Airline Allotment Management, Seat by Seat
An allotment gives you access to seats without always committing to every one of them. Managing it well means knowing, at any moment, how many seats are used, who is holding the rest and how long you have before they go back.
- Allotment and sub-allotment by agent
- Utilisation tracked per departure
- Release-back date alerts
- Usage reports ready for the airline
Allotment vs series block
The terms are often used loosely. In general practice the commercial commitment is what separates them, though exact terms always depend on the contract.
| Allotment | Series block | |
|---|---|---|
| Commitment | Seats allocated; unused seats can typically be released back without full penalty if returned in time | Seats usually committed against a deposit, with penalties for unsold or unnamed seats |
| Release-back | A key feature: seats return to the airline at an agreed cut-off | Release date exists, but returning seats may cost the deposit |
| Pattern | Can apply to single dates or ranges | Recurring departures across a season |
| Supplier risk | Lower, if utilisation is monitored | Higher, which is reflected in the fare |
Read more in what is airline seat allotment.
Pass part of your allotment to agents
Many allotment holders sub-allot: they give a trusted agent, tour operator or DMC a fixed share of seats on a departure for that partner to sell. It works well until nobody can see how much of each share is actually used.
In EazyPNR you can reserve a number of seats on a departure for specific agents while the rest stays open to your wider network. Each sub-allotment shows its own usage, and you can pull unused seats back before your own release-back date.
- Seats per partner set on each departure.
- Usage per partner so you know who is selling and who is sitting on seats.
- Recall unused seats ahead of your airline cut-off.
Track utilisation before it is too late
Live usage
Seats allocated, booked, named and remaining for each departure.
Release-back alerts
A warning ahead of each cut-off so you decide whether to keep or return seats.
Trend by date
See which dates fill early and which consistently release seats.
Working an allotment through its cut-off
Load the allotment
Enter seats, fares and the release-back date for each departure.
Distribute and sub-allot
Open seats to agents and assign partner shares.
Monitor utilisation
Watch usage rise and identify weak departures early.
Recall or push
Pull back idle sub-allotments or reprice to move seats.
Release on time
Return unused seats to the airline before the cut-off.
Losing track of who holds which seats?
Manage allotments and sub-allotments with live utilisation.
Reporting usage back to the airline
Airlines review allotment performance when deciding whether to renew or adjust it. A holder who can show clean figures - seats allocated, used and released on time per departure - negotiates from a stronger position than one relying on memory.
EazyPNR keeps that history by departure, so a utilisation summary for a route or season can be exported when you need it.
- Seats allocated and used per departure
- Seats released and when
- Sales by agent and sub-allotment
What is an airline allotment?
It is a number of seats an airline allocates to a travel business on a flight or set of flights, usually with an agreed date by which unused seats can be returned.
Is an allotment the same as a series fare?
Not quite. Both involve held seats, but a series typically carries firmer commitment and penalties, while an allotment is more often built around release-back. Terms vary by contract.
Can I sub-allot seats to a specific agent?
Yes. You can set aside seats on a departure for chosen agents and track their usage separately.
Does EazyPNR send the release to the airline?
No. Releasing seats is done under your airline arrangement. EazyPNR alerts you before the cut-off and keeps the record.
Can agents tell whether seats come from an allotment?
Agents see the departure, fare, rules and seats available to them. How you hold the seats stays on the supplier side.