What is a PNR and how does it work?

[Dannyism]

Hi,

In a bid to better understand ticketing I have been trying to understand PNR's, what they are, what they do and how they work.

Passenger name record - Wikipedia

So please correct the errors in my simplified understanding.

A PNR is the six digit 'reference number' such as M3ABUQ that you get when you make a one way or return booking for one or multiple people. This info has all your details and flight info and payment info I suppose. Then if I change a booking it keeps the same PNR but the records change to say I'm taking the flight an hour later now.
These PNR records are stored in a global database and shared with all airlines and probably customs and law enforcement.

A few questions and gaps in my understanding?

So no one in the whole entire world can have the same PNR?
Do they reuse PNRs?
Are PNRs code for something or just a reference number?
Apart from tracking problems, chasing up missing points etc. What are the benefits of understanding PNRs?
Anything else that is worth noting?

Many thanks for your reply

 

[RooFlyer]

PNRs are unique to the ‘booking engine’ the airline uses to book your flight on their, and other airlines. Examples of booking engines are Amadeus, Sabre, TravelPort (Galileo) etc. Different airlines use different booking engines and there is no relationship as to what airline uses which engine. For instance, the various oneWorldairlines use different engines, and there is a mix amongst Star Alliance airlines as well.

So, if you have a RTW ticket issued by Qantas, it will assign its PNR to your flights. However, if your itinerary includes American flights, for instance, American will assign its own, different PNR to you and that flight, because they use a different booking engine than Qantas.

If you want to enquire to American about your flights, Qantas’ PNR will mean nothing to them - you’ll have to quote the American PNR. You’ll also need the American PNR to go into the American site to choose seats etc.

Each airline should be able to tell you all the other PNRs if you ask ( there are also on-line methods).

 

[Himeno]

PNRs are unique to the ‘booking engine’ the airline uses to book your flight on their, and other airlines. Examples of booking engines are Amadeus, Sabre, TravelPort (Galileo) etc. Different airlines use different booking engines and there is no relationship as to what airline uses which engine. For instance, the various oneWorldairlines use different engines, and there is a mix amongst Star Alliance airlines as well.

So, if you have a RTW ticket issued by Qantas, it will assign its PNR to your flights. However, if your itinerary includes American flights, for instance, American will assign its own, different PNR to you and that flight, because they use a different booking engine than Qantas.

If you want to enquire to American about your flights, Qantas’ PNR will mean nothing to them - you’ll have to quote the American PNR. You’ll also need the American PNR to go into the American site to choose seats etc.

Each airline should be able to tell you all the other PNRs if you ask ( there are also on-line methods).

Depending on how the flights are booked and how the different booking engines are linked, you could end up with 2 PNRs from the same engine for the same ticket.
Normally, if you had a ticket with flights on QF, BA and CX, you would only have 1 PNR, as all three airlines use the same system (Amadeus). Add AA to the same booking, and you'll end up with another PNR, for Sabre, as well. However, if you have a codeshare on those AA flights for a carrier using Amadeus (eg, AA operated, QF coded SFO-JFK), then you'll end up with a 2nd Sabre PNR for that codeshare flight.

eg, for the following route;
SYD-LAX-SFO-DFW-JFK-LHR-HKG-SYD (QF-AA*QF-AA-AA*QF-BA-CX-QF), you'll end up with 1 Amadeus PNR for the entire trip, 1 Sabre PNR for SFO-DFW (booked under the AA code), and a 2nd Sabre PNR for the operating AA code of the QF coded LAX-SFO and DFW-JFK.

PNRs are simple, assuming all flights are operated by airlines using the same booking system (GDS). The moment you add in different GDSs to the trip or cross system codeshares (operating carrier and marketing carrier using different systems), the PNRs involved get much more complex. But you need the correct PNR for the given flight in order to access online options such as selecting seats, meals or online check in.

 

[Dannyism]

Interesting information, thank you for the responses.

That would explain why my recent bookings directly with BA and IB show up in my Qantas manage bookings, because they both use Amadeus. Or maybe it was because I put my QFF number in ? However, if I recall correctly, a previous direct AA booking did not show up.

I will dig through some of the other threads on combining or linking PNRs.

 

[jb747]

And in another part of aviation, it means 'point of no return'.

 

[moa999]

And behind most full service International tickets (believe they have mostly been done away with on single carrier domestic tickets) is a ticket number or e-ticket number as it now is.

This is generally 13-16 digits with the first 3 being an airline code. Qantas's is 081.

Electronic tickets are generally limited to 16 segments (which is the limit for most RTW tickets). Under the old paper system you could have even more.

 

[RooFlyer]

That would explain why my recent bookings directly with BA and IB show up in my Qantas manage bookings, because they both use Amadeus. Or maybe it was because I put my QFF number in ? However, if I recall correctly, a previous direct AA booking did not show up.

It was because of the different booking engines used, not the use of your FF number.

Sometimes if you have a mixed QF/AA(or other airline) itinerary, some of the AA (or other airline) flights WILL show up in Qantas 'manage my booking', as its able to 'see' your next flight (ie the AA(other airline) one after a Qantas one). But it will still have a different AA PNR compared to the Qantas one and you'll still have to use the AA PNR to select seats on AA etc.

In respect of linking PNRs, I've never gotten my head around that - mainly because I use a Travel Agent who can and does all sorts of things in the background, that mere mortals on line can't do

 

[Archipelago]

And in another part of aviation, it means 'point of no return'.

jb747 - not to get off topic from the explanation of PNR acronym, but more in line with your profession - I still cannot stop laughing at the accepted backronym for ETOPS - Engines Turn Or Passengers Swim

Bet a bunch of the uninitiated are going to do the wiki search on that one now

Anyhoo - its good for FF's to be familiar and comfortable with the terminology and use of "PNR" - has helped me when calling airline help desks, especially when I need to marry two separate PNR's for colleagues travelling together on the same flights with totally separate bookings in the system. ("Marry" PNR's - there's another one for the masses, or asking to get them "Linked" also helps as mentioned above).

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I had a series of separately booked flights, all with separate PNRs with a combination of VS, EY, UL, SQ and VA. At the start of the journey, the VA check in lady was able to combine them all into one trip even though UL is One World and I credited my points to my QF account. I sort of assumed they must all use Sabre, but couldn't be sure.

Recently, I noticed a PX CNS-POM flight appeared in my QF account even though I booked direct with PX and I don't think I entered my QF FFer number as it's a non earning flight and PX now use Sabre whilst QF use Amadeus.

I don't really bother trying to work it all out these days.