Concurs users who stay at Radisson Hotel Group properties are losing e-receipt functionality. Radisson locations that switched to the company’s new property management system no longer provide the digital receipts showing line-item detail of hotel expenses, according to a Concur user guide. “Most properties in the U.S. have been upgraded and properties around the world are in the… Read More »
When Lufthansa Group in mid-2015 informed the market of a new distribution strategy, one stated objective was to lower associated costs. The company expects to prove wrong the skeptics and start achieving that by the end of 2018. Lufthansa’s financial reporting does not offer enough detail to completely validate progress, but there are indicators of short-term pain for… Read More »
One of the first applications of blockchain to corporate travel is in the works at hotel distribution and contracting specialist HRS. Spurred in part by discussions with sourcing client Siemens, HRS is testing blockchain-powered smart contracts, allowing clients and hotels to negotiate rates that change based on environmental conditions. In another scenario, blockchain supports identity verification at check-in. The… Read More »
“60 Minutes” on Sunday ran a segment about “persistent” safety issues and “an alarming number” of mechanical incidents at Allegiant Air, the ultra-low-cost carrier based in Las Vegas. “Between Jan. 1, 2016, and the end of last October, we found more than 100 serious mechanical incidents, including mid-air engine failures, smoke and fumes in the cabin, rapid descents, flight… Read More »
Travel tech firm Serko hired Tony D’Astolfo as SVP North America. The industry veteran is tasked with expanding the company’s operations in the region, particularly the Zeno self-booking tool. Headquartered in New Zealand and active throughout Australasia, Serko intends to run Zeno beta tests this spring in North America. In October 2017, it hired former American Express and… Read More »
As co-founder and CEO of financial technology firm Conferma, Simon Barker has been in the thick of corporate travel’s virtual payment movement. The benefits of single-use virtual credit card accounts are well known: improved security, better management controls, easier reconciliation and a more convenient experience for travelers without their own corporate cards. Barker points out the payment option… Read More »
Big travel management companies are seeking new sources of data even as they work to improve the quality of info from more traditional inputs. American Express Global Business Travel on a “case by case” basis works with clients to incorporate data on sales performance and employee attrition. After completing an upgrade last year of its AnalytIQs platform, Carlson Wagonlit Travel… Read More »