Travel management companies are open to the idea that airlines will pay them to merchandize, but not if it requires them to start paying for distribution technology to enable it. At least, this was the message from a couple of TMC executives speaking at The Beat Live last month, and please do comment below if you disagree (or agree!).
The ancillary fee discussion between the airlines and the global distribution systems (GDSs) is centered on the following premise, as viewed by the airlines ...
Travel management companies are offering customers all the airfares and optional services an airline can muster. Tech firms are facilitating it. The economics make room for all parties. Even corporate buyers have returned to their day jobs.
This is not 2011.
At some point, though, one would think optional services will be available. So what will that look like? How will it change things? At The Beat
Live Sept. 19-21, we'll put aside the day's clashes and imagine the other side. Former airline distribution executive
Al Lenza joins current airline distribution executive
Graham Wareham of Air Canada, United merchandizing strategy director
Maria Walter and Airline Information co-founder
Roger Williams to discuss The Future Of Airline Merchandizing in the corporate market.
Register today for
The Beat Live
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The Future Of Airline Merchandizing will cap a busy Sept. 20 at The Beat
Live, including a keynote by Amadeus EVP for Commercial
Philippe Chérèque, interview of Carlson Wagonlit Travel President for Suppliers, Products and Technology
Andrew Winterton and 'Hot Seat' quizzing of Concur Chairman and CEO
Steve Singh.
Check out our full agenda here:
The Beat Live
And don't forget, you can attempt to earn free admission and a speaking gig by submitting a pitch in our Keynote Vote.
http://TheBeat.travel/keynote-vote
See you in Vegas!
Many don't think so, at least not any time soon. On one hand, you have to offer up kudos to AA for leading the way to personalizing and merchandising their products while pushing for new API/direct connections - it is innovative, others are likely to follow. On the other hand, AA is clearly taking plenty of "heat" from corporate customers, GDSs and other TMCs.
Gains in ancillary revenue have slowed considerably at United Continental Holdings, growing year over year by less than 1 percent during the second quarter on a pro-forma basis.
AirPlus has cracked the code on reporting airline ancillary fees.
Ancillary fees -- from airlines, hotels and car rentals -- are getting more attention these days. And for good reason: travel and meetings managers want to get their hands on some idea of
measurement of ancillary fees so that they can manage them.
I just returned from the
Travel Distribution Summit Europe 2011, which was attended by some of the biggest, coolest companies—Google, Facebook, Foursquare and… Farelogix (insert wry smiley face emoticon here).
Remember the good ol' days of air travel? You know, back in 1995 when things were easy. We didn't have to deal with all these ancillary fees - we could just check our bag and get a delicious Saran-wrapped piece of "chicken," and all for "free." Everything was included and CHEAPER! Remember that?
