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…
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…
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…
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…
EasyJet last month took heat for a gender pay disparity that it attributed to the preponderance of males among its pilots. The company also is paying its incoming CEO more than his female predecessor. If only such discrepancies were unique to easyJet. Throughout the travel industry, women remain under-represented in executive ranks and boardrooms. In travel management,…
Executives at American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines are optimistic. For corporate buyers, many of whom are now in the throes of budgeting for next year, that may mean higher airfares into 2018. Determining which way airfares will move is never easy. On top of the upward and downward pressures that observers routinely…
[UPDATE: We published new info on Air France-KLM here.] Sources expect Air France-KLM in the next couple weeks to announce a surcharge for GDS bookings, much like rivals at Lufthansa Group and IAG. This will come as no surprise for many observers. One source said an announcement could come as early as next week, while…
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