OneBooking.ULD- a quote and booking solution

Revolutionize air cargo with 1R quote and booking APIs: Seamless RFQs, automated workflows, and AI transforming quote email requests into 1R logistics objects.

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Inspiration: Simplifying air cargo sales, one booking at a time!

Our (EU Team #2’s) One Record journey starts with a clear vision, to transform a critical yet often overlooked part of the air cargo process – the quotation and booking process.

Despite being one of the highest margin businesses for air cargo, the active / passive ULD sales process is an extremely manually driven, effort intensive process – with the average RFQ to booking process easily taking 3+ days involving forwarders, GSAs, airlines and ULD management providers.

This entire exchange involving multiple back-and-forth emails / phone calls has not yet been digitalized unlike that of free-sale bookings due to the lack of standards, non-availability of real-time ULD information across stakeholders and varying business processes when handling ULD bookings across the industry.

By focusing on this aspect of air cargo and One Record, we're not just enhancing workflows and making it much more scalable + efficient, but also laying the groundwork for seamless operational data, perfectly aligned with the Shipment Record use case developed by EU Team 1.

What it does

The OneBooking.ULD platform leverages One Record standards to seamlessly connect forwarders with airlines and ULD providers to automate the entire sales process for active/passive ULDs.

  1. The solution looks to build on existing business processes that start off with forwarders emailing multiple airlines to get quotations.
  2. The OneBooking.ULD’s Google Gemini powered Cloud Function processes RFQ emails coming in from forwarders to convert it into BookingOptionRequest objects.
  3. The application also leverages One Record’s notification frameworks to ensure **a single RFQ can be notified to multiple airlines, thus saving the forwarder valuable effort** and time to track responses for the same shipment across multiple airlines.
  4. On receiving the BookingOptionRequest 1R Notification, interested airlines can process the same in their CPQ systems to return a set of bookable offers as BookingOptions back to the forwarder and the forwarder
  5. The forwarder can examine these BookingOptions and then finalize as a BookingRequest with an AWB number back to the airline.
  6. The airline then provides the real-time response as a Booking Object with confirmed status back to the agent all in the span of a few seconds.
  7. The airline then shares the ULD booking information to Jettainer (or any other ULD pservice provider) as an instruction to the origin station, to ensure that serviceable ULDs are made available to ensure shipment consolidation happens on time.

How we built it: Innovation in 28 Hours!

Harnessing the power of 1R frameworks — particularly MCD APIs and Data Model 3.1—we ensured every step respected the established ontology. Our team integrated these APIs into a seamless ULD booking workflow and developed an advanced AI cloud function using Google Gemini AI natural language processing. After extensive testing and cross-team collaboration, we delivered a solution that truly meets the needs of carriers and forwarders—all within just 28 hours!

Challenges we ran into: Turning Roadblocks into Opportunities

  1. The first challenge we encountered was that the ULD lease is not possible with the current data model. The current data model only foresees the creation of objects that are already existent and known, but there’s no way of engaging in a ULD request from an airline perspective with a ULD provider.
  2. Isolated serviceability of ULDs is not possible without dependencies on the shipment record or booking.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

In just 28 hours, we didn’t just find a solution—we proposed a revolutionary approach to the data model, enabling LO exchanges between forwarders, airlines, and ULD providers for container leases. But that’s not all! For the first time, we united three airlines and one service provider to build a concrete ONE Record use case. This collaborative success sends a powerful message: ONE Record isn’t just the future—it’s happening now.

What We Learned: The Power of Collaboration & Innovation

This journey reinforced how collaboration and advanced technology can tackle complex challenges. We gained valuable insights into the ULD booking ecosystem—insights that will shape our future innovations.

What’s Next: OneBooking.ULD Simulation Suite

We're now setting our sights on building a cutting-edge Simulation Suite for the OneBooking.ULD platform. This suite will revolutionize how we test, refine, and perfect our solution.

Key Features:

  1. Real-World Simulation: Test diverse booking scenarios, including forwarders, GHAs, ULD providers, and airlines.
  2. Advanced Algorithms: Optimize bookings based on capacity, weight, and services, identifying potential bottlenecks.
  3. 1R API Integration: Ensure seamless data exchange and real-time updates.
  4. User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design for smooth navigation.
  5. Continuous Improvement: Detailed analytics and feedback for ongoing optimization.

Benefits at a Glance:

  1. Fewer Manual Errors: Automation ensures greater accuracy and reliability.
  2. Enhanced Transparency: Real-time data and visual tools clarify the booking journey.
  3. Improved Efficiency: Streamlined workflows cut down time and effort.

With OneBooking.ULD, we’re not just transforming the ULD booking process—we're setting a new standard for air cargo logistics. The future of booking is here, and it's smarter, faster, and more connected than ever!

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