Delta Air Lines

Delta Extends Corporate Perks, United Announces Similar Program

United Airlines announced a benefits program for corporate customers. It is akin to a corporate recognition program Delta created in 2014 and recently expanded to cover joint venture partner Air France-KLM. United Corporate Preferred gives priority to eligible travelers for upgrades, reaccommodation and standby space. Those in the highest of three tiers get extra schedule…

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…

Delta Asserts Support Of GDSs, Targets This Year To Test New APIs

Delta Air Lines expects to start piloting its new application programming interfaces with distribution intermediaries by the end of the year. While those APIs will be available to other aggregators, the focus is on global distribution systems. “For the Delta distribution strategy, which may differ from others, we view GDSs as consumers of the overwhelming…

What’s Behind The Upsurge In Airline Commissions?

Total commissions paid to travel agencies by U.S. airlines in 2017 reversed a 20-year trend and jumped 15 percent year over year, according to U.S. government data. The data reflect a fight for market share as the Big Three enjoy strong demand and healthy balance sheets. On domestic U.S. tickets, commission dollar volume in 2017 rose for…

Lacking Southwest Concerns Lola’s Paul English Less Than Customer Acquisition Does

Well-funded startup Lola last week announced its Lola Works small business platform featuring reporting, team collaboration and policy and spending guidelines with “wiggle room.” The features could have some appeal, but Lola’s bigger challenges remain unresolved. One, how will it find customers? Two, can it compete for said customers without offering the airline that carries the…

Op Ed: Brandon Strauss On Delta, The NRA And Playing Politics With Big Business

In the wake of the school shooting massacre in Florida a month ago, Delta Air Lines announced it would no longer offer discounted travel to members of the National Rifle Association. The NRA opposes banning the public sale of military-style firearms. Delta was one of a number of travel companies last month to cut ties with the NRA. Delta said it was attempting…

Aiming To Control The Offer, Delta Works To Release APIs ASAP

Delta’s public support for the International Air Transport Association’s New Distribution Capability is relatively tepid. That doesn’t mean it’s not exploring alternatives to traditional connectivity. In a Tuesday interview, officials discussed their focus on application programming interfaces and a clear desire to assume control over the “offer.” Shifting that control to airlines from global distribution…

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