eTACS Airline Cargo System

Overview

The diagram, below, shows the major areas of your airline that eTACS supports.

Database

The relational SQL booking database is common to all eTACS applications installed at your airline. This means that all data can be used by all eTACS applications. Data is input only once, thereby eliminated input errors from multiple entries of the same data. Both productivity and accuracy are improved.

eTACS provides:

• Central, in-house, database
• Data is input only once
• Real-time reporting of all business aspects
• Direct availability of all data to external applications via Java JDBC and MS Windows ODBC
• Every transaction made in the system is summarized and placed into a transaction log. You can view every transaction at any time in the same detail it was input into the system. All transactions are available to anyone with proper authority.

The eTACS server can be installed either at your airline or, at your decision, at our location. eTACS terminals would be installed at reservations, remote stations, management locations and accounting.

eTACS Basic Configuration

The relational SQL database shown above is connected directly to the eTACS server as shown in the image.

The data contained in the relational SQL booking database is originated at:

Local Terminals	Airline: Cargo Management Accounting Flight Operations Maintenance etc..
Internet - World Wide Web	Remote Terminals: Airline Airline Stations Cargo Agents Forwarders Customers Corporations
Communication Lines	Connection To/From: OAL Cargo Cargo Agents Customers, Corporations Credit Cards Banks Telex Network BSP ACH OAG TACT IATA

Internet Web Site For Your Cargo Airline

eTACS provides an Internet web site that is capable of allowing cargo reservations to be booked and tracked on eTACS directly from:

• Cargo agents
• Forwarders
• The airline's cargo agents.
• The airline's remote stations and locations.
• Customers
• Other airlines

Connections To Other CRS Systems

eTACS provides, optionally, an interface to the other cargo computerized reservation systems. This connection is made via either an ARINC's Dial 2000 asynchronous dial support or a SITA Text link which provides the necessary protocol and eTACS provides the IATA Cargo Interchange Message Procedures. eTACS supports completely the IATA Cargo IMP messages formats.

eTACS Airline Cargo System Description

The advanced functionality provided by eTACS is accomplished by the application and requires no in-depth knowledge by your cargo agents. This allows your cargo agents to focus on the cargo operation, not the cargo application.

Data input is held to the bear minimum. Data is input only once and used by all cargo applications. This eliminates human input errors and makes the overall operation more efficient.

A customer/agent file is maintained and when the customer/agent name or IATA number is input all data is fetched from the database and placed on the cargo booking input screen. This reduces operator input and possible errors.

System generated pricing and routing, based on input city pair, includes pricing based on house rates, special rates or IATA/TACT standard rates. There is no human intervention required in obtaining the correct pricing for every cargo shipment.

eTACS provides real time, up to the second, reports for accounting and management that allow you to control your airline on a real time basis.

To reduce cost, we base our data communication on the Internet. The Internet communication facilities are reliable, fast, and available anywhere in the world, to your airline, booking agents, customers and any other group that you choose to give access permission to. Access is via standard Internet communication facilities and programming.

eTACS Details

eTACS consists of the following applications.

Booking System

The booking system enables your airline to make reservations against specific flights. There are provisions for storing all pertinent information of a shipment including the:

• Number of packages
• Actual and Volumetric Weights
• Contact Names
• Inward Flights

Some of the features of the Booking System are:

• Quick updating and modification of bookings.
• Ability to see future bookings on all flights at a glance.
• Printing of loading instruction sheets for ground cargo handling operations.
• Inquiries and printing of bookings by flight, by date, by agent, etc.
• Once the air waybill has been produced, then all information of the air waybill is immediately available to the booking system and therefore to the airline's personnel.

Air Waybill Production

The air waybill production application has as it's main purpose, the computerized production of air waybills, on plain printer paper.

Some of the features of the air waybill production application are as follows:

• Ability to produce air waybills for a multiple number of airlines, as well as house waybills, all on plain printer paper.
• Automatic look up of rates, based on destination, service type and commodity.
• Provisions for special rates for special customers.
• Automatic provisions for TACT rates.
• Automatic calculation of freight amounts, based on stored rates.
• Inquiry facility of historical air waybills and records for an unlimited time frame.
• Optional, automatic, parcel labels being produced.
• Statistical reports are available by, airline, destination, shipper, etc.
• Shipper and consignee master files are maintained, to avoid recapturing the same information and thus reducing human error.

Central Air Waybill File

The central air waybill file is a table in the cargo relational database. The central air waybill file is fed by all of the eTACS applications. With this system the airline simply needs to key in the air waybill number and instantaneously, it will see where the cargo is and what the status is of the waybill. The important point is that the booking could have been made in London and the inquiry could be made in Manila and so on.

The following different types of status can be shown against the air waybill number, all data associated with the particular status is also shown:

• Booking made
• Air waybill produced
• Cargo received at outbound station
• Cargo manifested
• Flights departed
• Shipment arrived at destination airport, as per the Internet, ARINC or SITA received FFM messages.
• Shipment delivered

The important thing to be aware of is that any display in the system, anywhere in the world, can view the entire data concerning any cargo instantaneously. Any user, with proper authority, can update the data from anywhere in the world. Complete audit trails to be able to determine who did what, when and how are maintained for instantaneous viewing.

The listings/reports are available by any authorized person, outside agents or airlines.

Outbound Freight

The main purpose of these applications are the generation of statements for the charging of freight.

The application highlights are:

• Fully informative and user friendly statements.
• Facilities for storing net selling rates, special rates and optional buying rates.
• Facilities for storing IATA/TACT rates
• Automatic checking of air waybill rates.

The airline personnel, cargo agents, forwarders and corporate customers all see the same sequence and panels that will be described below. The difference is that according to who you are you are only allowed to see and do what you are authorized for.

The following four panels are displayed as one in the cargo system. They have been separated here for easy of explanation.

The user inputs either the account number or a locator for both the shipper and cosignee. If the information is not available the user just continues.

After the first time a shipper or cosignee is identified the system will retain the information to be used the next time.

The airline code and number are defined in the system so no input is required, they are automaticall shown on the panel.

If the shipper's account number was input then the shipper information is automatically shown. If the shipper number is not know then the shipper information is input by the user.

If the AWB is extrenal to the reservations system, generated by another cargo reservation system, then the question "External Air Wayill" should be 'Yes". In this case the airline code generating the the AWB is input as well as the AWB number.

If the consignee's account number was input then the consignee information is automatically shown. If the consignee number is not know then the consignee information is input by the user. The panel below allows this input or review of the information if it was automatically shown by the cargo system.

On the panel below the routing information is determine, the weight and measurement units are selected and the currency to be used is selected. The airline can define as many currencies as required. The conversion rates can be based on the IATA NUC or standard bank rates. Provisions are suplied to input the conversion rates.

Once this is done then the user selects "Continue" to proceed.

The next two panels are shown as one panel in the cargo system.

The top of the panel below shows the shipper and consignee information. It will be filled in using the information input by the user in the panels above.

The panel below allows the user to input the cargo descriptions that will be placed on the AWB.

There are provision to select the type of cargo:

1. Speed Mail (This can be what your airline calls it)
2. Cargo
3. Animals

There are also selection for dangerous goods and the class of service provided.

This input is done for each cargo item that will be included in the AWB.

The panel below shows that one line (cargo description) was put input the system.

If the user has completed this shipment they would select the 'Continue" link to proceed.

The panel below is produced by the cargo system. Automatic pricing based on house rates, special rates or IATA/TACT rates was accomplished.

On this panel the user can select/input:

• Agreed to pick-up and delivery charges
• Select the charge for preparation of the dangerous goods documentation
• Insurance coverage for the shipment can be selected
• Both the navigation surcharge and GST are optionally selected

The panel below allows the user to be charged for the shipment. Acceptable payment methods are:

• No Charge
• Collect
• Cash
• Credit Card
• Invoice

Invoicing is only shown if the company making the shipment is allowed by the airline to be invoiced. This is accomplished by the airline editing the companies record in the cargo system and indicating that the company is allowed to be invoiced.

Once this payment is settled then either an AWB or a house AWB can be produced.

An AWB is shown below:

A house AWB is shown below:

Air Waybill Tools

A tool is provided to allow the user to locate AWBs. The search can be based on:

• Air Waybill Number
• Shipper Name
• Consignee Name
• Nature of Goods
• Date Range

The Shipper Name, Consignee Name and Nature of Goods allows a fuzzy search. You can input as much of the information as you have. For instance a search of a shipper name with "A" input would show a list of all AWBs with shippers name's that contain an "A".

There are a set of tool provided that allow manipulation of AWBs and the data in the AWB. The tools provided are:

Remove item from Air WaybillCancel Air Waybill

Tool	Description
View IATA Air Waybill	Will locate the AWB specified and display it
View House Air Waybill	Will locate the house AWB specified and display it
Edit Shipper/Consignee Information	Provides a tool to allow editing of the shipper and consignee data for the specified AWB
Add item in Air Waybill	Provides a tool that allows items to be added to an existing AWB
Allows removal of items from the specified AWB
Edit Items Specifications	Allows editing of the physical characteristics of the specified item in a AWB
Edit Additional Charges	Provides editing of the additional charges on the specified AWB
Cancels the specified AWB

Loading Cargo Onto The Flight

Cargo is loaded on the aircraft using the origin, destination and flight date. When these are input into the system the following panel is displayed.

This panel shows all cargo that has not been assigned to a flight for the input city pair and date. All of the flights that meet the origin. destination and flight date requirements are also shown.

To load the aircraft select the desired cargo, select the flight and then select "Add" the cargo will be placed on the manifest of the selected aircraft.

IATA Cargo Lables

eTACS supports printing of IATA cargo labels. It is a function in the cargo tool menu.

The printed label includes a barcode and is to IATA standards.

Inbound Freight Operation

When the freight arrives it is possible to print a display manifest and to do inquires against those waybill numbers.

It is possible to print an in-check manifest which has one line per house waybill, where one can write in the number of parcels that have arrived against each waybill.

The in-check manifest can then be input into the system. When the agents arrive with their delivery orders, the ground handling agents simply key in the master or house waybill and it is then possible to tell exactly where the cargo can be found. After various security checks, the cargo can be released.

Charging Of Collect Charges

Automatic production of invoices including currency conversion are produced. Reports are also produced for hand over of the collect charges to the originating airline.

Location Of Cargo And Control

By simply keying in the master or house waybill number, it is possible to find out the precise location of the cargo.

Security

The name of all employees of the different agents who collect cargo are stored in the system when they collect the cargo. It is impossible for an unauthorized person to collect cargo from the ground handling agents.

Inquiries By Airline

Data is stored for as long as your airline wishes to keep the data on-line, and therefore, by simply keying in a master or house waybill number, it is possible to get all the particulars of a shipment. There are inquiry reports by flight, by master waybill number, by house waybill number, by shippers name, by agent or any sorting sequence needed by your airline.

Inquires By Outside Agents

One of the most important aspects of eTACS is that agents have access via the Internet, and thereby themselves, are able to do inquires by flight number, by manifest or by air waybill number. They can see that the shipment has arrived, who it is for, who cleared it, etc. No shipper or consignee data is displayed to inquiring agents. The major benefit of this aspect is that it puts the airline at a level where it is providing a high level of service to it's clients. Furthermore, there will be a lower number of incoming telephone calls. This facility is available 24 hours per day seven days per week to agents who have been given authorization to use it.

Dynamic Route Modification

eTACS configuration provides both segment and flight dynamic insertion and modification based on todays or even this instant requirements.

The flight configuration tool allows insertion of new segment(s) into a flight or creation of a new flight in a matter of minuets. Segments can be modified or new ones created in a matter of minuets. This feature allows an airline that has a requirement to dynamically change a flight, segment or route to do so with a minimum of effort and in minuets.

Tool	Description
Aircraft Definition	Allows aircraft definition for weight and balance
City Code Definition	Allows a specified city code to be inserted, deleted or edited
Leg Definition	Allows a leg/segment to be edited, deleted or inserted
Flight	Allows a flight to be edited, deleted or inserted
Rates
Update Flight Schedule	Allow an individual flight on a specific day to be modified: Departure Time Arrival Time Equipment

Weight and Balance

The pilot or agent must input the fuel on-board, expected fuel burn and the pilot's name. All other information is gathered automatically by the system.

In addition to the load sheet the system provides the following:

• Load Sheet
• Load Notification
• Loading Instructions
• Special Loads
• Off-Loading

Flight Following

The flight following is input by the flight operations personnel. The flight following panel is shown below.

Cargo Reporting

The cargo reports are available, to the appropriate personnel, on a real-time basis. The reports can be reviewed, printed or exported to external applications. The following represents a basic set of reports. We will produce the necessary reports to allow you to run your business at no additional cost to you. The data contained in the following reports are based on the information as we understand it and will be refined to reflect what you actually need.

Operational Reports

Booked Cargo

The booked Inventory Report shows the inventory booked and charges on a flight basis.

Flight Manifest

This is a report that shows the cargo boarded on a flight basis. It is provided to the aircraft's captain in a printed format and can be viewed, printed or exported by the personnel allowed to access this report.

Management Reports

Booking Report

The Booked Revenue report shows the number of reservations made for a specific date and time frame as input by the user.

Shown in this report are:

• Cargo Cost
• Taxes and Charges
• Payment Method and Amount Paid

A total summary is provided for each column including the total cargo booked.

Future Booking Report

The Gross Revenue Report is a report that is intended for planning and accounting purposes. It allows management to produce a report that shows for a specific period (time and date, from one minute to as long as desired) the number of cargo bookings on every flight flown by your airline.

Accounting Reports

Financial Application

A full range of financial applications are provided. These include debtors, creditors, cash book and the ability to export date to the general ledger. Should the ground handling agent use other financial systems, it is possible to export the invoices onto a file, sent it to the agents via the Internet, to be imported into their system. Further, any of the financial applications are available without the others.

Accounting reports can be tailored as shown in the figure below:

An explanation of the selectable items are:

Selection	Description
Report Content	Each of the following reports are tailorable for content, presentation and time period of the report: Report Content Cargo Gross Revenue Total earned and unearned income Cargo Earned Revenue Earned revenue (flown) Cargo Un-Earned Revenue Cargo Un-Earned revenue (not flown) Booked Revenue Income Summary Report Contains only two lines cargo booked and income Customer Refund Passenger credit card refund tracking Credit Card History Display the history of a specific credit card or all credit cards Cargo Agency Due Commission payment report for cargo agents Corporate Booking Bookings made by all or a specific corporate customer Corporate Invoicing Invoicing for corporate customers Cargo Invoicing Invoicing for cargo customers
Credit Card Number	Used to specify a specific credit card for the Credit Card History report. If left blank all credit cards are reported.
Report Coverage	The report can be for a specific station/airport or for the entire airline
Airport	Used to select an airport if report coverage set to airport
Report Detail	Summary Condenses the data in the report. For instance when a flight is reported summar show the flight as one line for each date selected. Detail Expands the report for instance when a flight is reported it shows the flight and all cargo on that flight.
Report Date	Start Date Defines the time and date of when the report will start. End Date Define the time and date of when the report will end
Presentation Mode	Export Provides a space delimited file of the report. Report Displays the report on the Internet Bowser for viewing and printing.

The reports can be for a period of one minute to as long as you desire.

Credit Cards

Credit Card Batch Reconciliation

Credit cards can be processed using two methods.

The first and most used method is that the credit card is authorized and cleared by the credit authority in one step. This means that when the cargo reservations are made the credit cards are authorized and cleared into your bank account.

The second method is when credit cards are only authorized at the time the cargo reservation is made. And the reconciliation is handled at a later time when after a reconciliation batch is built and sent to the bank.

The building of the batch file is accomplished by utilizing the "Credit Card" function, this is the reconciliation batch to be sent to the bank. This report assembles into one report any unreconciled credit card charges into one reconciliation batch to be sent to the credit authority. Once the report is verified as correct the accounting department can send the report automatically to the credit authority using the supplied support.

Each report is time stamped and dated. When the credit card payments are received the accounting department is required to input the actual payment received into the system. When the entire batch is reconciled it may be move to the archive files for later use.

System Management Functions

System Definition Functions

• Travel Agent edit/create/delete
• System Default Settings
• Language Used
• Currency Used
• Credit Card Clearing
• Rates IATA/TACT
• Date Format
• Report Headers
• Include Cargo
• Include Flight Operations
• Function(s) Priority Definition
• Use standard IATA AWB
• Include Weight and Balance Function
• Use IATA NUC for currency conversion
• Add Class Of Service
• Use Internet/SITA/ARINC/AEROTHAI
• City Code and Description Definition
• Leg/Segment creation/edit/delete
• Flight creation/edit/delete
• Aircraft Definition: Weight and Balance, Cargo Areas and Seat Assignment
• Optional Charges (Up to 10)
• Block Flights or Holiday Definitions
• Edit Customer Credit
• Edit Agent Commission
• Edit Passenger or Company Records
• Internal Cargo Rate Tables
• Dangerous Goods Code Definition

Networking

Cargo reservations may be made by anyone who has a Personal Computer and an operating system that supports a World Wide Web browser.

Access to the eTACS functions can be connected to using the following methods:

Type of Access	Method of Access
Local Connection	Ethernet Local Area Network or by a direct communication connection
Remotely Access	Internet's World Wide Web or by dialing into the system or via leased lines.

Interline Connections To Other CRS Systems

eTACS provides an interface to the major CRS systems. This connection is made via either ARINC's Dial 2000 asynchronous dial support or SITA Text. link which provides the necessary type "B" protocol and eTACS provides the IATA reservation interline message procedures. eTACS supports completely the cargo IATA IMP messages formats.

eTACS Backbone Networking

eTACS supports a backbone network using the Internet WWW, traditional airline networks or via a satellite network. The standard solution is via the Internet WWW. Below is a description of each of these backbone network options:

Internet WWW	eTACS supports a backbone network using the WWW Internet. Airline remote stations/locations. passengers, cargo agents, forwarders and corporate customers to make their cargo reservations over the Internet. This provides the least expensive solution and in all cases performance that is acceptable to all users.
Traditional Airline Networks (ARINC, AREOTHAI, SITA)	eTACS provides an interface to the traditional airline networks for the backbone network. This connection is made via a TCP/IP link which provides the necessary connection for eTACS. This backbone network can provide connectivity for all functions within the airline. A gateway to the Internet would allow useres, passengers, cargo agents, frowarders and corporate customers to make their reservations over the Internet. To implement this method requires that the airline contract with the selected airline network provider for the necessary connection between the locations needed.
Satellite	eTACS can provide a backbone network based on Satellite connection. The satellite backbone network connects the remote airline locations to the reservation server. Passengers, cargo agents, forwarders, and corporate customers continue to make their reservations over the Internet. This provides the an inexpensive solution that can be installed where the Internet does exist not does not provide the necessary performance. The satellite connections provide full duplex DSL performance. Flight Data Management can provide the satellite connection and install the necessary dish and controller at your selected locations.

When using the Internet's World Wide Web access can be made from anywhere in the World.

Terminals

Local and remote terminals can be installed in less than 15 minuets.

The terminals are inexpensive Personal Computers with any Operating System installed that supports an Internet browser. This includes Microsoft Windows/NT client or Linux.

All inexpensive terminals include the necessary programming. There is no additional programming to load onto the terminals other than what is shipped with them.

To install a remote terminal you connect the remote terminals to the Internet, select the reservations system with the browser and it is installed.

To install a local terminal plug the LAN cable into the Personal computer, select the reservation system via the browser and it is installed.

There is no limit to the number of terminals you can connect to the reservation system.

Traffic Analyzation

We install, at no cost, a network/website traffic Analyzation tool that will allow you to understand the people that are accessing your reservation system and what areas they are accessing. To view this please select the following: Analyzation Tool

Credit Card Clearing

The connection to the credit authority to allow credit card clearing is via a single or multiple asynchronous dial modems.

PDA and Mobile Telephone Support

The eTACS Airline Management System is accessible from mobile phones or PDAs.

Passengers, Cargo Agents, Forwarders, Corporate Customers and your airline employees using a WAP equipped mobile phone can access your eTACS Airline Cargo System from anywhere the world.

All functions of the eTACS Airline Cargo System are supported.

Passengers can:

• Make cargo reservations
• Cargo tracking
• View flight schedules
• Cancel and re-book cargo

eTACS Hardware and Software Component Descriptions

Server Hardware and Software Overview

The following suggested hardware is configured to handle:

• 4,000 booked AWBs per day
• Attachment of an unlimited number of local, remote and Internet connected terminals

If your requirements are different than above please let us know. We will reconfigure the system for you to your specifications. We can configure hardware and software to handle as few as 100 AWBs per day to as many as 1 million AWBs per day.

We recommend mySQL Database to be used and the operating system can be either Linux or Windows NT Server.

We recommend a combination of mySQL and Linux. This recommendation is based on the industrial strength of the database, capability to grow to any sized server system reliability and performance characteristics. We can use any relational SQL database you desire.

Linux is recommend due to reliability, easy of use and data compatibility with other operating systems. It is recommended to use Apache and Linux on the Reservation Server as well as the client terminals. We recommend Microsoft Windows for management, accounting and the secretaries. Linux and Windows allow data transfer between both systems.

Local, Reservations, Management, Accounting Remote Station, Reservation, Maintenance, Flight Operation and Client Terminals

Local Personal Computers attached directly to the in-house Local Area Network.

Remote terminals connects over the Internet.

The terminal operating system recommended is Linux or MS Windows.

Printers

• Our network configuration will allow configuration and association of a singe printer to selected displays or on a one for one basis.
• For AWBs we recommend a normal laser printer with letter sized paper. The use of the laser printer allows the itinerary and eTickets to be folded and put into a normal ticket jackets.
• We support any printer supported by the operating system installed on your terminals.