3.1. The Evolution of Airline RM Systems
The sheer size and complexity of the airline seat
inventory control problem led to the development of computerized RM systems. A medium-sized airline might operate 1,000 flight legs per day, using
10 booking (fare) classes in its reservations system,
and accepting bookings up to 330 days prior to each
departure. At any point in time, this airline’s seat
inventory includes over three million booking limits,
which can change with each booking that is accepted.