American Airlines struck a deal to use ITA Software's Inventory Control solution as part of the passenger service system, Jetstream, that HP is building for the airline.
The airline, in announcing the licensing deal, says the "new availability engine" will improve customers' selection of products, enabling travelers to customize their travel experiences.
The Inventory Control module is part of ITA Software's overall passenger service system, and the American Airlines' deal marks ITA's first res system deal since Air Canada withdrew as a customer a couple of years ago.
The Inventory Control module, ITA says, consists of Dynamic Availability Calculating System and Inventory Control server.
ITA says the module "significantly reduces query volumes on your [an airline's] legacy host system and lets you inventory and sell any combination of products and services at a far lower cost."
American says the agreement, which represents an expansion of its relationship with ITA Software, fosters its goal of "enhancing its customers' travel experiences by offering products and services that can be customized and distributed through a wide range of distribution channels," including the airline's direct channels, as well as GDSs, metasearch engines and travel agencies.
With all of the publicity about the Google-ITA Software deal and its QPX airfare shopping and pricing solution, observers often overlook the fact that ITA remains committed to building its airline res system business, which would have ITA hosting airlines' internal reservations systems.
In fact, ITA decided to scrap an attempt several years ago to build an alternative GDS so it could focus on building a passenger service system business.
It's unclear what Google would do with that aspect of ITA's business, although when the acquisition was announced officials said they would keep an open mind about ITA's res system business.
The American Airlines deal to use ITA's Inventory Control module is a relatively small win for ITA -- but it's of symbolic importance, at the least, because it shows that at least one major airline endorses ITA's product.