Airline Industry Data Model

11 December 2014
Why do airlines need data exchange
standards?
Airline business requires frequent Standards enable cooperation
interactions with many partners  Implementing same standard with
many partners is cheaper and faster
Ground handlers
 Standards = industry best practices,
no need to reinvent the wheel
Governments Airports
 Consistent data exchanges facilitate
consistent levels of customer service
 Shared understanding of data
Airline
provides for improved data quality
Internet booking
Airport
 Standards provide the means to
engines, GDSs,
coordinators…
travel agents collectively invest in new
technologies
Air Traffic
Managers
 Standards can be referenced in
contract with service providers
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The problem
 Demand for new messages is growing
Current manually intensive message-by-message development approach cannot
keep up with the growing demand for industry standard messages

 Data definitions in industry systems are inconsistent

Same term has different meanings in different systems and standards
Multiple terms are used to describe the same concept in systems or standards
No computer-readable industry reference for data definitions and their relationships

 Can’t easily align/integrate standards with industries

already adopting model-driven approach
For example, air traffic managers are investing heavily in the development of new
information exchange models and find it difficult to reflect in their models the
concepts from established airline standards published in free text format.

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Drivers for new data exchange standards

Enhanced distribution Connected aircraft

Passenger experience
Air space congestion
& facilitation

Technology innovation

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Evolution of data exchange standards

Paper E.g. Loadsheet, paper ticket

Teletype E.g. Baggage messages, AIRIMP messages

messages

EDIFACT E.g. Ticketing messages, PNRGOV

Technical
expertise
required!
XML (and E.g. Airline shopping,
Internet) ticketing, flight data

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What are data exchange standards ?

Data exchange standards are codified in free text such

as IATA publications or computer-readable files such as
IATA PADIS XML schemas
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Passenger Airport Data Interchange
Standards Board (PADIS)
 Established by Resolution 783
 Manages all XML, EDIFACT and communications standards, responsible
for interoperability of data exchange standards
 A service to all other committees and working groups responsible for
specific business areas, “IT department of standards”
 Today, 13 airline board members oversee the work of 8 working groups
 Collaborative extranet site with 850+ users
 EDIFACT publications, 140+ XML schemas, Codesets and Reference
Communication Model all published on PADIS extranet site
 Building the Airline Industry Data Model

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Example : PADIS XML schemas
Each file contains hundreds of lines …

142
… all lines in all files are maintained manually.
files
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 Airline Industry Data Model is
an infrastructure project that will
see the upgrade of our
messaging standards
development capability
Benefits of Industry Data Model
 Increased consistency of definitions and format
Enforcing strong methodology ensures that all data is modeled according to the same
rules. Concentrating all industry data definitions in one repository accessible to all
promotes re-use and increases the consistency of resulting standards.

 Faster development of new standards

Re-using existing industry definitions, data and process models speeds up the
development of new standards as well as modifications of existing standards
generated from the Model.

 Faster deployment of industry standards

Standards developed using the same methodology and on the basis of the same data
repository are consistent which makes then easier to deploy. The repository itself will
be available to user as building blocks

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 All information in one repository
Business Airline Industry Messaging Standards
Requirements Data Model & Documentation
Business Glossary
Industry-agreed
vocabulary Business Process
Diagrams
Automated
Data Requirements Data Dictionary

Business Processes Object Library

Message Schemas
Use cases Web Service
Structured &
reusable data Definitions
Free text, drawings, Publications
workshop results
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New methodology and training
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5
Business Logical & Schema
Project Implemen-
Requirements Physical Generation &
Initiation tation
& Modeling Modeling Validation

Business Technical skills

understanding
All projects must plan for training
of the appropriate skills needed to use the new methodology

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Project status
 Architecture defined
 Methodology documented
 Repository installed
 First core objects being modeled

 In September 2014, PADIS agreed that all projects

expecting to request new messages should start using
the new methodology. All guidelines and training will be
reviewed in March 2015
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What will happen in 2015 ?
 Task force to review the training program,
governance and roll-out of the new methodology.

 Industry workshop on 25 – 26 February, Geneva

Complemented with delivery of training materials for industry working
groups developing requirements for new XML standards

 Continue populating the model with core content

Business glossary, more key industry objects included in the model subject to
availability of industry resources

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Industry participation
Benefits
 Provide input into the development of
the Industry Data Model to ensure that
it reflect the real business needs of
your organization
 Facilitate early adoption and use of
industry standards generated from the
Model in your organization
 Knowledge transfer - participants
interact with their peers (enterprise
architects) solving similar problems
 Gain perspective into the business
needs being addressed at an industry
level
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Risks of not participating
 More effort required to achieve similar
results through internal developments
 Conflicts between industry standards
and bilateral/multilateral data
exchanges
 Airline staff not aware of the latest
opportunities that new and updated
standards provide
 Potential for investing in additional
staff training addressing industry
standards
How to participate ?
 PADIS Board and Committees
Industry Data Model oversight
IT aspects of data exchange standards managed by the PSC

 PADIS Data Model and Tooling Focus Group

Hands on development of the Model and its population with core content. Once the
model is up and running, the ongoing responsibility for the maintenance will go to the
Data Dictionary and Schema Coordination Committee (DDSCC) of PADIS.

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IATA contacts
 Manager Messaging Standards and PADIS Secretary
Marie Zitkova (zitkovam@iata.org)

 Data Model Architect

Michael Thomas (thomasm@iata.org)

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