Q&A: Sabre CEO Kurt Ekert On Content, Pricing And Artificial Intelligence
The Company Dime co-founder Jay Campbell last week interviewed Sabre CEO Kurt Ekert via videoconference. Among other issues, Ekert talked about supplier content fragmentation, global distribution system pricing, AI, technology modernization and, yes, NDC. A lightly edited transcript follows. Some travel managers look back fondly at a period…
Delta Names New Distribution Partners As Sabre Deal Comes Due
Delta Air Lines during a Thursday virtual meeting named the tech partners it would work with on a customer service-oriented distribution strategy based on IATA’s New Distribution Capability protocols. Accelya, ARC and Google will support Delta as it collaborates with corporate travel intermediaries on new distribution methods. The…
AA Follows UA To ARC’s Corporate Contracting Tool As Sabre Upgrades Prism
Washington, D.C. — American Airlines agreed to use the ARC Corporate Intelligence tool for contract management. ARC CI launched with United Airlines in 2020 as an alternative to the market-leading Prism platform, owned by Sabre. An AA official did not comment on whether the airline would continue using…
Retro Rebates Hang On As Post-Pandemic Legacy For Southwest Customers
GBT-CWT: Implications For Customers
It’s not hard to identify potential winners from American Express Global Business Travel’s proposed deal to acquire CWT, besides GBT itself, starting with the largest remaining competitors. Nor is it hard to see some of the losers, firstly global companies that manage travel and would have one fewer…
Travel Management Companies Race To Meet AA’s NDC Targets, Sort Out Client Fees
The Future Of Airline Contracting: Engagement And Marketing Edge Out Discounts
World Travel Inc. Gets Productivity Boost From New AI Firm Acai Travel
Starting with automating email routing and responses, World Travel Inc. is using artificial intelligence from startup Acai Travel to restructure its customer support operation. Reduced average handling time means faster service for clients. The travel management company estimated a 4 percent increase in productivity “off the bat,” said…
British Airways Adjusts To AA’s Stance On Corporate Deals
American Airlines cares less for conventional corporate travel dealmaking, but that’s not working for partner British Airways. As AA cancels corporate deals or allows them to lapse — including agreements struck jointly with its key Oneworld partner — BA wants to hang onto some. It has broken from…