Airlines Tap New Tech to Sell Each Other’s Fares
Photo Credit: Some public artwork that was recently on display at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport, a secondary hub in Russia that has signed up to adopt new technology to streamline airline alliances. New tech from Air Black Box and Kiwi.com may help airlines sell each other's tickets, putting a fresh spin on the codeshare concept. Pulkovo Airport
Skift Take
Investor 777 Partners has bought tech company Air Black Box, while online agency Kiwi has taken a stake in reservation system AeroCRS. These deals hint at a growing interest among airlines to use tech to build marketing alliances that differ from traditional codeshares. The true winner may be smaller airports, which stand to gain traffic.
Airlines have long helped each other sell tickets, using pragmatic arrangements called interline agreements and strategic marketing deals called codeshares. But new technology is offering fresh spins on these concepts that may make cooperation more common.
Two recent financial deals cast some light on the trend.
In September, investment firm 777 Partners bought tech firm Air Black Box, the companies revealed on Monday. Air Black Box is an internet booking engine that promises to let any pair of airlines cross-sell their flights. The buyer, 777, is a holding company that acts similarly to a small private equity firm, said Juan Arciniegas, a principal at the firm who oversaw the acquisition.
The companies didn't disclose deal terms. Air Black Box had received undisclosed investment from ANA Holdings, Cebu Pacific, Scoot, and Nok. The Manchester, UK-based company helps carriers like Nok and Tigerair Australia cross-sell on each others’ sites as part of a marketing effort calle
