| Travel distribution is for many an obscure segment of | | | | descriptions of amenities and services. The hotel |
| the travel industry. When audiences hear the word | | | | industry, entering the automated distribution |
| distribution they usually think of shipping or transport. It | | | | environment a bit later than the airlines, has perhaps |
| is quite inaccurate however to compare the role of | | | | learned from their experience in addition to using |
| travel distribution companies to the role of shipping | | | | newer technology to communicate (distribute) their |
| companies. Unlike product distribution, information | | | | product to the consumer. |
| distribution is as much about packaging and labeling as | | | | The next generation GDS should in our view offer |
| it is about transportation. | | | | serious tools for airline product differentiation as well as |
| When it comes to airline products, the information that | | | | customer segmentation. Both supplier and consumer |
| the distribution systems (GDS) are packaging today, | | | | are much more sophisticated and should be enabled to |
| for either direct consumers or industry professionals, is | | | | deliver and find appropriate products and information |
| reducible to three categories: schedules, availability, and | | | | with the least amount of clicks and intermediaries. |
| pricing. None of the GDS show information at the point | | | | Passengers should have access to information they |
| of sale about all of the other qualitative differentiators. | | | | need to customize their trips. Consider a transatlantic |
| The definition of onboard service is entirely left to one's | | | | flight. One carrier might offer free drinks, full meals, free |
| imagination or experience. | | | | headsets, free newspapers and refreshment kits in all |
| In all fairness, today's GDS were originally designed to | | | | cabins, while another carrier for $50 less offers none |
| automate the selling of airline tickets by reservation | | | | of these. In today's GDS environment you do not have |
| agents and then later travel agents. All they needed | | | | access to any of this information. Wouldn't the |
| was information about seat inventory and pricing, and | | | | passengers like to know what they are getting for $50 |
| the ability to issue tickets and passenger receipts. | | | | less? |
| When it came to answering questions about the value | | | | The FAA maintains databases with air traffic control |
| proposition, the airline representative provided | | | | actual take off and landing information. By comparing |
| information by referring to product sheets, in-house | | | | these to airline schedules we could inform in advance |
| training or fam trips, none of which was or is available | | | | that there is a high probability of delays on a given |
| through the GDS. | | | | route. Wouldn't passengers like to have this information |
| When this schedule and pricing information was | | | | before they commit to buying a non refundable ticket? |
| exported to consumer sites, the impact of this lack of | | | | Would it not be a great service to travelers to be able |
| supporting detail is magnified ten fold. To get a clear | | | | to measure their trip time from door to door, not just |
| picture of this, imagine that all the milk containers lined | | | | airport to airport. |
| up on a supermarket's shelf have the same color and | | | | We are no longer in an era where "one size fits all". |
| that the only printed information on the face of each | | | | Whether occasional travelers or road warriors, |
| carton is the industry code name of the producer, the | | | | passengers much be empowered to choose the right |
| expiration date, and the price. As a consumer, one | | | | aircraft, the right airport, and use the sales channel |
| would have to buy a carton and open it to find out | | | | process most suited to their schedules and their |
| whether it is organic, or homogenized, or condensed, or | | | | expectations. That is where the GDS will prove |
| sweetened. | | | | themselves most useful to passengers and suppliers |
| As a contrast to airline distribution, consider hotel | | | | alike. |
| booking sites. They are content rich offering extensive | | | | |