GDS News: Travelport-Delta Pact Expands Merchandising

Agents Gain Increased Access to Delta’s Ancillary Products
Travelport signed a new long-term global distribution agreement with Delta Air Lines that will give Travelport agents greater access to Delta’s merchandising products and services through increased use of the Travelport Merchandising Platform. Delta began selling its Economy Comfort seats through Travelport in March. The carrier will continue to participate in the Content Continuity Program and Super Access Product, and there will be no increase in travel agents’ content fees.

El Al to Sell Pre-Paid Bag Fees Through Sabre
Sabre Travel Network began offering pre-paid bag fees and other ancillary services from El Al. All Sabre agents can reserve and pay for pre-paid baggage, pet transfers and unaccompanied minors. Seat reservations will follow later this year.

WestJet Joins Agencia Desktop
WestJet will join Air Canada and Porter Airlines on Travelport’s Agencia desktop for Canadian travel agents. Agents in Canada will have access to WestJet’s content, fare families and optional services via the desktop. Both Canadian and U.S. travel agents will be able to access WestJet’s content via the Travelport Smartpoint App and Universal Desktop. The provision is part of an early renewal of Travelport’s content agreement with the carrier. Agencia also provides access to merchandising efforts by Air Canada, including fare families and Flight Passes. It also provides to Porter Airlines’ full content, including its lowest web fares.

Amadeus Launches Spanish Solution for U.S. Agents
Amadeus launched Amadeus Agenta en Español, a Spanish-language hosted agency solution designed for home-based and independent travel agents who live in the U.S. and speak Spanish or serve U.S.-based Spanish-speaking customers. It provides access to relevant content such as consolidator air fares, as well as tools and support in both Spanish and English.

Transaero Signs With Travelport
Travelport and Transaero Airlines, Russia’s second largest carrier, signed a new global full-content agreement. The multiyear deal secures access to Transaero Airlines’ fares, seat availability and schedules for Travelport-connected travel agencies worldwide.

Oman Air Adds Interactive Seat Assignment feature
Oman Air deployed Travelport’s Interactive Seat Assignment functionality, which allows travel agents to request seat maps and assign, change or cancel specific seats in a real-time environment.

Chinese Agents Gain Access to New Hotel Content
Travelport integrated Galileo RoomMaster hotel content onto the GDS platform of TravelSky Technology Ltd., the state-owned GDS operator in China. TravelSky’s ticketing agents will have real-time access to the internal reservations systems of more than 300 hotel brands and more than 90,000 properties worldwide.

Galileo Vietnam remains as NDC for Region
Travelport signed a multiyear distribution partnership with Galileo Vietnam, renewing a 10-year partnership. Galileo Vietnam will continue as the national distribution company for Travelport’s technology and services in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.