Travelport has unveiled a service enabling travel retailers to present the most relevant flight options to customers by setting parameters within an application.
The web-based Search Control Console allows agents to set criteria in real-time such as eliminate airports with a poor transit experience or avoid certain airports if there has been a major incident.
The service, which includes 35 controllable rules and parameters, can also help agents meet airline sales targets by applying certain search criteria.
Other parameters include the ability to:
- Restrict overnight itineraries
- Restrict maximum ground time
- Restrict maximum number of connections (by carrier)
- Prohibit a specific connection point
- Inhibit shopping results by fare type, fare family, fare basis code
- Restrict flight or flight number ranges
Travelport says Search Control Console also helps save costs and improves efficiency by removing the need for more coding, allowing multi-branch agencies to centrally manage rules while allowing for individual branch locations and highlighting preferred suppliers thus improving travel policy compliance.
UK and Ireland regional director Simon Ferguson says Search Control Console is a bit like a mixing desk:
"We think it's a game changer. It gives all types of agents, tour operators and OTAs the flexibility and the ability to dynamically alter the flight content they get from the GDS.
"The UK market is very big, mature and dynamic so speed of response is absolutely critical and that could be response to disruptive issues."
He adds that there is the potential to expand the rules and parameters within the system depending on feedback from customers.
While Travelport claims this is the only web-based solution of its kind, Amadeus has been developing its own Featured Results technology which enables a specific set of flight results to be delivered.
Vayama recently said it would be extending its use of the technology following a six month pilot.
Several UK travel agencies and online players including Trailfinders, Flight Centre and Click Travel were involved in testing the Search Control Console technology.
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