One way travel managers and management companies earn their stripes is guiding travelers through trip disruptions. Better still is helping them avoid such snafus. Using predictive analytics, that’s Flightsayer’s game. Some beta testers are intrigued. Better-known in corporate travel circles, FlightStats also is working on predictive analytics. It’s keeping a lot of that close to the vest for… Read More »
It’s well known that lodging is a strategic driver for travel management companies. Mobile is a key vehicle. American Express Global Business Travel next month in the United Kingdom will add hotel booking and chat to its Amex GBT mobile app. The move furthers a hotel strategy that recently included the integration of Booking.com content, according to American… Read More »
You generally will not see interviews published here, but an opportunity that came up last week made an exception worthwhile. What follows are excerpts of separate interviews with top executives at the three largest travel management companies. We spoke by phone with American Express Global Business Travel president Philippe Chérèque last Monday, Carlson Wagonlit Travel president and CEO… Read More »
[UPDATE, June 8, 2017: Adds Global Business Travel Association statement, at bottom.] Corporate travel constituents want a greater focus in Washington on FAA funding and the related issue of air traffic control modernization. The Trump administration on Monday proposed privatizing air traffic control. Hardly a new one, the idea drew lots of fresh criticism and questions from members… Read More »
Corporate Airline Relationships Sept. 14, 2017 at 12 p.m. EDT Download it here. Gift it here. Grab the slides here. There’s rarely a dull moment in the world of airlines. It’s a supplier segment that underwent radical changes in the past decade, from mergers and joint ventures to new business models and all sorts of new approaches on pricing, product and… Read More »
Who will pay thousands of dollars to use a private terminal before boarding a commercial flight? Rich folks, of course, but also maybe those who employ rich folks. At LAX, where celebrities move through and paparazzi pursue, entertainment companies and talent agencies may take a look at The Private Suite, a facility that opened this month. They may… Read More »
Many groups advocate for a wide range of travel issues. Some relate to corporate travel, but who speaks specifically for the corporate travel industry? Sixty attendees to the Association of Corporate Travel Executives’ New York event this week answered that question as part of an informal poll. They mentioned ACTE, Airlines for America, the American Society of Travel… Read More »
American Express Global Business Travel last month started offering a bundled platform for new U.S. clients spending less than $20 million annually on air travel. In partnership with Jigsaw Research and design consultancy Livework Studio, GBT crafted the program based on several guiding principles for the client experience: personalization, proactive servicing, consistency, value, local expertise and ease and clarity of… Read More »
Amadeus expects this year to reach a major milestone, decommissioning the last of its mainframes. This is the culmination of a multi-year process to achieve “more flexibility and resiliency.” Sabre isn’t there yet. Under new CEO Sean Menke, the company has embarked on a general tech upgrade program. “We will make investments in our IT infrastructure this year… Read More »
[UPDATE, April 19, 2017: Rebooking service Freebird announced reseller deals with Altour, Options Travel, Safe Harbors Business Travel, Short’s Travel Management, Travel and Transport and Upside Travel. It also picked up additional funding from venture capital firms General Catalyst and Accomplice, and named industry vet Ellen Keszler as another advisor and investor.] Did today’s blizzard in the Northeast wreck… Read More »