferred to the BA PNR. If not the e-ticket will be missing from the BA system.

Corrective action:
Contact BA Group Sales to advise e-ticket numbers missing from the BA PNR. BA Group Sales will update the BA PNR.

Name Changes on e-tickets (after original issue):

Contact BA Group Sales to action name change. BA Group Sales consultant will split individual from the main BA locator, giving a new BA locator, with the name change in the new locator.

Once the e-ticket has been issued you are unable to do name changes. Create a new PNR from the new locator given by BA. Remember you must also include the -C/GROUP NAME. Issue a new e-ticket.

Any refund for the name-changed e-ticket must be processed manually.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Automated Group Bookings can only be made for British Airways flights (no codes-hares).
• Valid booking classes are: G (World und Euro Traveller), T (World Traveller Plus), I (Club Europe and Club World), A (First Class)
• Only IATA agencies can book groups with BA. Non-IATA agents are kindly advised to book through a partner agency with IATA accreditation.
• For the following booking types our dedicated Groups team will progress your bookings behind the scenes, which will take longer than the standard automated quotes: special rates (e.g. schools, corporates, large groups over 100), out of system range, premium bookings, special multi-sector journeys, JSA & Franchises, feeder rates, etc.

CONTACTS

Should you need any further information on Sabre Multi Access please contact

• Your local Sabre helpdesk
  
  or
  
• Your local British Airways groups department