Editing Computer reservation system (section)

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'''Computer reservation systems''', or '''central reservation systems''' ('''CRS'''), are [[computer]]ized systems used to store and retrieve information and conduct transactions related to [[air travel]], [[hotel]]s, [[car rental]], or other activities. Originally designed and operated by airlines, CRSs were later extended for use by [[travel agency|travel agencies]], and [[global distribution system]]s (GDSs) to book and sell tickets for multiple airlines. Most airlines have [[outsource]]d their CRSs to GDS companies,<ref>{{cite news |title=The ineluctable middlemen |url= http://www.economist.com/node/21560866 |newspaper=The Economist |date=25 August 2012 |access-date=29 August 2012}}</ref> which also enable consumer access through [[Internet]] gateways.

Modern GDSs typically also allow users to book hotel rooms, rental cars, airline tickets as well as other activities and tours. They also provide access to railway reservations and bus reservations in some markets, although these are not always integrated with the main system. These are also used to relay computerized information for users in the hotel industry, making reservation and ensuring that the hotel is not overbooked.

[[Airline reservations system]]s may be integrated into a larger [[passenger service system]], which also includes an airline inventory system and a [[departure control system]]. The current centralised reservation systems are vulnerable to network-wide system disruptions.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Stewart |first=Jack |title=How a Computer Outage Can Take Down a Whole Airline |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2016/08/computer-outage-can-take-whole-airline/ |access-date=2023-07-07 |issn=1059-1028}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pallini |first=Thomas |date=2021-05-21 |title=American Airlines and others carriers were left helpless after a system outage crippled operations, causing delays |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/airlines-left-crippled-with-delays-after-sabre-system-outage-2021-5 |access-date=2023-07-07 |publisher=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Levin |first=Tim |date=2021-06-15 |title=A computer-system outage grounded Southwest Airlines flights, causing delays for the second day in a row |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/southwest-airlines-flight-delays-caused-by-computer-outage-2021-6 |access-date=2023-07-07 |publisher=Business Insider }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ibrahim |first=Tony |date=2021-05-21 |title=Travellers still facing delays after Virgin and Rex airlines hit by global IT outage |publisher=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-21/virgin-and-rex-computer-outage-impacting-flights/100157452 |access-date=2023-07-07}}</ref>