easyJet reduce GDS booking fee
29.08.08
Luton Airport based budget airline easyJet has cut the fees it charges business travel agents to book flights via global distribution systems (GDS). The move comes after a virtual boycott by leading travel management companies, with one GDS recently describing the take-up since it launched easyJet flights on its system as 'disappointing'. The airline announced a cut in the fee from £5 (€7.50) to £3.30 (€4) per seat on a one-way fare today.
easyJet has appeared on Amadeus and the Travelport-owned Galileo and Worldspan GDS systems since the end of last year, although not on Sabre. The airline is keen to increase the proportion of corporate travellers on its flights - currently about 20% of its business - and sees listing its inventory on the GDS's as a way to do this.
However, the UK's Guild of Travel Management Companies called on members early this year not to book its flights via GDSs because of the fee. They would like to see the fees removed entirely, and it is believed that major corporate travel agents will continue their boycott.
easyJet said that it continues to levy a POS fee through third party booking systems to maintain a price differential versus www.easyJet.com, which remains the cheapest place to book easyJet flights and to cover any booking fees applied by the GDSs. Travelport general manager Patrick Lukan admitted recently: ‘We have not seen the volume we anticipated.’
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