Corporate travel is about to get harder: lower fares to be removed from legacy GDS
Apr 19, 2023, 1:35 pm
#121
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: NYC/PHX
Programs: IATA, Sabre, AvgeekAgent
Posts: 1,958
Yes, branded fares are still very much a thing, including with AA. I think NDC fares will still be filed in the GDS as well, even though they have to be ticketed through NDC channels.
Apr 20, 2023, 7:41 am
#122
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Mileageplus
Posts: 251
This article, which also references AA and NDC, is interesting from the standpoint of the GDS world (Travelport, in this case). The eagerness for change is obvious with the person being interviewed, but as IATA intended NDC enhance the ability of airlines to sell their ancillaries more readily and improve the "shopping experience" with rich content between with agents and their clients, it is clear there is one thing that will take a long time to establish: industry standards, especially among the airlines. As the article states, if each airline has its own standard on how it wants NDC to work for it, you can't expect to have multiple standards and have NDC work as it was intended with the agency community.https://www.phocuswire.com/travelpor...kershaw-on-ndc
Apr 20, 2023, 9:33 pm
#123
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: GE/Nexus/APEC; EVA/SWA; Hilton; Avis
Posts: 11
Lots of good info in the discussions above. We are still in a wait and see with opting into the NDC, but unfortunately it didn't take long for our Global CEO to find some domestic first-class fares that are now NDC-only (happened to be just after AA booted him from 4yrs of CK status). That started a discussion with our TMC on what opting-in actually means. For us given the current state of integration (or lack of), it would add a steep fee structure (on top of our regular booking fee) for each AA booking with an agent (BCD/Sabre) and even higher for each Concur booking (Travelfusion). Not worth it, especially given limitations that exist in the current iteration.
Last edited by BrotherBluto; Apr 21, 2023 at 11:08 am
Apr 23, 2023, 10:23 pm
#124
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: AA EXPLT, Marriott Titanium (LT PLT), HHonors Gold, AMEX PLT, UA Silver, National EXC
Posts: 1,064
So, I had to book a discounted domestic coach fare yesterday and it was $50 higher in the corporate portal vs aa.com.
Same flights, same dates. Slightly different booking classes but unsure why I could only get a G/S fare in the portal.. but aa.com was willing to sell me a G/Q fare.
Completely unrelated?
Same flights, same dates. Slightly different booking classes but unsure why I could only get a G/S fare in the portal.. but aa.com was willing to sell me a G/Q fare.
Completely unrelated?
Not great as I have a credit to use up on Amex. Guess I'll do 2 one-ways and book one amex and one direct. But that will leave me with more credit to use up!
Apr 24, 2023, 6:12 am
#125
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,209
For us given the current state of integration (or lack of), it would add a steep fee structure (on top of our regular booking fee) for each AA booking with an agent (BCD/Sabre) and even higher for each Concur booking (Travelfusion). Not worth it, especially given limitations that exist in the current iteration.
Would love an agent's perspective on how much extra time it takes to use TF Desktop or the other interface (Spark?)
Something tells me it doesn't take any extra time at all and the additional fee is really a penalty imposed by the TMC to make up for lost GDS revenue.
Apr 24, 2023, 6:41 am
#126
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: NYC/PHX
Programs: IATA, Sabre, AvgeekAgent
Posts: 1,958
I'd think these tools still necessitate new investment in cost, implementation and training for many TMCs, and especially for agents used to faster command-line entries, NDC bookings will reduce productivity. The "penalty" then is for increased time and cost that the TMC does not incur for carriers marketing their entire fare offering through the GDS. GDSs and any additional software/tools utilized are all agency costs, so it's unclear what's meant by "lost GDS revenue".
Apr 24, 2023, 11:25 am
#128
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,673
Apr 24, 2023, 11:45 am
#129
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: NYC/PHX
Programs: IATA, Sabre, AvgeekAgent
Posts: 1,958
Do you have to comparison shop and/or otherwise certify that the fare purchased meets travel policy, or are you free to book preferred carrier/routing, as long as it's a negotiated fare? I'd think "lowest logical airfare" policies are the biggest impediment to direct bookings and am curious how that is addressed.
Apr 24, 2023, 1:19 pm
#130
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,673
Do you have to comparison shop and/or otherwise certify that the fare purchased meets travel policy, or are you free to book preferred carrier/routing, as long as it's a negotiated fare? I'd think "lowest logical airfare" policies are the biggest impediment to direct bookings and am curious how that is addressed.
Apr 24, 2023, 6:24 pm
#131
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: TPA
Programs: All The Programs
Posts: 2,209
I'd think these tools still necessitate new investment in cost, implementation and training for many TMCs, and especially for agents used to faster command-line entries, NDC bookings will reduce productivity. The "penalty" then is for increased time and cost that the TMC does not incur for carriers marketing their entire fare offering through the GDS. GDSs and any additional software/tools utilized are all agency costs, so it's unclear what's meant by "lost GDS revenue".
Training is a one-time cost. Undesirable, but negligible.
Apr 24, 2023, 6:25 pm
#132
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: *G^2, Bonvoyed, NEXUS
Posts: 3,529
The irony in all of this is Sabre, which was originally AA’s homegrown system, and probably the predominant GDS used in the US (I have no data on this, just an educated guess), is the most behind in even supporting NDC at all, and what they are offering is still a pretty bad experience.
Amadeus on the other hand provides a much more integrated experience between NDC and EDIFACT content (not yet perfect, but much better than Sabre from what I’ve seen), and AA was one of their launch customers in the US market for NDC. I’m sure they are using this opportunity to increase their presence in the US. Maybe if AA gets annoyed enough with Sabre they will switch their PSS to Amadeus too.
Amadeus on the other hand provides a much more integrated experience between NDC and EDIFACT content (not yet perfect, but much better than Sabre from what I’ve seen), and AA was one of their launch customers in the US market for NDC. I’m sure they are using this opportunity to increase their presence in the US. Maybe if AA gets annoyed enough with Sabre they will switch their PSS to Amadeus too.
Apr 24, 2023, 8:41 pm
#135
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,723