When American Airlines in 2009 debuted on the public stage its direct connect strategy, director of merchandising strategy Cory Garner envisioned that by curtain call "100 percent of our indirect volume" would go through the technology. More than two-and-a-half years later, the carrier remains in the first act. Read More »

The U.S. Transportation Department once again has moved the goalposts on its eagerly anticipated and hotly disputed Enhancing Passenger Protections III notice of proposed rulemaking, this time to Nov. 30 from Aug. 10. The proposals, which, among other provisions, could require airlines to display ancillary fees through global distribution systems in which they participate, now is more than 10 months behind the initial schedule outlined by DOT. Read More »

The U.S. Transportation Department has contracted HDR Decision Economics to submit by August a cost-benefit analysis of a delayed proposed rulemaking that ponders "whether the department should require that ancillary fees be displayed through all sale channels." Read More »

This week's deadline for agencies in the European Union to opt out of having sales data identified through the International Air Transport Association's Passenger Intelligence Services data product has passed, but the backlash regarding the association's approach to securing agent buy-in for the program continues to simmer. Read More »

The U.S. Department of Transportation on May 17 will hold a public meeting to "seek input on costs and benefits associated" with its proposal to collect new information from airlines on ancillary revenues. Read More »

Nine airline trade groups last week sent a letter to U.S. Transportation secretary Ray LaHood urging the department to scrap a proposal that would require airlines to "distribute all content and services though global distribution systems." Read More »

Walking gently on data-privacy eggshells, mobile messaging and traveler assistance tech provider conTgo this week plans to launch a feature enabling companies and TMCs to geo-locate travelers in real time. New mobile apps, also, are coming soon. Read More »

Thursday's announcement that Southwest Airlines is contracting with Amadeus to put AirTran's international flights on the Altea reservations system beginning in 2014 is a big win for the Madrid-based tech provider. The far bigger opportunity, though, would be Southwest's domestic business, which is hosted by Sabre, and while the writing may appear to be on the wall, it's only in pencil. Read More »

Now operating on a single core IT system, SkyTeam carriers are queuing up a variety of reciprocal products and services for frequent travelers. Among its projects in the works, SkyTeam is deploying technology to automate multi-carrier award bookings, ease airport connections among member airlines and ensure elite flyers gain lounge access and other priority treatment at airports. Read More »

Attempts between American Airlines and Sabre to settle their legal differences out of court through mediation "have failed to produce an agreement," according to an AA spokesman. Read More »