Travelport, Frontier Go Head-to-Head in Distribution Battle

Travelport told its travel agency subscribers that it is on the verge of terminating its full-content agreement with Frontier Airlines due to a change in the carrier’s distribution policy.

The carrier is seeking to drive more traffic to its website by making other booking options less attractive.

Frontier’s changes
For example, only bookings made on flyfrontier.com are eligible for advance seat assignment.

Bookings made on the site earn 100% of miles flown; others earn 50%.

Fees for itinerary change, same-day change and unaccompanied minors are higher when associated with third-party bookings.

The website is the only source for Classic and Classic Plus fares, which include two free checked bags and free access to premium seating options.

Conflicts with obligations
The new policies “clearly conflict with Frontier’s obligations to Travelport,” Derek Sharp, Travelport president and managing director of the Americas region and airline IT solutions, said in an email to agency subscribers.

Travelport and Frontier signed a full-content agreement in July 2011. The agreement included the enabling of the distribution of its Frontier’s Branded Fares and all ancillary options, including Stretch seating, through the Travelport Universal Desktop and eventually through the standard desktop.
 
Agreement details
It also called for Frontier to “make its published fares and seat inventory – including fares available on its website, and through its reservation offices and third parties – available to all Travelport-connected travel agents and subscribers globally, including all offline travel agencies and online agencies booking through Travelport,” according to a statement issued by Travelport at the time.
 
“As part of the agreement, Frontier will over time offer Travelport-connected travel agents the option of selling their passengers upgrades to Frontier Airlines’ Stretch seating as well as the airline’s Branded Fares,” the statement said.

“Stretch seating upgrades will become available through the standard desktop and workflow processes, followed by Branded Fares.”
 
Won’t accept ‘harm’
In his email, Sharp said, “We have discussed those changes with Frontier and have offered Frontier various options that would remove any obstacle to your continued sales and servicing of Frontier’s services. Unfortunately, Frontier has not yet advised that it intends to reverse its position.

“We will continue to explore other alternatives, but we are not prepared to accept the harm that Frontier is causing to Travelport and our subscribers.”

He added that Frontier may also be removed from Travelport’s opt-in Content Continuity and Super Access Programs.

If this happens, “Travelport will not impose fees associated with those programs for Frontier segments,” he said. “Flights for Frontier will continue to be available for display and sale through the Travelport GDSs for as long as Frontier chooses to participate in the Travelport systems.”