5 or 6 character PNR codes

Jules wrote:

I'm off to the US tomorrow on an Air India flight - I figured I'd
attempt to re-confirm my reservation via their website. I just discovered
though that the PNR given by my travel agent (and, importantly, that's on
the actual tickets) is 6 characters long - but Air India's website tells
me that a PNR should be only 5 characters long (and hence rejects it)

Your agent probably used one of the global distribution systems (ie Sabre).
Those systems have used 6 character PNRs for more years than I can remember. If
AI really uses 5 character PNRs, it would be listed in the reservation details,
separate from the reservation system PNR.

That said, its been around 20 years since I've seen an airline request a a
formal re-confirm. As long as the flight details are still current, you should
be fine.

I'm off to the US tomorrow on an Air India flight - I figured I'd
attempt to re-confirm my reservation via their website. I just discovered
though that the PNR given by my travel agent (and, importantly, that's on
the actual tickets) is 6 characters long - but Air India's website tells
me that a PNR should be only 5 characters long (and hence rejects it)

Is their website just broken? :-) (Annoyingly they don't seem to maintain
a phone system so I can simply call them!)

I'm not bothered really; I mean I have the tickets in my hand and I don't
think I've ever "done the right thing" and re-confirmed a flight the day
before booking anyway (and have never had problems). I'm just curious as
to why one code is 6 chars in length (which according to google
searches seems to be the norm) but airindia.com only expects 5 - is
there some magic way of converting between the two?

cheers & happy flying

Jules

Rick Blaine wrote:

Jules wrote:


I'm off to the US tomorrow on an Air India flight - I figured I'd
attempt to re-confirm my reservation via their website. I just discovered
though that the PNR given by my travel agent (and, importantly, that's on
the actual tickets) is 6 characters long - but Air India's website tells
me that a PNR should be only 5 characters long (and hence rejects it)


Your agent probably used one of the global distribution systems (ie Sabre).
Those systems have used 6 character PNRs for more years than I can remember. If
AI really uses 5 character PNRs, it would be listed in the reservation details,
separate from the reservation system PNR.

That said, its been around 20 years since I've seen an airline request a a
formal re-confirm. As long as the flight details are still current, you should
be fine.

WARNING.. some airlines will cancel your reservations if you fail to
reconfirm.

mrtravel wrote:

WARNING.. some airlines will cancel your reservations if you fail to
reconfirm.

Which ones?


--
ant
Don't try to email me;
I'm borrowing the spammer du jour's addy

"ant" wrote:

Which ones?

Precisely. mttravel hasn't travelled much if he thinks reconfirms are required
as a matter of course. I haven't seen them required internationally in almost 20
years.

Rick Blaine wrote:
"ant" wrote:


Which ones?


Precisely. mttravel hasn't travelled much if he thinks reconfirms are required
as a matter of course. I haven't seen them required internationally in almost 20
years.

I didn't say they were a matter of course, I said SOME airlines still
require them. If you don't know about your specific airline, call them,
or check their website.

mrtravel wrote:

Rick Blaine wrote:

"ant" wrote:


Which ones?



Precisely. mttravel hasn't travelled much if he thinks reconfirms are
required
as a matter of course. I haven't seen them required internationally in
almost 20
years.


I didn't say they were a matter of course, I said SOME airlines still
require them. If you don't know about your specific airline, call them,
or check their website.


http://indian-airlines.nic.in/script...servation.aspx

mrtravel wrote:

I didn't say they were a matter of course, I said SOME airlines still
require them. If you don't know about your specific airline, call them,
or check their website.


http://indian-airlines.nic.in/script...servation.aspx

Fair enough!

Rick Blaine wrote:
mrtravel wrote:

I didn't say they were a matter of course, I said SOME airlines
still require them. If you don't know about your specific
airline, call them, or check their website.


http://indian-airlines.nic.in/script...servation.aspx

Fair enough!

yeah, he wins. I'd like ot know if any airline I'm ever likely to fly wants
reconfirmations though.

--
ant
Don't try to email me;
I'm borrowing the spammer du jour's addy