Boston – With its plan to phase out traditional, EDIFACT-based indirect sales by the end of 2025, Finnair’s alternative distribution vision is among the world’s most ambitious. During a panel discussion at a UATP event here last week, its head of strategy admitted to a lack of familiarity with corporate needs in terms of duty…
Former CWT executive Martin Warner, of late a consultant to various players in corporate travel, knows as well as anyone the impact that distribution changes have on travel management economics. Here he reminds us that’s an unresolved issue with NDC. The recent article in The Company Dime on “readiness” for NDC was an excellent summary…
Travelport acquired corporate travel booking and ground tech firm Deem from Enterprise Holdings for an undisclosed sum. Travelport plans to integrate Deem’s travel solution with its Travelport+ platform in the coming months and enable access to NDC offers, products and services. Travelport CEO Greg Webb in 2021 said he did not want to be in…
The owners of Options Travel backed Mark Walton, for the past five years an EVP at their Chicagoland travel management company, in a new Spotnana-powered venture. Walton is now CEO of Solutions Travel, a TMC targeting mainly small and midsized firms using Spotnana’s online booking tool, agent desktop, mobile app, records system, content engine and…
American Airlines is assembling a special servicing desk to help travel agencies with “NDC bookings,” a spokesperson confirmed. AA’s plan to make upwards of 40 percent of its content non-bookable through legacy indirect distribution has generated apprehension regarding post-booking tasks. How will TMCs deliver sufficient service when new connections between themselves, the airline and global…
American Airlines is anticipating that a small number of corporate travel providers will connect with it directly to access substantially all of its fares beginning in April, according to sources familiar with the airline’s talking points. One such player, Spotnana, already announced its arrangement. Another, Navan (formerly TripActions), also has embraced next-generation airline connectivity as…
American Express Global Business Travel developed guidance for a “minimum marketable product” using New Distribution Capability-compliant connections with airlines and distribution partners. The MMP has 162 use cases and helps demonstrate the depth of change management underway in airline distribution and retailing. GBT, which eventually may donate the “living document” to the industry, has shared…
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