@OscarH has hit the nail on the head, this is
yet another example of the reservations system "lying" about availability being there, which then cannot be booked:
First, we ask for availability:
XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<AQ>
<H m="P" i="[redacted]" t="6100">
<X/>
</H>
<J r="S" o="5886" d="1072"> <!-- fare NLCs -->
<L s="SEA" o="BCU" d="WAT"> <!-- asking for a SEA(t), between FromCrs BCU and ToCrs WAT -->
<Z>
<S i="SW185601"/> <!-- RSID -->
</Z>
<D s="14032025" e="14032025"/>
<P n="9" s="042"> <!-- ask for up to 9 availability -->
<C c="F4A" r="01431"/> <!-- fare details -->
<U c="SEAT"/>
</P>
</L>
</J>
</AQ>
And we get this response:
Code:
< X-S3-Correlation-Id: 019e5837-6953-4738-8a30-6afad8d5f437
< X-RDG-RARS-Broker-Version: v0.407.0
< X-NRS-Channel: 5
< X-Environment: rdg-uk-mi-prod
Which says, yup - there's 2 availability left for ticket type F4A on route 01431!
That should mean that it should be possible to book and so all retailers will offer
this fare (£41.20 total).
XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<AR>
<H m="P" i="[redacted]">
<X></X>
</H>
<J r="S" o="5886" d="1072">
<L s="SEA" o="BCU" d="WAT">
<O d="14032025">
<S i="SW1856" m="1144">
<P s="042" o="9">
<U c="SEAT">
<C c="F4A" r="01431" a="2"></C>
</U>
</P>
</S>
</O>
</L>
</J>
</AR>
When we try to book it for 2 pax:
XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<BQ>
<H i="[redacted]" m="P" v="011805" t="1600">
<X></X>
</H>
<B p="anonymous" c="000000000" t="not available">
<J o="5886" d="1072" r="S">
<L o="BCU" d="WAT" s="SW185601" t="14032025">
<P n="2" s="042">
<C c="F4A" r="01431"/>
<U a="SEAT"/>
</P>
</L>
</J>
</B>
</BQ>
It fails, contradicting the previous availability response:
Code:
< X-S3-Correlation-Id: d9f8a8a8-f90a-459f-8b2d-4431aed2dcd7
< X-RDG-RARS-Broker-Version: v0.407.0
< X-NRS-Channel: 5
< X-Environment: rdg-uk-mi-prod
XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<BR>
<H m="P" i="[redacted]" v="011805">
<X></X>
</H>
<E c="E00328" i="BCU" j="WAT" e="No availability for requested product on Leg from BCU to WAT"></E>
</BR>
No matter how many times you ask, you'll be told there's 2 tickets left that are available to book. And no matter how many times you try to book this availability, you will find it will fail.
We (and other TIS suppliers) have opened about 10 support tickets concerning this behaviour and Sqills who supply the S3 Passenger system have yet to do anything meaningful to sort it out, and continue to claim that everything is working exactly as designed. The last email thread has been completely ignored; I can't be bothered anymore. This is the only job RARS has - to
accurately report availability that can be booked and allow reservations to be made - and it fails at the first hurdle.
@binary0110 you should complain to the train operator/fare setter. No retailers can do anything about this, I'm afraid.
