Flight Centre’s Corporate Traveller Launches Mel, a New AI Travel Assistant

Corporate Traveller, the SME corporate travel division of Flight Centre Travel Group, has announced the launch of Mel, its new proprietary AI travel assistant designed to provide business travellers with fast, personalized answers informed by their individual preferences and company travel policies.

The company says Mel provides an added layer of real-time support that helps simplify the business travel experience for SMEs, where one employee is often responsible for managing travel while also balancing other responsibilities. By quickly bringing relevant information and options together, Mel gives travellers convenient access to answers when they need them.

Mel is built by Corporate Traveller and embedded throughout Melon, its all-in-one travel platform for booking, managing and reporting on business travel. 

The launch marks another step forward in Melon’s evolution, reflecting Corporate Traveller’s commitment to combining intelligent technology with human expertise to deliver a more seamless, personalized customer experience.

“Trust is paramount in business travel. The stakes are too high to get the wrong answer,” said Trevor Brink, Global Chief Product Officer, Corporate Traveller. “Travellers want to feel reassured that they’re receiving accurate, up-to-date information to keep trips on track and avoid missing a flight, ending up in a high-risk area or incurring an unexpected expense.”

“That’s why we made the deliberate decision to build Mel ourselves, thoughtfully integrating our people’s expertise into how it handles real-world travel situations,” said Brink. “Day to day, that means support travellers can trust, less time spent chasing answers and more confidence in the guidance they receive.”

Key features include:

Personalized Answers – Mel provides tailored answers based on each traveller’s needs while aligning with company policies and business priorities. It draws on traveller profiles, company travel policies, travel history and program information to deliver relevant guidance that helps travellers make more informed decisions with greater confidence. 

Real-Time Disruption Support – Given the unpredictable nature of corporate travel, Mel is designed to help travellers stay informed when disruptions occur. When a flight is delayed or cancelled, or airport conditions impact a trip, Mel provides timely information and recognizes when additional assistance is needed, escalating the issue to a Corporate Traveller consultant for support.

Increased Efficiency – Mel automates routine administrative tasks traditionally handled by travel consultants, including answering common policy and itinerary questions. By handling these time-consuming requests, Mel frees consultants to focus on more complex situations that require human judgment and personalized support.

During the initial pilot phase, Mel resolved nearly two-thirds of traveller questions without human involvement, saving customers an average of 65+ hours per week.

Seamless Integration – Travellers can also access Mel directly through Slack, extending its travel assistance beyond the Melon platform.

This added convenience makes it easier for travellers to get the support they need within a tool they already use.

Starting today, Mel is available to customers in Canada, the United States, and the U.K., with plans to expand to additional markets. For more information, please visit Corporate Traveller.