As airlines began developing the New Distribution Capability more than a decade ago, they needed a way to communicate flight changes and other events to parties including travel agencies. Global distribution systems have queues for schedule adjustments and the like that agencies routinely deal with; NDC is different because the systems of record are run…
American Airlines is reeling in the more aggressive parts of its erstwhile distribution plan, but it’s not abandoning the New Distribution Capability. While other carriers around the globe delay or soften their strategies, they and others are pressing ahead with alternative distribution programs. In some cases, they’re adding or raising fees on traditional global distribution…
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 a practice the carriers followed for over…
Multinational travel programs typically use at least two of the three major airline partner groupings, and many use all three. U.K.-based financial software firm Finastra in 2019 committed to providing all its business on a lucrative international route to just one. After seeing savings by aggregating that spending, the company is hunting for similar opportunities…
With unruly passengers, fears of virus transmission and understaffed airport concessions, a quiet place to sit, work and eat can go a long way. American, Delta and United airlines within the next few months will reopen nearly all domestic airport lounges. Card companies Chase and Capital One are preparing brand new airport clubs, competing with…
Hailed as a solution for the challenges of fare unbundling, NDC has been in development for nine years. What does it have to show for corporate clients? A rebundled fare, theoretical savings, “whatnot” and “whatever.” Oh, and new distribution fees. “So, nothing new or innovative,” according to former Sabre executive Martin Cowley. Cowley got into…
There’s a line of thinking that says the pandemic is widening a gap between Amadeus and its key rivals, Sabre and Travelport. Not only was Amadeus already using more modern infrastructure, the theory says, but it also genuinely bought into XML-based distribution and related NDC protocols sooner. These factors position it best with airlines that…
End of content
End of content
