direct connect

United Preps Distribution Channels For Continuous Pricing

United Airlines is testing continuous pricing on some U.S. routes. The concept frees airlines from the traditional alphabet-based fare class structure and permits more flexibility with smaller jumps between price points. Distributing such fares through all channels is a challenge, and United is pressing ahead on direct booking for corporate accounts. It’s planning a new…

TravelPerk Reveals Direct Connection With Hilton, Which Claims No Agreement

[CORRECTION, Aug. 15, 2022: “There is no direct integration in place between TravelPerk and Hilton,” according to a prepared Aug. 8 statement from TravelPerk. The company apologized “for any confusion or misunderstanding” and indicated that when TravelPerk chief commercial officer JC Taunay-Bucalo said during a July phone interview that the company had a direct connection…

Ryanair’s Dispute With Screen Scrapers Entangles Corporate Travelers

Ryanair has withheld services from corporate travelers who used third-party aggregation systems such as Travelfusion to book tickets, according to sources. These passengers found themselves entangled by Ryanair’s long-running fight against “screen scrapers,” online services that scan airline websites for fares and inventory that they or partners can resell. Handling bookings coming in via Travelfusion…

As Airline Distribution Evolves, Where Does That Leave Sabre’s System For Corporate Contracting?

The preeminent mechanism for crunching data on corporate deals may be getting long in the tooth. Airlines weren’t totally comfortable when the independent company that built it sold to Sabre about eight years ago. As demonstrated by court testimony last month, at least some airlines remain loathe to have Sabre own important components of their…

Economist: Slow Pace Of NDC Through GDSs Isn’t Surprising, GDSs Dominate Because TMCs Need Them

Wilmington, Del. — Global distribution systems dominate indirect air travel distribution because travel agencies don’t want it another way. So it’s not unexpected to find that a new initiative like moving to XML-based connectivity under NDC takes a long time. So says an award-winning economist who has studied the travel distribution market for about a…

AA Enables Corporate Bundles Through Three TMCs

American Airlines last month began distributing a corporate bundle via its NDC-compliant API to clients of three travel management companies. AmTrav, Marplay in Mexico and Brazil’s Copastur use their proprietary booking tools to sell regular economy fares that include preferred main cabin seating, no-fee changes and a checked bag. United Airlines and TripActions announced a…

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…

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