This is a roundup of product news and announcements for travel DISTRIBUTION in tourism and hospitality for July 2014.
Tuesday 29 July 2014:
Travelport signs Air India to Rich Content and Branding service
- The carrier becomes the 50th airline to come on-board as a partner for the services and fares display element of the Travelport Merchandising Platform (launched in April 2013). The system allows airlines to showcase their fares and ancillaries on agent interfaces in the same way as they do on their consumer-facing platforms. Other carriers which have signed up include Delta, Ryanair, British Airways and United.
Monday 28 July 2014:Solomon Airlines implements Amadeus Flex Pricer
- The airline's online bookings will now be powered by Amadeus Flex Pricer, a solution that enables travellers to book multi-sector flights in a single ticket, combine business class bookings with economy class connections in a single ticket, and quickly find flights and fares that meets their needs.
AirAsia to implement Amadeus travel agency solution
- AirAsia will implement Amadeus' light ticketing technology that will enable Amadeus connected travel agencies to view and compare AirAsia fares in the same screen as full-service carriers, ability to track business performance, improved mid and back-office process integration.
Monday 21 July 2014:Travelport plans to make $280 million from Orbitz share sale
- The company says it will offload 32 million shares of its stock in the online travel agency, around three quarters of current stake. Credit Suisse Securities is handling the transaction for Travelport and the deal is expected to close this week (22nd July).
Wednesday 9 July 2014:Sabre renews agreement with Hilton
- The extension of its existing partnership gives Sabre-connected agencies access to Hilton's full portfolio of properties (685,000 rooms in 92 countries) via the GDS. Brands covered in the deal include Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton and Embassy Suites Hotels.
Tuesday 8 July 2014: is
Spirit Airlines' first distribution partner for paid baggage options.
- The online travel agency (OTA), owned by FarePortal, is the first one to offer the US discount airline’s paid baggage options. Technology-wise, it is doing this on the back-end through its existing global distribution system partnerships. It uses multiple GDSs and declined to say if any one's offering was powering this solution.
Monday 7 July 2014:Travelport renews pact with Tropic Air
- The San Pedro, Belize-based carrier has extended its existing partnership to give Worldspan, Galileo and Apollo-connected agents to chance to search and book its flights. The carrier works routes in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico via its fleet of 14 aircraft.
Thursday 3 July 2014:Travelport roasts BQB for merchandising platform debut
- The Uruguay-based carrier (officially known as BQB Lineas Aereas) has agreed a new distribution agreement with Travelport, giving connected agents with ability to access full published inventory. It has also signed up to participate in the Rich Content and Branding element of the Travelport Merchandising Platform. The four-year-old carrier flies from Uruguay to cities in Brazil, Argentina and others in South America.
Wednesday 2 July 2014:Sabre bags British Airways and Iberia with new agreement
- The agreement also includes IAG subsidiaries Iberia Express and, for the first time, Vueling. Agencies will have the ability to sell fares as well as some ancillaries through the Sabre distribution network.
Travelport renews
Hilton partnership
- More than 4,100 properties belonging to the hotel group will be made available to Travelport-connected agencies around the world. The portfolio includes Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, DoubleTree by Hilton, and Embassy Suites Hotels and Hampton Inn.
Travelport and
TAME agree distribution deal
- The Ecuadorian carrier has renewed its existing partnership to give Worldspan, Galileo and Apollo-connected travel agents full access to published inventory. Quito-based TAME flies scheduled and charter routes domestically and internationally to cities in Latin America and New York.
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