British Airways

Frustrated With Airlines’ GDS Bypass Programs And Threats, BCD Travel Pays Microsoft To Build An Agent Desktop

BCD Travel is paying Microsoft about $20 million for a multi-GDS search and booking desktop system that also could help agents manage bookings made outside the global distribution systems. The travel management company a decade ago retired a similar initiative after airlines patched up their differences with GDS providers. The ultimate cost of the project…

Big Companies Turn To Biofuel To Help Cut Business Travel Air Emissions

It seems each new week brings another announcement about plans for sustainable aviation fuel. Several European airlines recently gave customers opportunities to get involved. Microsoft in October said it joined KLM’s corporate program that funds biofuel purchases. Separately, Dutch sustainable aviation fuel company SkyNRG around the same time began engaging companies to help develop the…

With UK’s Business Travel Direct And BA, SAP Concur Flies Through NDC Headwinds

New York — For SAP Concur, NDC is a “mess,” a “grey area,” and a “huge job.” But there is progress. That includes a recent implementation in the United Kingdom with British Airways and a Business Travel Direct client. SAP Concur director of distribution and NDC Tom Wilkinson gave attendees to a Concur customer event…

British Airways, Iberia Raise Distribution Surcharge

[UPDATE, May 8, 2019: British Airways and Iberia upped fees on bookings outside their preferred distribution channels to $14, 12.50 euros and £10.50, effective May 31.] British Airways and Iberia said that on Sept. 18 they would increase the surcharge applied to bookings that don’t go through “an NDC-based connection or through other low-cost channels,”…

AA Builds Reporting Portal As Big Three U.S. Carriers Share More Client Data, Push Soft Benefits

The three major U.S. network airlines are big on providing account-specific information. This can relate to spending, contract performance, ancillary services and operational metrics. Delta Air Lines in 2014 and United Airlines last year activated self-service reporting portals. Now comes American’s. American Airlines in June unveiled a portal for travel agencies. In the fall it will test…

GBTA Convention Highlights Push For ‘Omni-Channel’ Airline Distribution

San Diego – Participants at last week’s Global Business Travel Association convention showed a stronger spirit of collaboration on alternative airline distribution than in years past. Notwithstanding mixed takes on the specifics, attendees and speakers reinforced the theme that corporate customers need the same sets of product and service options regardless of where they shop. New…

TMCs Get To Work On NDC

Some travel management companies are coming to grips with the New Distribution Capability, and they’re not going it alone. Global distribution systems, agency networks, tech companies and the standards purveyor itself, the International Air Transport Association, are there to help. Most of the action is in Europe, although IATA recently highlighted U.S.-based WTMC as a…

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