News from Travelport, Amadeus and More

Amadeus to Pilot Corporate Agent Desktop

Amadeus has been making changes to Amadeus One, its Web-based, multisource solution for corporate travel agencies, since it first previewed the product at the NBTA convention in August.

Alix Arguelles, director of product management and support services for Amadeus North America, said the changes were made in response to agents’ comments about the system.

For example, the graphical user interface was revamped to make it easier to maneuver and go from page to page.

“We also found that agents like the keyboard more than the mouse,” she said, “so we changed some of the controls.”

Arguelles, who spoke to reporters at Amadeus’ “Need to Have” road show for travel agents in New York, said Amadeus One will go into pilot this year with two travel management companies, one of which is Travel Leaders.

Live bookings will be achieved by the summer, and the pilot is slated to be completed by the end of the year.

Additional modifications will improve the booking flow, Arguelles said. “We looked at how agents book air in a corporate environment and found that they like to play with a whole bunch of flights to optimize the trip.”

Arguelles said the goal is to make the booking flow “more like a conversation with the customer,” who thinks in terms of getting from one place to the next rather than in terms of flight segments.

Agents also have expressed the need to have travelers’ information available at all times, so Amadeus One will make travelers’ data available through a toolbar.

It also expanded the information that is available to the agent throughout the booking process.

In other Amadeus news, Shearings Holidays, a tour operator in the U.K., signed a three-year agreement for GDS services with Amadeus.

Shearings offers inclusive coach breaks, rail tours, cruise holidays and self-drive hotel packages. It operates extensively in the U.K. and Ireland and in selected destinations in Europe, North America, China and South Africa.

Travelport Expands Networking Tool to U.K.

Following a successful launch in France last June, Travelport expanded Travelport Opinions, an online networking tool for travel agents, to the U.K.

The tool, developed in collaboration with travel technology provider Vinivi, enables agents to share knowledge and reviews among peers.

Travelport Opinions is now used by more than 1,700 travel agents and tour operators in France.

Delta Implements Abacus GroupClaim Solution

Abacus International, the Asian GDS, said Delta Air Lines implemented the Abacus GroupClaim solution in seven key markets in Asia: China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan.

Abacus GroupClaim improves airlines’ day-to-day group booking administration by reducing the need for manual follow-ups, passive segments and PNR servicing.

Travel agents can claim and take ownership of the group PNRs that airlines have created to service its passengers and tickets, thereby reducing distribution costs and increasing productivity. Abacus GroupClaim is part of the Abacus Group Solutions Suite adopted by more than 21 airlines in Asia.

ABC Unveils New Hotel Search Functionality

ABC Corporate Services, which provides 24-hour emergency services, hotel programs and other services to corporate travel agencies, launched a new search engine for subscribers to the ABC Premier Hotel Program.

New features include expanded search options by postal codes and airports; map-based searches; filters that support more precise search results, and detailed property features, including dozens of facilities and amenities displayed to assist with cost-savings goals.

The program includes more than 31,000 properties worldwide.