Computers are often used to book or reserve air flights, seats in the , rooms in a hotel, tables in a etc. The system prevents double-booking, when an item is booked twice. The booking process consists of four steps: Step 1 - , Step 2 - , Step 3 - Review, Finalise and Pay, and Step 4 - Booking confirmation. On the search screen, the user enters information into text boxes on a form or selects options from lists and presses the 'search' or continue button. This screen usually has options for date & times, destination, number of adults/children, and product type.
The purpose of the select screen is to display the number of available options to the user, giving them the opportunity to select the they require. When the user selects the required option and clicks 'next' or 'book', data is sent to the system to put a temporary block on that inventory, usually about minutes, to prevent double booking. In the review, finalise and pay screen, the aims are to enter the user's personal details, review the booking before clicking confirm, and take . Once the user has entered their details and checked their booking, they click the 'Confirm' button and their reserve will be confirmed on the next screen.
The booking confirmation screen displays the finalised booking and reference number, gives the user an option to out their booking confirmation, and tries to sell the user extras or offer other services. Advantages of online booking systems include convenience, time-saving, a wide selection, and comparisons. However, there are also disadvantages, such as installation costs, technical issues like website crashes, booking fees, security risks related to online payments, and of personal assistance, which can make it difficult to address specific queries.
