Product news, releases, projects and more from the global distribution systems during February 2011 - all here, in one easy read.
Most recent updates first...
Monday 28 February 2011:
- Amadeus Ideas for Travel – Most popular in February [full story]
Sunday 27 February 2011:- Priceline is live with American Airlines direct-connect [full story]
- Amadeus 2010 results – bitesize summary [full story]
- Warning: Beware of corporate paralysis over airline distribution [full story]
Wednesday 23 February 2011:- Multiple technology standards in travel – an oxymoron to overcome [full story]
- Travelport and Kenya Airways sign five-year distribution agreement. The pair have extended an existing ten-year deal which sees the carrier's fares and availability pushed to Galileo-connected agents. Travelport's Galileo Kenya division has also been renamed to Travelport Kenya.
- Sabre Travel Network and Deutsche Bahn extend distribution deal. The German rail operator's fares will now be available on the Sabre Red system in the UK, Italy, Brazil and Thailand.
Monday 21 February 2011:- Travelport signs first content agreement with Air Astana. Fares and inventory - on around 50 domestic and international routes - from the Kazakhstan national carrier will be made available to Galileo and Worldspan-connected agents around the world.
Saturday 19 February 2011:- Farelogix YouTube video questions alleged deception of GDS coalitions [full story]
Friday 18 February 2011:- Where does Open Allies for Airfare Transparency stand on display bias? [full story]
Wednesday 16 February 2011:- American Airlines drops agent fare surcharge over Travelport row [full story]
- Orbitz: Kayak and American Airlines fights hurt financial results [full story]
- Amadeus signs technology agreement with Avianca Taca. The deal sees the Latin American airline group become the 100th to select the Amadeus Altea customer management system.
Tuesday 15 February 2011:- US government delivers transparent warning to GDSs and online travel agencies [full story]
- Full content vs full capability – the wrinkle in airline distribution [full story]
- Travelport: Third of Opinions members do not use Travelport [full story]
Friday 10 February 2011:- What will be the best consequence of a new airline distribution model? [full story]
- Creating a travel search and booking system for an iPad [full story]
- GetThere introduces hotel reviews from Travelocity and business travelers [full story]
Thursday 10 February 2011:- Travelport expands operations in Africa with dedicated division for Algeria. Travel agency customers in the north African country will connect to Travelport Algeria for GDS services. The business will be headed by Lotfi Skander, ex-Amadeus director of sales and marketing for Amadeus Algeria.
- Travelport sues American Airlines over Kayak discount [full story]
- Amadeus sells Opodo for Euro 450M to AXA and Permira [full story]
Wednesday 9 February 2011:Tuesday 8 February 2011:- Travelport began offering its travel agents in the U.K. a software application that enables them to book British Airways' pre-paid seats from within the travel agent workflow [full story].
Monday 7 February 2011:- Travelport pays Orbitz to shun direct-connects from American Airlines and other carriers [full story]
Friday 4 February 2011:- Amadeus signs distribution agreement with Germanwings. The deal with the European low cost carrier includes capability to reach agencies but also interline with Lufthansa - a process which apparently sees Germanwings avoid IATA billing contracts and servicing.
- Sabre Travel Network works with travel expense management company Conferma to launch a Virtual Payment system for travel management companies. Launching first in the UK, some agencies will use the system as a replacement for existing bill-back processes to settle payments to hoteliers.
- Farelogix probes divergent Travelport views on Air Canada, American Airlines direct-connects [full story]
Thursday 3 February 2011:- Sabre Travel Network signs licensing agreement with e-Travel Technologies to boost the Sabre Red system. e-Travel's security content will be integrated into the Red Traveler Security product to give agencies and corporations real-time tracking capability and risk information into a customer's itinerary.
Wednesday 2 February 2011:- Travelport appoints Marcin Pilarski as its new managing director for Eastern Europe. Reporting to Travelport mamanging director in Europe and Brazil, Jason Clarke, Pilarski was previously regional manager for Travelport in Poland and the Baltic countries and has also run Galileo operations in Poland.
- JetBlue dismisses direct-connect, but may pressure online travel agencies [full story]
- American Airlines sues Travelport and placates travel agencies on surcharge [full story]
Tuesday 1 February 2011:- Travelport and Neenan Travel renew distribution deal. The partnership includes access for the corporate travel and hotel break provider to the Galileo platform, covering 420 airlines and 88,000 hotel properties.
- The very public battle over travel data [full story]
- Outside view on American Airlines-GDS war: Brand loyalty and differentiation [full story]
Previous GDS updates: