Articles tagged “gdss”

Air France's decision to join Lufthansa and British Airways in leveling surcharges means that 20 percent of the airplane tickets booked through Amadeus would be subject to the new fees. Expect Amadeus to try to undermine the effort with every muscle it has.

Air France-KLM had hinted at adding a distribution surcharge as far back as 2015, so the announcement doesn’t come as a surprise. What it does tell us is that airlines are increasingly confident that the positives of introducing such a fee outweigh any negatives.

As its pace of revenue growth slows, travel-tech player Travelport needs to diversify beyond distributing airline tickets. Rental cars are one bright spot. It is gaining traction thanks to a new deal with Hertz.

The European Union's decision to investigate Lufthansa's surcharge represents a potential blow to the airline industry, which is attempting to wrestle back control from intermediaries. Although the transport commission confirmed an investigation, it doesn't appear that any decision is imminent.

Travelport's distribution deal with India's largest online travel agency suggests that it can punch above its weight. But Travelport still faces a struggle against its much larger competitors.

The global distribution systems aren't going anywhere. Innovation, however, is happening in the margins of the travel distribution marketplace, with airlines seeking to regain control of their destiny.

American is creating a new distribution path that might tweak the role companies like Travelport play in distribution. Travelport boss Gordon Wilson tells us he's skeptical. We remain undecided.

American is reviving its direct-booking conflict with distribution middlemen like Sabre. Advances in technology and fat profits at U.S. airlines make the threat more plausible now than a decade ago.

Amadeus continued to have strong financial performance in the first half of the year. Trends point to it continuing to be a juggernaut of travel distribution in the near-future.

Sabre argues that it would be self-harming for U.S.-based airlines to copy the surcharges that European airlines like Lufthansa and British Airways are adding on bookings processed outside of their own networks. Perhaps. But airlines often have views widely different than Sabre's.