Checkmytrip vs. viewtrip

[Sequel]

I have seen several posts suggesting looking up available seats on a planned flight at checkmytrip.com. I have tried typing my reservation number in and it isn't recognised (it starts with an N). My details are recognised at viewtrip.com.

Do reservation numbers only work with one system or the other?

Is there anyway to look at the available seats on my flight if my booking isn't recognised at checkmytrip?

 

[Mal]

Only international flights have seat details available on Checkmytrip. They also may not be displayed if the flight has reached the cut off point for pre-allocation of seats.

You sound like you've booked through a travel agent. They can use a different system for the bookings. ViewTrip is for Galileo bookings.

Normally if you look through Galileo, or your itinery from your Travel Agent, it should have on it somewhere something like Qantas Reference or Confirmation Code with a code like XPJ0ID. Should be 6 numbers/letters.

Plug this into checkmytrip and you should get some results.

 

[NM]

There are three major reservation systems used by major airlines and travel agents (and many other used by specific airlines). Depending on who made your reservation, you will need to view it through the appropriate viewing system.

All three of these major systems provide a booking reference number that looks similar in format. It does not really matter what it starts with, its all about the system in which it is valid.

And it gets even more confusing when you have an itinerary that is booked in one system and includes flights that need to be visible in the specific airline's systems. In those cases, the necessary booking information is pushed from the system in which the reservation is made into the other systems, plus the details of the connecting flights either side (so the operating airline knows how and when you arrive and depart before and after their sectors).

These three major systems are:

Sabre: used by AA and some TA's such as Carson Waginlit
Amadeus: used by QF and BA
Galileo: used by TA's such as Amex Travel

If you see your booking in the QF FF web site under My Bookings, it will have a booking reference for Amadeus and can seen at http://www.checkmytrip.com

If your booking is made in Sabre, you can see it at http://www.virtuallythere.com and can even be pushed to AvantGo for Palm/PocketPC download.

If your booking is made in Galileo, then view it at http://www.viewtrip.com

If you don't know in which system the reservation was made, just try all three and it should work with one. Sometimes the itinerary from the TA will include booking references for all the airlines used, and those specific flights (plus connections) will be seen under the relevant viewing tool above.

 

[rosesplus]

I've also noticed that if you are looking at say a QF/AA codeshare flight if you can't access the QF seating map you can still see the seating map if you look at the AA flt number. It seems to me that QF withdraw the seating map before AA does.