Notebook: Catch Up On Airline Distribution
Estimated reading time: 23 minutes The Global Business Travel Association’s New Jersey chapter on Nov. 9 hosted a webinar on airline distribution featuring JTB Business Travel, SAP Concur, Sabre and United Airlines. Moderated by The Company Dime‘s Jay Campbell, the discussion featured observations about the status of the New Distribution Capability, where it’s going, some of its challenges, what the…
Dispatch 7
On the boards of a set of 14 business travel suppliers tracked by The Company Dime, female representation doubled between 2012 and 2023 to 30 percent. One of them has a woman serving as chair, the same number in that role among the group as in 2017 and…
Expensify Stakes A Lot On New Expense Management Approach
A top choice for expense software, especially among small and midsized enterprises, Expensify has always wanted to be something more. Its founder and CEO is not afraid to take risks. In the face of strong headwinds 15 years after its inception, Expensify is putting a lot on the line with its latest concept for expensing. The approach is based on…
Facing Slow NDC Adoption, Air Canada Delays Surcharge For Corporate Clients
On Tuesday, Air Canada told corporate clients they no longer had to pay its surcharge for bookings made using traditional EDIFACT protocols, at least for the time being. The change acknowledges that the corporate travel community was not ready to adopt surcharge-free NDC channels that Air Canada initiated with global distribution system providers during the past few months. In an…
New Hilton SME Program Highlights Supplier-Intermediary Clash
Corporate travel agencies and tech firms concerned about competition from suppliers won’t find comfort in the latest business travel moves from Hilton Worldwide. Last month, the company announced it would launch by early next year a program offering discounted rates, company loyalty points and program management tools to small and medium-sized enterprises booking on its website and mobile app. It’s…
United Move Prompts Some Buyers To Again Find Direct Channel Insufficient
Surprised to find last week that United Airlines made their negotiated rates available to travelers via its website and mobile app, some corporate travel buyers took a closer look at functionality the airline built to support their needs. While United has done more than some other carriers to legitimize supplier-direct channels for managed travel, “better than nothing” isn’t going to…
Spotnana Gets Walmart Nod As Partner CWT Trades Equity For Reduced Debt
Retail giant Walmart began a pilot with Spotnana to make use of airline NDC distribution. “We have decided that we are going to roll out through Spotnana starting with some of our U.S. travelers,” said Theresa Gehler, global travel procurement director for the $611 billion retailer, during a Thursday Spotnana-sponsored webinar hosted by The BTN Group. “It will be in…
AI Text Processing Sparks New Phase Of Travel Management Productivity
Travel management companies using Amgine Technologies and communications tech firms like Front have entered a new era of productivity. Travel Incorporated is processing between five and 10 bookings initiated by traveler emails this way for every standard agent-assisted booking. Newer Amgine clients Christopherson Business Travel and Executive Travel are excited about the potential. All three travel management companies are Travelport…
AA, Alaska End Joint Corporate Sales
Oneworld partners American Airlines and Alaska Airlines no longer coordinate corporate sales for mutual accounts. They did not give a reason or say how many customers were impacted. “We are sunsetting our joint contract agreement with American Airlines, but it will take some time to work through the processes,” according to an Alaska Airlines media relations representative. “We’ll be working…