RFC 2351 (rfc2351) - Page 2 of 23

Mapping of Airline Reservation, Ticketing, and Messaging Traffic over IP

RFC 2351                         MATIP                          May 1998


   9. MATIP FORMAT FOR TYPE A HOST-TO-HOST TRAFFIC                   15
    9. 1 Control Packet Format                                       15
     9.1.1 Session Open format (SO)                                  15
     9.1.2 Open Confirm format (OC)                                  17
     9.1.3 Session Close (SC)                                        17
    9.2 Data Packet Format                                           18
   10. MATIP FORMAT FOR TYPE B TRAFFIC                               19
    10.1 Control packet format                                       19
     10.1.1 Session Open format (SO)                                 19
     10.1.2 Open confirm format (OC)                                 20
     10.1.3 Session Close (SC)                                       21
    10.2 Data packet format                                          21
   11. SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS                                       22
   12. AUTHOR'S ADDRESS                                              22
   13. FULL COPYRIGHT STATEMENT                                      23

1. Introduction

   The airline community has been using a worldwide data network for
   over 40 years, with two main types of traffic:

    Transactional traffic

      This is used typically for communication between an airline office
      or travel agency and a central computer system for seat
      reservations and ticket issuing. A dumb terminal or a PC accesses
      the central system (IBM or UNISYS) through a data network.

      This traffic is also called TYPE A and is based on real-time
      query/response with limited protection, high priority and can be
      discarded. The user can access only one predetermined central
      computer system. In case of no response (data loss), the user can
      duplicate the request.

    Messaging

      This is an e-mail application where real-time is not needed.
      However a high level of protection is required. The addressing
      scheme uses an international format defined by IATA and contains
      the city and airline codes.

      This traffic is also called TYPE B and is transmitted with a high
      level of protection, multi-addressing and 4 levels of priority.

   The detailed formats for TYPE A and TYPE B messages are defined in
   the IATA standards.





Robert                       Informational