Record locator
Encyclopedia
A record locator is an alphanumeric
code, typically 6 characters in length, used in airline
reservation systems to access a specific record. When a passenger
, travel agent or airline employee refers to a record locator they typically mean a pointer to a specific reservation which is known as a Passenger Name Record
or PNR. However, a record locator can point at records containing other forms of data. Record locators are unique within a given system at a specific point in time. Because the number of character combinations in 6 characters is finite (albeit very large) record locators get reused once the data to which it refers has been purged from the system. Because 1, I and L can be confused (also 0 and o) these characters are not always used in record locators. The pool of available character combinations is further reduced because the locator is actually a location address and there are rules about what character combinations can be used for such addresses.
Because the term record locator is usually used to refer to a PNR the two terms can become confused.
When a reservation is made a PNR is created in the system used by the person making the booking. This PNR will have a record locator. If the booking has been made through the airline and the only flight(s) are operated by the airline making the reservation only one PNR will exist. However if the booking contains flights of more than one airline (for example a passenger flies London
/New York
on British Airways
and returns on CO
) then the reservation for both flights will (typically) be made through the first airline. The first airline will send messages to the 2nd confirming the reservation and the 2nd airline will create a separate PNR which has its own record locator. If the booking is made through a travel agency
then a PNR (and record locator) will exist in the system used by the agency and further PNRs (each with their own record locator) will exist in each airline system.
In recent years more and more airlines have stopped running their own reservation systems and have become clients of systems such as Amadeus
and Sabre
who provide hosting services. Where this occurs a single PNR (with just one record locator) may be created in the hosting system containing details of all the flights for which that hosting system is responsible. For example, a reservation for passenger traveling from London to Paris
on AF
returning BA booked through AF will reside in one PNR in the Amadeus system with just one record locator because both airlines use Amadeus for reservations. If that booking is made through a travel agent using Amadeus the same single PNR/record locator will exist. However if the reservation is made via an agency using a different system (e.g. Sabre) there will be two PNRs (one in Sabre and one in Amadeus) each with its own locator.
Airline systems pass record locators between themselves as part of the confirmation process. Should a record locator fail to be passed between two systems the PNR can still be retrieved using flight number/date and name.
Not all airlines use the term record locator. Other terms in use include:
Example record locators are RMT33W, KZVGX5, IIRCYC.
In the past, the Reservec 2 system had eight character record locators in the form xxnnnnxx where x was a letter and n a number. Some CPARS (Compact Programmed Airlines Reservations System) systems used five character locators.
Alphanumeric
Alphanumeric is a combination of alphabetic and numeric characters, and is used to describe the collection of Latin letters and Arabic digits or a text constructed from this collection. There are either 36 or 62 alphanumeric characters. The alphanumeric character set consists of the numbers 0 to...
code, typically 6 characters in length, used in airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
reservation systems to access a specific record. When a passenger
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
, travel agent or airline employee refers to a record locator they typically mean a pointer to a specific reservation which is known as a Passenger Name Record
Passenger Name Record
In the travel industry, a passenger name record is a record in the database of a computer reservation system that contains the itinerary for a passenger, or a group of passengers traveling together...
or PNR. However, a record locator can point at records containing other forms of data. Record locators are unique within a given system at a specific point in time. Because the number of character combinations in 6 characters is finite (albeit very large) record locators get reused once the data to which it refers has been purged from the system. Because 1, I and L can be confused (also 0 and o) these characters are not always used in record locators. The pool of available character combinations is further reduced because the locator is actually a location address and there are rules about what character combinations can be used for such addresses.
Because the term record locator is usually used to refer to a PNR the two terms can become confused.
When a reservation is made a PNR is created in the system used by the person making the booking. This PNR will have a record locator. If the booking has been made through the airline and the only flight(s) are operated by the airline making the reservation only one PNR will exist. However if the booking contains flights of more than one airline (for example a passenger flies London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
/New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
and returns on CO
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
) then the reservation for both flights will (typically) be made through the first airline. The first airline will send messages to the 2nd confirming the reservation and the 2nd airline will create a separate PNR which has its own record locator. If the booking is made through a travel agency
Travel agency
A travel agency is a retail business that sells travel related products and services to customers on behalf of suppliers such as airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, sightseeing tours and package holidays that combine several products...
then a PNR (and record locator) will exist in the system used by the agency and further PNRs (each with their own record locator) will exist in each airline system.
In recent years more and more airlines have stopped running their own reservation systems and have become clients of systems such as Amadeus
Amadeus CRS
Amadeus is a computer reservations system owned by the Amadeus IT Group with headquarters in Madrid, Spain. The central database is located at Erding, Germany. The development center is located at Sophia Antipolis, France...
and Sabre
Sabre (computer system)
Sabre Global Distribution System , owned by Sabre Holdings, is used by more than 55,000 travel agencies around the world with more than 400 airlines, 88,000 hotels, 24 car rental brands, and 13 cruise lines...
who provide hosting services. Where this occurs a single PNR (with just one record locator) may be created in the hosting system containing details of all the flights for which that hosting system is responsible. For example, a reservation for passenger traveling from London to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on AF
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
returning BA booked through AF will reside in one PNR in the Amadeus system with just one record locator because both airlines use Amadeus for reservations. If that booking is made through a travel agent using Amadeus the same single PNR/record locator will exist. However if the reservation is made via an agency using a different system (e.g. Sabre) there will be two PNRs (one in Sabre and one in Amadeus) each with its own locator.
Airline systems pass record locators between themselves as part of the confirmation process. Should a record locator fail to be passed between two systems the PNR can still be retrieved using flight number/date and name.
Not all airlines use the term record locator. Other terms in use include:
- Confirmation number
- Reservation number
- Confirmation code
- Booking reference
- Booking code
Example record locators are RMT33W, KZVGX5, IIRCYC.
In the past, the Reservec 2 system had eight character record locators in the form xxnnnnxx where x was a letter and n a number. Some CPARS (Compact Programmed Airlines Reservations System) systems used five character locators.