A complete guide to the FQA command in Amadeus โ how to display IATA Rates of Exchange for a country, including historical rates for a specific past date.
International fares are calculated in a common currency called the NUC, and converting NUCs into the local currency of sale requires a specific exchange rate. That rate is the IATA Rate of Exchange (IROE), and it is published by IATA rather than by any individual bank or currency market. The FQA command is the Amadeus entry that retrieves these rates. It allows you to request current IATA exchange rates, look up rates for a specific country, and even check historical rates for a past date โ which is essential for refunds, reissues, and audits of previously issued tickets. This guide explains what FQA does, the syntax for each variation, and when it should be used.
What Does the FQA Command Do?
FQA is the Amadeus GDS command used to display IATA Rates of Exchange (IROE) information.
Category: Currency & Exchange Rates.
It allows you to request the current IATA exchange rates or retrieve rates for a specific country, including historical rates for a past date.
These rates are used during fare construction, when converting a NUC fare into the local currency for ticketing, and when auditing old tickets or processing refunds and reissues. The IROE is the official rate accepted by IATA and airlines, so it must be used whenever a fare conversion is required.
General IATA Rates of Exchange
Enter the command on its own to request the general IATA Rates of Exchange:
FQAThis requests the IATA Rates of Exchange table, providing the reference rates required for fare conversion.
Rates for a Specific Country
To retrieve the IATA Rates of Exchange for a particular country:
FQAGERMANYThis requests the IATA Rates of Exchange for Germany, showing the applicable rates used when converting fares into the German currency for ticketing purposes.
Historical IATA Rates
To retrieve past-date IATA Rates of Exchange for a country:
FQATHAILAND/01JUL0XThis requests the past-date IATA Rates of Exchange for Thailand as they applied on the specified date. Historical rates are essential for refunds, exchanges, and any situation where the original fare conversion must be recreated accurately.
Always use the historical date that matches the original ticketing date, not todayโs date, when working with a previously issued ticket.
When to Use FQA
Use FQA when you need to check IATA exchange rates for a country, including historical rates for a specific date. Typical scenarios include:
- Converting a NUC fare into the local currency for ticketing.
- Constructing a fare where the IROE is required for the calculation.
- Processing a refund or reissue that must use the original exchange rate.
- Auditing a previously issued ticket to confirm the conversion was correct.
- Comparing current rates with past rates for a specific market.
- Supporting a fare quote where the currency conversion must be explained to the customer.
How FQA Fits Into Your Fare Construction Workflow
A typical fare construction or refund session using FQA might look like this:
- Display the fare with
FQDto identify the NUC amount. - Check the applicable IATA Rates of Exchange with
FQAorFQAGERMANY. - For refunds or reissues, use the past-date rate with
FQATHAILAND/01JUL0X. - Apply the correct rate in the fare calculation or manual TST.
- Price the itinerary with
FXP. - Review the TST with
TQTbefore ticketing withTTP.
How FQA Relates to Other Fare and Currency Commands
- FQA โ displays IATA Rates of Exchange, including historical rates.
- FQD โ displays available fares between cities or for specific airlines.
- FQN โ displays fare notes, rules, categories, and routing information.
- FQNTAX โ displays general tax information for a country.
- FQM / FRM โ calculate mileage for a routing or a PNR.
- FQP / FXP โ creates a fare quote or prices a booked itinerary.
- TTK / TTI โ update fare, tax, and rate of exchange elements in a manual TST.
FQA provides the exchange rate used in the fare calculation; the final converted amount appears in the TST.
Important: IATA Rates of Exchange are published on a fixed schedule and apply for defined periods. Using todayโs rate on a ticket that was originally issued weeks ago will produce incorrect figures.
For any refund, reissue, or audit, always retrieve the historical rate with the correct date using FQATHAILAND/01JUL0X style entries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does FQA do in Amadeus?
FQA displays IATA Rates of Exchange (IROE) information, either the general table or rates for a specific country.
How do I retrieve IATA rates for a country?
Use FQAGERMANY or replace the country name with the destination you need.
How do I get historical rates for a past date?
Use the country name followed by the date, for example FQATHAILAND/01JUL0X, to display the rate that applied on that date.
Why do I need the historical rate for refunds?
Because a refund must use the exchange rate that applied when the ticket was originally issued. Using todayโs rate would produce an incorrect refund amount.
Conclusion
The FQA command is the reference tool for IATA Rates of Exchange in Amadeus. Use FQA for the general rates, FQAGERMANY for a specific country, and FQATHAILAND/01JUL0X for historical rates that applied on a past date. These rates are essential for fare construction, converting NUC fares into the local currency for ticketing, and processing refunds or reissues using the correct historic conversion. Using the wrong rate produces incorrect ticket prices and failed audits โ so always check the applicable IROE before completing any fare calculation. Paired with FQD, FQN, FQP, and FXP, the FQA command completes your fare and currency toolkit and ensures every conversion is accurate.
