A week and a half ago I posted a review of Everbread’s Haystack airfare search engine that provides functionality similar to ITA Software’s Matrix Airfare Search. I noted its similarities to ITA and also called out some glaring shortcomings, such as its inability to search for flights with flexible days (+/- x-days, month long, etc),…
global distribution system
Tag Archives for global distribution system.
United cuts schedules, WikiLeaked safety concerns, seat certs, 737 Max, GDSs and improved amenities & cabins
In other airline, hotel & travel industry news this week… Continental Airlines will be recertifying Koito-manufactured seats on 278 aircraft to meet FAA airworthiness compliance. It was discovered in 2010 that the seat manufacturer falsified test data, sending the industry into a frenzy and causing aircraft delivery and overhaul delays for airlines around the world.…
Videos: Airline Global Distribution Systems explained, with a bit of humor
Eventually I’ll get around to posting a detailed description and history of Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), but in the meantime check out these videos from Everbread. The UK-based travel technology company put these together in part to explain the method by which airline reservations have been booked since the 1950s, but also to expose the…
My travel experiences flying American Airlines vs. United Airlines
I’ve now taken a dozen domestic American Airlines flights since the end of May in both first class and coach and offer my opinions below as compared to my 62 flights on United Airlines this year. I’m a top-tier elite in Mileage Plus with United and only just Saturday rolled over to Platinum in AAdvantage…
In other airline, hotel and travel industry news this week…
Several smaller stories in the airline, hotel & travel industry caught my attention this week and I’ve summarized them below: A Canadian couple sued Air Canada and won an award of C$12,000 (plus an apology) from the airline failing to serve them “in French” aboard their flights to the United States. Records show the passenger,…
Airline slot swaps, GDS scrutiny, Chicago flying high, Singapore on the cheap & a respectable angry flight attendant
It’s time again for a quick wrap up of noteworthy news items from the airline and travel industry this week, summarized below: Delta Air Lines and US Airways have re-engaged each other for a potential slot swap at New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport aimed to align each carrier better with…
United adds SFO route, Qantas strike looms, American streams, flying with cancer & a GDS gets the boot
As I continue to develop my blog, I plan on creating a separate “ticker-style” page dedicated to airline, airport & travel industry news perhaps not deserving of a unique posting, but otherwise important to follow. In the meantime, here is another summary of such articles that caught my attention during the past few days: Economic…
Online bag tracking, new US-Australia service, Hilton lobby revamp, suing Sabre & first quarter losses
Here’s a recap of additional news from this week that caught my attention: Delta Air Lines introduces the ability to track your checked bags online, as well as at self-service kiosks at its largest stations around the U.S. These upgrades also allow you to submit a missing bag report electronically, where in the past you…
American Airlines flights return to Expedia
At the turn of the New Year, Expedia, the country’s most visited Online Travel Agency (OTA), pulled American Airlines flights from their site after American pulled themselves out of Orbitz, another OTA. In a rare show of solidarity with a competitor, Expedia didn’t like the cards being dealt to Orbitz, namely sign up for a…
American Airlines is making headway & Online Travel Agency market share
American Airlines is holding firm in their commitment to further the evolution of how and where the carrier’s tickets are shopped and sold. As I previously blogged, American is seeking to reduce distribution costs by steering away from the legacy global distribution system (GDS) model used by most online travel agencies (OTAs). New signs are…