Software Requirements

Specification
for

Airline Flight Booking System

Version 1.1 approved

Prepared by Luke Paireepinart, David Keyes, Jingtao Liu, Frank Medjo

and Seth Orell

Advanced Software Engineering

February 27, 2009

Copyright 2002 by Karl E. Wiegers. Permission is granted to use, modify, and distribute this document.

Software Requirements Specification for Airline flight booking system

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Purpose......................................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Document Conventions ................................................................................................................................ 1
1.3 Intended Audience and Reading Suggestions .............................................................................................. 1
1.4 Project Scope ............................................................................................................................................... 1
1.5 References .................................................................................................................................................... 1

2. Overall Description ................................................................................................................................2

2.1 Product Perspective...................................................................................................................................... 2
2.2 Product Features .......................................................................................................................................... 2
2.2.1 Login
2
2.2.2 Enrollment 2
2.2.3 Book Flights 3
2.2.4 Reserve Seats ................................................................................................................................................3
2.2.5 Flight Status 3
2.2.6 Flight Schedules ............................................................................................................................................4
2.2.7 My Account 4
2.2.8 Logout
4
2.3 User Classes and Characteristics ................................................................................................................. 5

3. System Features......................................................................................................................................6
3.1 General Requirements.................................................................................................................................. 6
3.1.1 Login
6
3.1.2 Enrollment 7
3.1.3 Book Flights 9
3.1.4 Reserve Seats ..............................................................................................................................................10
3.1.5 Flight Status 12
3.1.6 Flight Schedule ...........................................................................................................................................12
3.1.7 My Account 13
3.1.8 Account Log out ..........................................................................................................................................14

4. External Interface Requirements .......................................................................................................15

4.1 User Interfaces ........................................................................................................................................... 15
4.2 Communications Interfaces ....................................................................................................................... 15

5. Other Nonfunctional Requirements ...................................................................................................15

5.1 Performance Requirements ........................................................................................................................ 15
5.2 Security Requirements ............................................................................................................................... 15
5.3 Software Quality Attributes ....................................................................................................................... 16
5.3.1 Usability: 16
5.3.2 Robustness: 16

6. Appendix A: Glossary..........................................................................................................................17

Revision History
Name

Date

Reason For Changes

Version

Software Requirements Specification for Airline flight booking system

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1. Introduction
1.1 Purpose
This SRS document presents a detailed description of the Airline Flight Booking system,
version 1.0. It represents the client requirements analysis that defines the functional and nonfunctional requirements of the airline website and its different functionalities. It defines the
abilities, reactions from stimuli, guidelines and limitations of the system. This document will
be complete in its scope of the system and the functions required. The system provides a
solution to allow the user to search for flights satisfying the user criteria, to reserve seats, to
manage the user account, and to book a flight.

1.2 Document Conventions

The document follows the IEEE format standard (IEEE Std. 830 1998).

1.3 Intended Audience and Reading Suggestions

The intended audiences of this document are Dr. Chen, who is the client, software engineers,
the spring 2009 CS5391 software engineering class and for anyone who has interest in
software engineering.

1.4 Project Scope

The airline booking website is an application stored in the user server. The purpose of the
website is to resolve the client to allow website users to perform tasks related to booking an
airline flight. Non-member users are only allowed to search for available flights; nonmember users are required to create an account in order to reserve a seat or to book a flight.
Member users have the right to search for available flights, to reserve a seat, to book a flight,
cancel a flight and to edit their member information. Member users are required to login into
their account prior to flight booking.

1.5 References
- Pressman, Roger S. Software Engineering: A Practitioners Approach. New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill, 2005.

- Lecture slides

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2. Overall Description
2.1 Product Perspective
This project represents the initial version of the Airline Booking system. All requirements
listed herein describe a self-contained system. At a high level, this project will allow a user
to book flights, check flights, do account maintenance, and query flight information. The
goal is to allow customers greater and easier access to the airlines booking system, twentyfour hours a day.

2.2 Product Features

We can subdivide the project into 7 main features. Details of each of the following functions
can be found in Section 3.
2.2.1 Login
Description: This function allows a registered user to login his account using his
frequent flyer number with the airline and password. If a user is not
registered, the website shall allow the user to enroll first. The system
will check both the frequent flight number and password, when a user
attempts to login.
Rationale:

This provides security to the system by authenticating each member

and provides confidence to the consumer that his/her personal
information is secure.

2.2.2 Enrollment
Description: This function allows unregistered user to enroll and to create a new
account with the website. In order to create a new account, the user
has to provide required information such as first name, last name,
email address and password. Other optional information, such as
phone number, credit card information and mailing address, can be
provided during the registration process.
The system checks if all required data are provided and then will
prompt the user to enter additional information, if required. After all
required information is provided, the system auto-generates a unique
frequent flyer number that the user must use as username for future
authentications. The system shall auto-generate this number in less
than five seconds.

Software Requirements Specification for Airline flight booking system

Rationale:

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A user who wishes to purchase flights and use advanced features,

must be logged in. However, without enrollment, a user can never be
a member. This section offers all users a chance to become a member.

2.2.3 Book Flights

Description: The user can use the Book Flights function to purchase seats for an
airplane flight. The system shall present the user with information on
all current flights. The user may then select a pair (departure and
return) of flights on which to purchase seats. The user can indicate the
number of seats and placement of such. Finally, the system shall guide
the user completely through the checkout process.
Rationale:

The heart of the business is selling seats on flights. This section

provides the primary source of system transactions.

2.2.4 Reserve Seats

Description: The user can use the Reserve Seat function to reserve seats for an
airplane flight. The seats to be reserved are initially found through the
users previous bookings. These bookings were previously completed
through the Book Flight function (SEE 2.2.3).
The system shall display available seats for the departing and
returning flights booked by the user. The user selects seats from each
flight, where the number of selected seats from each flight is the
number that the user booked on that particular flight. Once the flight
seats are selected, the user confirms the seat selection.
Rationale:

Customers prefer to know where their seats are located. Further, they
prefer to pick out particular seats closer to the front, window seat,
aisle seat, etc.
From that point, the seats are removed from available/unreserved
seats and the users booking is linked to those particular seats. If the
user fails to reserve a seat prior to flight takeoff, the user is randomly
assigned a seat from available seats a 30 minutes prior to initial takeoff time. This function is offered immediately after booking the user
can wait and use the function to book seats anytime after up until 30
minutes prior their flight

2.2.5 Flight Status

Description: This section shall allow the user whether enrolled or not to view
flight information that matches input criteria. The user will provide:
1. A flight number and Date
OR
2. Departing/Arriving Cities and Date.
The system will display matching flight information including the
following fields:

Software Requirements Specification for Airline flight booking system

Rationale:

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Flight Number
Departure City
Arrival City
Status (one of the following)
o In Flight
o At the Gate
o Delayed
o On Time

Users will want to query the system to find flight information, even if
theyre not at an airport (e.g., on their mobile phone). By making this
information available through the web site, we can provide an extra
service to the customer and increase our companys value.

2.2.6 Flight Schedules

Description: This section of the system shall allow a user to query flight schedules
based upon simple input criteria. The user will provide departure and
arrival cities, and a departure/return date. If any flights match the
criteria, the system will display the following information:
Flight Number
Departing City & Date/Time
Arriving City & Date/Time
Number of Available Seats
The system shall define a matching flight as one that uses the
departure/arrival cities at a flight time greater or equal to the time
provided by the user. Otherwise, the system shall alert the user that no
matching flights can be found.
Rationale:

A customer will want to book flights based on his/her travel plans.

This section provides the user a choice of available flights from which
to pick.

2.2.7 My Account
Description: This section gives the user the power to view, save, edit or delete the
information stored in his/her account. The user can check his/her
accumulated points, look at the status of a flight that was booked,
cancel a flight that was already booked (optional) and change his/her
address, phone number, email or password. This feature is not
available for non-registered user.
Rationale:

2.2.8 Logout

A customers information changes from time to time. Giving the users

a way to modify their account information allows the business to have
current & updated information.

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Description:

The Logout section provides a way for the user to securely log out of
the system. This process will save all user operations when he/she
exits the system. If a user wishes to continue accessing the website,
he/she must log-in again to access user features.

Rationale:

Customers often use shared computers. Providing a way to clear state

and log-out gives our customers confidence that nobody else will use
their flight-booking session.

2.3 User Classes and Characteristics

The main actors in the system are (1) the user, (2) a flight and (3) a Flight Seat. The user will
select a flight and book seats on the flight. They will then reserve specific seats on that
flight. Brief descriptions of these classes follow:

User
o Has properties like Name, Address, Age
o Associated with Flight Miles accumulated and Credit Card information.
Flight
o Has properties like Departing/Arriving City, Departure/Arrival dates and
times, Miles, and an identifying Flight Number.
Flight Seat
o Has properties of identifying seat number, reserved and flight number
o Associated to Flight by flight number

.
Our user may be associated with multiple flights, and many users may be associated with
any particular flight. Thus, a many-to-many relationship exists through the act of booking
flights.
Flights are associated to many Flight Seats. Each Flight Seat is only attached to one Flight.
So, this is a one-to-many relationship
The flight is but an object to be acted upon, so careful emphasis should be placed on
satisfying the user in his/her booking experience. The user is our primary customer.

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3.System Features
This section provides detailed requirements for the website design, including functional
requirements.

3.1 General Requirements

3.1.1 Login
Description and Priority:

This function allows a registered user to login his account

using his frequent flyer number with the airline and password.
If a user is not registered, the website should allow the user to
enroll first. The system will check both the frequent flight
number and password, when a user attempts to login.
In most case, the frequent flight number is convenient for both
the user and system performance. The user easily memorizes
his or her flight numbers but not a dull string. For the system,
when provided the flight number, flight information will be
delivered at the same time. Therefore, such operation reduces
the second query chance.
Theoretically, more than one record can retrieve by users
frequent flight number and password. Two or more users may
have chosen the same password and same flight number. The
way to break a tie is that system will go further to ask users
email confirmation to identify.

Inputs:

Frequent flyer number and password

Source:

All inputs are provided by user.

Outputs:

Indication that user is logged in to the system.

Destination:

The outputs are displayed on the screen as well as stored in the

system.
The user provides login information including frequent flyer
number and password.

Requires:
Pre-Conditions:

User is not logged in to system. User has previously enrolled

in system.

Post-Conditions:

User is logged in to system, OR user is not logged in because

he/she entered unrecognized information.

Side-Effects:

None

Software Requirements Specification for Airline flight booking system

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Use Case:

3.1.2 Enrollment
Description and Priority:

This function allows unregistered user to enroll and to create a

new account with the website. In order to create a new
account, the user has to provide required information such as
first name, last name, email address and password. Other
optional information, such as phone number, credit card
information and mailing address, can be provided during the
registration process.
The system checks if all required data are provided and then
will prompt the user to enter additional information, if
required. After all required information is provided, the system
auto-generates a unique frequent flyer number that the user
must use as username for future authentications. The system
shall auto-generate this number in less than five seconds.

Inputs:

Required: First name, last name, email address and frequent

flyer number

Software Requirements Specification for Airline flight booking system

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Optional: phone number, credit card information and mailing

address.
Source:

All data except the frequent flyer number are inputs from the
user. The frequent flyer number is from the system store.

Outputs:

Frequent Flyer Number

Destination:

The changes are committed on the completion of the

enrollment function to account information. All information
also displays to the user via the screen.

Pre-Conditions:

The user must not have an existing account with the website.

Post-Conditions:

A user account is created and the user is able to access all

functionalities provided by the function My Account (refer
to 3.1.7)

Side-Effects:

None

Stimulus-Response:
User Action

2. The user provides

information such as first
name, last name, address,
email address, credit card
information and password
by filling fields. Some data
are optional, while others
are required (refer to
section 2.2, REQ-02).

System Application
1. The system shows a list of
required data that must be
provided by the user in
order to create a new
account
3. The system checks if all
required information have
been provided by the user.
If a required data is
missing, the system
prompts the user to provide
the specific data in order to
process the account
creation.
4. When every required data
is provided, the system
creates an account and
auto-generates a unique
flyer number that must be
used as a username for
future authentication. The
system also sends the user
account information,
including the flyer number,
to the email address
provided by the user during

Software Requirements Specification for Airline flight booking system

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the account creation

process.
3.1.3 Book Flights
Description and Priority:

The user can use the Book Flights function to purchase seats
for an airplane flight. The system shall present the user with
information on all current flights. The user may then select a
pair (departure and return) of flights on which to purchase
seats. The user can indicate the number of seats and placement
of such. Finally, the system shall guide the user completely
through the checkout process.

Inputs:

User information the user must already be logged in.

Source:

Inputs are from the user except flight information, which is

retrieved from the system.

Output:

The purchased seats are tied to the users account, so he/she

can reserve seats later.

Destination:

The booked flights will be stored in the users account

information when the user finishes payment. The flight
information shall also display on the screen.

Pre-Conditions:

The user must have an account with the website and must be
logged in.

Post-Conditions:

Completion of this function guarantees that the user has seats

on a specific flight. However, if the user wants particular
seats, he/she must also complete the reserve seats function.
Any successfully-booked flight from this function is assumed
to have completed payment already.

Side-Effects:

Users account is charged. Flight is associated with users

account.

Stimulus/Response:

User Action

2. The user selects individual seats

from a list of pre-booked flights. The

System Application
1. The systems checks to see if the
user is logged in, if not then the
systems require the user to login.
The system shows the user a list of
their already booked flights and the
available seats for those flights.
3. The system checks if the selected
seats are still available. If they are

Software Requirements Specification for Airline flight booking system

seats are chosen in pairs so that the

users selects individual seats for the
departing and returning flights.

Page 10

available then the seats are

temporarily unavailable to other
users to allow the user to confirm
their selection. The seats and
confirmation selection screen are
displayed
5. Once confirmed, the seats are
removed from available seats and
are applied to the user account. The
user is shown a final confirmation
screen which displays selected seats
and account information.

4. The user confirms the seat selections

on the screen.

Activity Diagram:

Selection

START

Logged In

Viewing
Unreserved
Seats
(Step1)

Confirmation
(Step3)

Selection Rejected

Login

Incorrect
Login

Seats Confirmed

Confirm
Selected
Seats
(Step2)

Incorrect
Selection

Incorrect
Selection

3.1.4 Reserve Seats

Description and Priority:

The user can use the Reserve Seat function to reserve seats for
an airplane flight. The seats to be reserved are initially found
through the users previous bookings. These bookings were
previously completed through the Book Flight function (SEE
2.2.3).
The system shall display available seats for the departing and
returning flights booked by the user. The user selects seats

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from each flight, where the number of selected seats from each
flight is the number that the user booked on that particular
flight. Once the flight seats are selected, the user confirms the
seat selection.
Inputs:

User information used to determine previously booked flights.

Selected seats will be reserved by user.

Source:

Inputs are from the user except flight information, which is

retrieved by the system.

Outputs:

Selected Seats

Destination:

The changes are committed on completion of the Reserve

Seats function to the users account information. The selected
seats are also displayed to the screen.

Pre-Conditions:

The user must have an account with the website and must be
logged in. The user must also have previously booked flights
without seats reserved, either by user or system.

Post-Conditions:

All selections of seats must be applied to the users account.

Side-Effects:

The selected seats are no longer available to any other

customer.

Stimulus/Response:
User Action

2.The user selects a flight or a pair of

flights (round-trip) that they wish
to book. They choose a number of
seats they wish to book.

4.The user fills out payment

information (either credit card or
reward number)

System Application
1.The systems checks to see if the user
is logged in, if not then the system
requires the user to login. The
system shows the user a list of all
flights with open seats that match
their requirements.
3.The system checks if the selected
flight(s) has their desired number of
seats still available. If they are, the
system indicates to the user that their
flight is in the process of being
booked and they must now complete
payment. If there aren't enough
seats, the system notifies the user
which flights were full, and returns
the user to the beginning of the
function.
5.If payment is successfully confirmed,
the flight is updated with the new

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number of open seats, and the user's

account is updated with the reserved
flight information. The user is
shown a final confirmation screen,
which displays flight and account
information.

3.1.5 Flight Status

Description & Priority:

This section shall allow the user whether enrolled or not to

view flight information that matches input criteria. The user
will provide:
a. A flight number and Date
OR
b. Departing/Arriving Cities and Date.
The system will display matching flight information
including the following fields:
o Flight Number
o Departure City
o Arrival City
o Status (one of the following)
In Flight
At the Gate
Delayed
On Time

Inputs:

Departing city, Destination city, Departure date/time

Source:

All inputs are provided by the user.

Outputs:

Flight information including Flight Number, Departure City,

Arrival City, and Flight Status.

Destination:

All outputs should display on the screen.

Pre-Conditions:

None.

Post-Conditions:

User has flight status for any matching flight.

Side-Effects:

None

3.1.6 Flight Schedule

Description & Priority:

This section of the system shall allow a user to query flight

schedules based upon simple input criteria. The user will
provide departure and arrival cities, and a departure/return
date. If any flights match the criteria, the system will display
the following information:

Software Requirements Specification for Airline flight booking system

o
o
o
o

Page 13

Flight Number
Departing City & Date/Time
Arriving City & Date/Time
Number of Available Seats

The system shall define a matching flight as one that uses

the departure/arrival cities at a flight time greater or equal to
the time provided by the user. Otherwise, the system shall alert
the user that no matching flights can be found.
Inputs:

Departing City, Destination City, Departure Date/Time

Source:

All inputs provided by user.

Outputs:

Flight Information including Flight Number, Departing City &

Date/Time, Arriving City and Date/Time, Number of
Available Seats.

Destination:

All output should display to the screen.

Pre-Conditions:

None

Post-Conditions:

User has flight information for any matching flight.

Activity Diagram:

3.1.7 My Account

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Description & Priority:

This section gives the user the power to view, save, edit or
delete the information stored in his/her account. The user can
check his/her accumulated points, look at the status of a flight
that was booked, cancel a flight that was already booked
(optional) and change his/her address, phone number, email or
password. This feature is not available for non-registered user.

Inputs:

Account changes, if any, made by the user. Account changes

include updates on first name, last name, email address,
mailing address, password or phone numbers.

Source:

All data are inputs from user.

Output:

None.

Destination:

The changes are committed on completion of the My Account

function to account information.

Pre-Conditions:

The user must have an account with the website and must be
logged in prior to access his/her account.

Post-Conditions:

All changes submitted by the user are applied to the user

account on completion of the function.

3.1.8 Account Log out

Description & Priority:

The Logout section provides a way for the user to securely log
out of the system. This process will save all user operations
when he/she exits the system. If a user wishes to continue
accessing the website, he/she must log-in again to access user
features.

Inputs:

None.

Source:

N/A

Outputs:

Notification that the user is logged out.

Destination:

User is notified by display to screen.

Pre-Conditions:

User is logged in to the system.

Post-Conditions:

User is logged out of the system.

Side-Effects:

The system clears the session state for the user once logout is
complete.

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4.External Interface Requirements

4.1 User Interfaces
A Help link will appear on every screen that describes the function of each page to the user.
The implementation should be written so that blind users can still interact with the system
(using a screen reader.)

4.2 Communications Interfaces

The system must utilize the standard Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to ensure
maximum inter-browser compatibility. The client accesses the system through a web
browser.

5.Other Nonfunctional Requirements

5.1 Performance Requirements

The Airline Website shall have capabilities to accept 500 connections. For each session,
system shall guarantee the connection time 5 minutes from last input, after which the
connection will be deemed expired. A close operation will be performed when expired. This
design is to satisfy each users usability and connection quality.

The system shall send out verification request immediately (within 100ms) after the it
receives a user submitted form.

The system shall update all flight status information every 5 minutes.

5.2 Security Requirements

Passwords must be a minimum of eight characters and must contain one to seven digits.

Email addresses should be verified before the system grants user access. This verification
shall be exercised by sending the prospective user a confirmation email after enrollment.
This email must contain information specific to completing the enrollment process.

All exchanges from client to server involving private data shall occur using the highest
available level of secure connection (e.g., https).

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5.3 Software Quality Attributes

5.3.1

Usability:
The airline website design shall allow deployment on both Windows and UNIX
(Linux) servers. The design should support Windows Server 2003, Linux 2.6.x, V10
UNIX and later.

5.3.2 Robustness:
The system design shall include recovery scenarios allowing the ability to restore a
state no older than one business day old.

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Page 17

6. Appendix A: Glossary
Authentication

The process of identifying an individual, usually based on

username and password

Cached

A form of storing information/data, usually this data is

repeatedly accessed.

CSS

Cascading Style Sheets is a feature to give users and

developers more control on how web site pages are displayed.

Database

Is a structured collection of records or data that is stored in a

computer system. In our system, this may pertain to flight
records or user information.

Dynamic Links

A pointer to a particular scope called during runtime.

Encryption Algorithm

A mathematical procedure for performing encryption on data,

which is translating data into secret code.

HTTP

Hyper Text Transfer Protocol is the underlying protocol used

by the World Wide Web. It defines how messages are
formatted and transmitted and what actions should be taken in
response to various commands.

Hyper Links

Also called link, is a directly followable reference within a

hypertext document.

Input Criteria

A defined particular group of criteria, which defines inputs.

Query or Queries

A form of questioning. In this document, query pertains to a

search entered by a user into a search engine to return results.