Multi-year Extension Includes Upgrade to Direct Sell Connectivity Level
Toronto, 2013-05-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — Travelport, a leading provider of critical transaction processing solutions and data for the global travel industry, today announces a new multi-year full content agreement with Porter Airlines, giving all Travelport-connected travel agents access to the airline’s full published fares and inventory, including access to the airline’s lowest web fares. Through the agreement, all of Porter’s published fares and inventory will be available to all users of the Travelport GDS platforms, including Apollo, Galileo- and Worldspan-connected travel agencies, corporate customers and Travelport online agencies. Porter Airlines is also available through Travelport Agencia™, the travel agency desktop tool that allows agents to shop, book and modify Porter Airlines’ full content along with the global airline content of approximately 400 airlines.
The deal also includes an upgrade to Direct Sell for all Apollo and Worldspan connected agents and Electronic Ticketing for those agents in Canada and U.S. This enables real-time access to airline inventory at the precise time of sale and allows agents to offer a higher level of service to their travelers.
“We are delighted to have signed this global full content agreement and to be able to give Travelport-connected travel agency customers access to Porter Airlines’ full inventory, including their lowest web fares,” said Dan Westbrook, Travelport’s vice president, Airline Services for The Americas. “Our customers have expressed a strong desire to leverage the efficiency of the GDS when booking Porter Airlines, which is a key carrier for our Eastern North America-based agencies. Our agreement secures direct sell connectivity levels, as well as full content from one of the key airlines in Canada.”
Based at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, one of the most convenient urban airports in the world, Porter is a leading choice for business travelers within its regional network. From its dedicated terminal, all Porter passengers have free access to a modern, comfortable and stylish lounge, including wireless Internet availability, refreshments, and computer workstations. While on board, passengers enjoy complimentary premium snacks, wine and beer, a spacious cabin environment with leather upholstery and extra legroom.
Michael Deluce, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of Porter Airlines, said: “We are pleased to provide our key travel agent partners, who are also Apollo, Galileo and Worldspan subscribers, with access to our full content. This agreement allows Porter to achieve our key business objectives to grow revenue and effectively manage distribution costs. As Porter continues growing, it’s increasingly important to make our flights available to the widest audience in the most efficient manner.”
Note to Editor:
Direct Sell uses an interactive link between the carrier and the GDS to transmit sell requests to the carrier in real time. Carriers respond to requests immediately, before end transaction, and decrement their inventory at the same time, eliminating out-of-sync inventory and preventing oversold flights. Segments sold via Direct Sell are identified with an indicator in the PNR. After end transaction, the carrier returns its record locator which is placed in the subscribers PNR, increasing agency confidence that the carrier received their booking. Participating carriers also receive point-of-sale information, allowing them to identify and ensure top service for key customers.
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About Travelport (www.travelport.com)
Travelport is a leading provider of critical transaction processing solutions and data to companies operating in the global travel industry.
With a presence in over 170 countries, approximately 3,500 employees and 2012 net revenue of more than $2 billion, Travelport is comprised of the global distribution system (GDS) business, which includes the Galileo and Worldspan brands, its Airline IT Solutions business and a majority joint venture in eNett.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Travelport is a privately owned company.
Follow Travelport on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Travelport
Media Contacts
Jill Brenner
Travelport Senior Director, Corporate Communications – The Americas
E-Mail: jill.brenner@travelport.com
Tel: +1 973 939 1325
Brad Cicero
Porter Airlines
E-mail: media@flyporter.com
Tel: +1 416 619 8593