RR

To RR a booking is to reconfirm a passenger's reservation, typically 24 to 72 hours before departure. The term originates from the two-letter status code RR that appears in Global Distribution Systems (GDS) like Sabre, Amadeus, and Galileo when an agent enters reconfirmation data into a PNR (passenger name record). Once entered, the booking status changes from OK (confirmed) or a waitlist code to RR, signalling to the airline that the passenger has actively re-registered for the flight.

The practice emerged in the era before online check-in, when airlines required passengers on international routes to call the booking office and verbally confirm they still intended to travel. Without reconfirmation, seats could be released back into inventory; no-shows were costly and overbooking calculations depended on accurate turnout estimates. The RR code created an audit trail. Modern reservation systems still support RR status, though it is rarely required on domestic routes and has been largely superseded by automated check-in windows and email reminders.

An agent marks a booking RR by keying a specific command into the GDS, typically followed by the flight segment and a timestamp. The airline's internal systems then flag the PNR for follow-up. If a passenger fails to reconfirm by the deadline, the airline may cancel the booking and resell the seat. Some carriers, particularly in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, still enforce strict RR rules on international and connecting flights; others have abolished the requirement entirely.

The term remains in maintenance and crew scheduling contexts as well, where RR can denote a reconfirmed maintenance slot or crew assignment. In those domains, the logic is identical: a resource (aircraft, technician, or flight crew) is held pending explicit reconfirmation, and failure to confirm results in release. The term is dated not because the underlying business practice has vanished, but because the GDS interface and passenger expectations have shifted toward automated systems.