British Airways Adjusts To AA’s Stance On Corporate Deals
American Airlines cares less for conventional corporate travel dealmaking, but that’s not working for partner British Airways. As AA cancels corporate deals or allows them to lapse — including agreements struck jointly with its key Oneworld partner — BA wants to hang onto some. It has broken from…
Bizly Gets Cash For AI-Backed Meetings Mgmt. From JetBlue Ventures, Other Investors
Corporate meetings tech provider Bizly this month entered what its founder called a new chapter with funding of an undisclosed amount anchored by existing shareholder JetBlue Ventures. Fermont Capital, Frontier Ventures and H. Barton Asset Management also participated. They’re buying into a vision for artificial intelligence-powered meetings management…
American Express GBT CEO Abbott: CWT Acqusition Targets Non-Customer Costs
American Express Global Business Travel announced Monday it agreed to pay about $570 million to buy CWT using stock and cash on hand. The companies expect the deal to close in the second half of this year, subject to regulatory approvals in multiple jurisdictions and the satisfaction of…
Are Offline Transactions More Lucrative For Travel Management Companies? No, But …
AmTrav CEO Jeff Klee caused a stir with a Jan. 29 column in which he relayed an anecdote about a customer of a large travel management company hearing from a travel advisor that their “booking tool withholds some flight options on purpose in order to drive more revenue…
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Notebook: Government Travel Pros Treated To Latest On Innovation, Sustainability
Alexandria, Va. – Amid a federal government solicitation process putting the management of upwards of $4 billion in annual travel spending up for grabs, the National Defense Transportation Association’s GovTravels conference attracted a record 1,100 attendees here last month. The U.S. General Services Administration has begun collecting information…
Amex GBT Describes Cybersecurity Practices, Takes On Binding Corporate Rules For Data Transfers
American Express Global Business Travel’s executives get quarterly updates on cyber risks monitored by the company, according to a new section in its annual report, filed Wednesday. The company regularly tests its systems for vulnerabilities and provides all employees with cybersecurity awareness training, including information on company policies…
For Big Corporate Travel Management Companies Using Artificial Intelligence, Risk Mitigation Is Job No. 1
Notebook: Two Buyers Say Policies Fail In The Face Of Distribution Fragmentation
Regardless of the allure, direct bookings with suppliers are out of bounds for most employee groups at two companies represented on a March 6 webinar hosted by Cerebri AI. Both firms mandate that bookings go through their designated travel management companies via counselors or the SAP Concur Travel…