Travelport solution lets agents book airport express rail services

Travelport have unveiled a solution that allows airport express services to be offered to travel agents.

Travelport have unveiled a solution that allows airport express services to be offered to travel agents.

Heathrow Express is the first supplier to go live on the system, which enables agents to book electronic tickets using the Travelport Smartpoint point of sale solution.

Agents will be able to offer travellers the same priced tickets on Heathrow Express services as those buying direct.

The new plugin on Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform has been developed by UK-based company Developer Connections, part of Travelport’s developer network.

Travelport claims to be the first travel platform to be able to offer a solution for airport express services, which operate frequent fast rail services between an airport and local city.

Simon Ferguson, Travelport’s managing director, UK, Ireland and Nordics, said: “This is really exciting news and a win-win for all parties concerned. Heathrow Express can reach more passengers, travel agents can offer a more effective end-to-end service for their customers and both will increase revenues as a result.

“Travelport is excited to be the first of any travel platform to be able to offer this solution in conjunction with Developer Connections and to be able to integrate access to this content onto Travelport Smartpoint.

“The new application is a great step forward and it’s an important part of many travellers’ journeys that simply wasn’t being addressed by traditional GDSs.

“We’re having extremely positive conversations with other airport express services all over the world and hope today’s announcement will be the first of many.”

Angus McIntyre, head of business development for Heathrow Express, added: “For our customers the Heathrow experience begins and ends when they step on or off our train at Paddington. Seamless travel – that’s our aim.

“Travelport’s new system will help us achieve that, as well as enabling us to reach many more potential customers booking through travel agencies.”

Paul McDermott, owner of Developer Connections, said: “By working closely with the Travelport team we have had the opportunity to develop this new plugin that we hope will benefit airport express services all over the world and expand our own business.”