The PNR or Passenger Name Record includes personal information of a traveler that is recorded in the CRS of the train, bus or airline reservation system. Since there can be several PNR’s, a master itinerary becomes necessary as part of PNR management.

First and foremost, the PNR shows whether the ticket is confirmed or still on the waiting list. You can also, check whether a flight is scheduled on time or delayed. Two or three connecting journeys can be linked through PNR numbers. The status can be checked by sending an SMS, mentioning your PNR number. The status will be sent back in the form of a message. Another easier way is to go on to the official website of the transport company you are using and enter the PNR number. The websites usually contain sufficient information regarding various codes. Passengers can also check their PNR status on smartphone apps. The PNR is a unique number that holds all the details of the passenger traveling to a particular destination. This number does not change till after the departure or if the ticket is cancelled. PNR’s can also be linked or included with references that make it easy to access data related to the customer from previous bookings. PNR management includes using data to analyze which customer has more potential value to the travel revenue. Some examples are business travelers or frequent flyers. The data on the PNR number is stored in a centralized database that is shared not just with hotels and travel agencies but also with government agencies.

Elements Of PNR

In PNR management, it is important to understand and know that the PNR includes five mandatory components that are necessary to be created. One is the travelers name or a group of travelers who are represented together in the same itinerary. Next is the contact number of the passenger or the travel vendor. The PNR also contains an itinerary segment that should include time, date and location. The fourth element is related to the ticketing process that decides the actual price of the ticket. Finally the PNR indicates the passengers name or his representative. There are other optional fields that may be entered such as SSR and OSI which are used only by the airlines industry as a message to communicate the travelers’ requirements. While SSR’s are a 55 character long request, the OSI is just information or a notification to a specific carrier. The Automated Fare Quote keeps a record of the fares guaranteed at the time of ticketing. General remarks is a space used to record anything of note that takes place during the life of the PNR. These remarks indicate services that were offered and they are not forwarded to the concerned carrier. Secondary Ticketing Remarks are formatted information printed on the invoice. This information is usually passed on to another system or application.

PNR management is an important element in travel where data is managed, secured and used to valuate customers in order to maximize profit.