PSS, SSIM, TTY and EDIFACT
I remember when loading SSIM schedule files into a PSS could become an overnight waiting game, with batch updates to manage and rigid TTY messaging followed by complex EDIFACT structures.
By Neerej Sasikumar
The story behind MAR
I sit right at the junction where deep domain expertise meets hands-on technology. That is where I thrive.
The journey
More than two decades inside airline technology
For over two decades, my work has centred on the mechanics of how airlines price, manage and distribute their products.
I have lived through the industry's major evolutionary leaps firsthand, from the operational realities of legacy passenger service systems to the possibilities now opening up through modern retailing.
The industry's evolution
01 · The legacy foundation
02 · The retailing shift
03 · The new frontier
From legacy foundations to Offer and Order
NDC and modern APIs
I watched airline distribution begin to open up through NDC, XML and JSON standards, and modern API gateways that made richer retailing interactions possible.
Offer and Order
Now the industry is moving towards full Offer and Order architectures, where ONE Order can replace the document maze of PNRs, e-tickets and EMDs with one connected source of truth.
What drives this project
Bridging standards and practical reality
Modern Airline Retailing is a personal, practitioner-led project. It exists to bridge the gap between high-level industry standards and the practical realities of building software that actually works.
Every tool, diagnostic and calculator on this site is built from scratch, with the simple hope that it turns out to be genuinely useful to someone, in some airline, anywhere in the world, working through these exact problems.
How I approach MAR
01 · Domain first
02 · Plain language
03 · Practical utilities
Domain first, technology enabled
Technology must serve airline economics
Systems exist to serve business economics. I focus on how technology supports the airline's core goals: maximising revenue, streamlining operations and giving passengers greater clarity.
Clarity over jargon
If continuous pricing, dynamic bundling or interline order servicing cannot be explained clearly, the explanation is not finished.
Tools people can use
Beyond written guides, I build visual models and practical tools so architects, product leads and developers can explore concepts and test ideas for themselves.
Personal and independent
Built for the love of the community
MAR is my independent learning journey and my way of giving something useful back to the airline community.