You could argue that this infograph already shows an “old” view of air content distribution in the managed travel world. But it’s a starting point for understanding a transformation process that promises turbulence along the way. Travel managers who understand both the limitations and the potential will have more influence over distribution transformation outcomes. Follow the data pathways below and key information at right to travel through the pipes that currently serve your company’s managed travel program.
You could argue that this infograph already shows an “old” view of air content distribution in the managed travel world. But it’s a starting point for understanding a transformation process that promises turbulence along the way. Travel managers who understand both the limitations and the potential will have more influence over distribution transformation outcomes. Follow the data pathways below and key information at right to travel through the pipes that currently serve your company’s managed travel program.
You could argue that this infograph already shows an “old” view of air content distribution in the managed travel world. But it’s a starting point for understanding a transformation process that promises turbulence along the way. Travel managers who understand both the limitations and the potential will have more influence over distribution transformation outcomes. Follow the data pathways below and key information at right to travel through the pipes that currently serve your company’s managed travel program.
The traveler chooses a flight.
Agent or OBT communicates options, flagging or blocking non-preferred options based on corporate program configurations.
Profiled corporate traveler initiates a travel request through an online booking tool or by calling the agency.
Agency profile management system identifies the traveler and applies known preferences, requirements and policy.
Request hits the global distribution system, which maintains information about corporate negotiated discounts.
GDS simultaneously pings ATPCO, which houses airline content and fares, and OAG, which handles airline scheduling. Airlines constantly feed available content, fares and schedules to these entities.
ATPCO & OAG send respective data packages based on the traveler’s request to the GDS.
GDS constructs a menu of offerings based on those data packages, coupled with corporate negotiated discounts and returns all to the OBT or agency desktop.
Data flows through the agency desktop or OBT back to the GDS.
GDS registers the booking and sends it to agency midoffice and back-office systems and simultaneously to Airlines Reporting Corp. or International Air Transport Association’s Billing & Settlement Plan. The midoffice runs quality control and file finishing; the back office stores data for reporting.
ARC/BSP settles the payment to the airlines and returns booking details to the agency back office and to the airline.
Airline registers the booking and removes that content from the shelf.
The managed travel industry is looking toward an omni-channel future where airlines may do direct connects with an agency or even direct with a corporate online booking tool. A technology-first travel management company could establish itself as a hub of direct connects, but “NDC” and “direct connect” are not synonymous, especially now, as GDSs dive into the NDC initiative. Traditional TMCs could leverage GDSs for the majority of content through traditional pipes but also leverage these partners for certain personalized content through NDC pipes. Air content aggregators will continue to play a significant role. Chal-lenges remain: Interlining with additional carriers for one itinerary, servicing bookings at the TMC level and pushing trip data into back-office systems for reporting. Additional technology will have to solve those problems.
The traveler chooses a flight.
Agent or OBT communicates options, flagging or blocking non-preferred options based on corporate program configurations.
Profiled corporate traveler initiates a travel request through an online booking tool or by calling the agency.
Agency profile management system identifies the traveler and applies known preferences, requirements and policy.
Request hits the global distribution system, which maintains information about corporate negotiated discounts.
GDS simultaneously pings ATPCO, which houses airline content and fares, and OAG, which handles airline scheduling. Airlines constantly feed available content, fares and schedules to these entities.
ATPCO & OAG send respective data packages based on the traveler’s request to the GDS.
GDS constructs a menu of offerings based on those data packages, coupled with corporate negotiated discounts and returns all to the OBT or agency desktop.
Data flows through the agency desktop or OBT back to the GDS.
GDS registers the booking and sends it to agency midoffice and back-office systems and simultaneously to Airlines Reporting Corp. or International Air Transport Association’s Billing & Settlement Plan. The midoffice runs quality control and file finishing; the back office stores data for reporting.
ARC/BSP settles the payment to the airlines and returns booking details to the agency back office and to the airline.
Airline registers the booking and removes that content from the shelf.
Profiled corporate traveler initiates a travel request through an online booking tool or by calling the agency.
Agency profile management system identifies the traveler and applies known preferences, requirements and policy.
Request hits the global distribution system, which maintains information about corporate negotiated discounts.
GDS simultaneously pings ATPCO, which houses airline content and fares, and OAG, which handles airline scheduling. Airlines constantly feed available content, fares and schedules to these entities.
ATPCO & OAG send respective data packages based on the traveler’s request to the GDS.
GDS constructs a menu of offerings based on those data packages, coupled with corporate negotiated discounts and returns all to the OBT or agency desktop.
Agent or OBT communicates options, flagging or blocking non-preferred options based on corporate program configurations.
The traveler chooses a flight.
Data flows through the agency desktop or OBT back to the GDS.
GDS registers the booking and sends it to agency midoffice and back-office systems and simultaneously to Airlines Reporting Corp. or International Air Transport Association’s Billing & Settlement Plan. The midoffice runs quality control and file finishing; the back office stores data for reporting.
ARC/BSP settles the payment to the airlines and returns booking details to the agency back office and to the airline.
Airline registers the booking and removes that content from the shelf.
Acknowledgments: BTN would like to thank the following individuals for contributing to the creation the diagram above: ARC president & CEO Mike Premo, SAP Concur supplier & TMC services EVP Mike Koetting, WTMC VP of global travel management Jennifer Steinke & Pass Consulting CEO Michael Strauss.