Importance

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Abstract

An automated service upgrade offer acceptance system is provided for receiving (i) reservations for a selected category of assigned services, such as seating, and (ii) offers for upgraded services, such as an upgrade of an initially selected category of seating to a preferred seating category, from confirmed customers. The automated service upgrade acceptance system permits customers to submit offers for a number of upgraded services or upgrade offer items, including offers for an upgrade of an initial category of seating to a different seating category, including premium seats within a given category of seating, as well as other premium services, such as priority for special meals or drinks, priority for receipt of luggage upon deplaning, and discount companion tickets. The automated service upgrade acceptance system allows a customer to place a binding offer for an upgraded offer item, should the item become available. Offers for upgraded services can be accepted by the automated service upgrade acceptance system at any time during a seller-defined offer acceptance period, from the time of making a reservation, up to a predefined expiration period. The automated service upgrade acceptance system processes the received offers for upgraded services, at one or more intervals until an offer acceptance period expires, to determine whether to accept or reject each offer for an upgraded service and thereafter notify the customers of any revised seating assignments. The received offers for each different upgrade offer item are preferably processed in a predefined sequence, such that offers for the highest categories of seating are processed first. The automated service upgrade acceptance system can enhance the value of offers in accordance with seller-defined criteria for preferred customers, such as frequent flyers, or in accordance with a promotional offer.

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