[SOLVED] Linking Air Freight Rate Records to Schedules

[joecallan]

I am trying to figure out if and how an individual flight schedule can be linked to an individual air freight rate record.

For example:

We currently have 13 flight different schedules entered for the lane from Shanghai Airport to Beijing Airport. Each flight is priced differently (based on vehicle type/peak time vs. off-peak). As a result, each flight has a rate record that corresponds to it. There are 13 rate records and 13 flights.

Is there any way to link these individually? I understand that the time windows on the order are going to drive which flight is available and chosen. My question is: How does OTM know which rate record corresponds to the chosen flight?

[AlejandroBarba]

Re: Linking Air Freight Rate Records to Schedules

Hi Joe,

I have not tried this particular scenario for Air Schedules but have you tried creating 13 different Rate Services (one per each Air Schedule) and linking each Rate Record to its respective Rate Service in the Rate Record Lane Info tab?

Please let me know if this does the trick,

Hope it helps,

Alejandro Barba

[joecallan]

Re: Linking Air Freight Rate Records to Schedules

Alejandro:

I appreciate the response...

How am I to link a flight to a service? Any idea?

[AlejandroBarba]

Re: Linking Air Freight Rate Records to Schedules

Hi Joe,

I can totally see now the problem you are having. The AirSchedule Rate Service does not have any field to enter the Air Schedule in OTM 4.5 and the Online Help only states that in order for an AirSchedule rate Service to work, it is required to have Air Schedules in OTM but it does not mention how to link them.

I would try creating Calendars that are alligned with each one of your AirSchedules for each Rate Service.

We have used different Rate Services for the Rate Records when a carrier has different rates for expedited services but we have not set up Air Schedules.

Hope this helps,

Alejandro Barba

[joecallan]

Re: Linking Air Freight Rate Records to Schedules

Alejandro:

I will test this more thoroughly tomorrow but the suggestion makes sense.

Will revert with the results.

Thanks,
Joe

[bmj_23]

Re: Linking Air Freight Rate Records to Schedules

The other possible solution is to create different equipment (vehicle type on the flight schedule) for each departure. On your rate record, you could then specify the equipment as a rate condition which would select the correct rate based on the equipment on the flight schedule e.g a piece of equipment per flight...

As Alejandro says, the other thing to say is to try to constrain the rate offerings based on the departure time of the order, but that is not necessarily going to be the departure time of the flight, so not sure how that would figure out.

Depending on exact requirements, there may well be other solutions to this issue.

[joecallan]

Re: Linking Air Freight Rate Records to Schedules

The trouble is that there are 13 flights on the same lane with the same service provider. Also each flight has a different rate and the vehicle type is duplicated on some of the flights.
I will attempt to go with individual calendars that correspond to the flight I am trying to trigger.

I will let you guys know the outcome.

I appreciate the suggestions.

Joe

[joecallan]

Re: Linking Air Freight Rate Records to Schedules

I was able to link the records to the schedules using equipment.

Here is how I was able to do so:

• I extracted the Vehicle Type table and used that data to create new Equipment Group IDs
• I added the new Equipment Groups created in Step 1 against the Vehicle Types
• I loaded the new Equipment Types to the Equipment Group Profile called AIRPLANES (for itinerary purposes)
• I updated the air freight Rate Records with the new Equipment Group

Joe

[bmj_23]

Re: Linking Air Freight Rate Records to Schedules

Joe - glad that worked for you.