Bookings made by agents using Travelport’s Aggregated Shopping product are growing at an average rate of 60% every month, according to the technology firm.
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Travelport’s Aggregated Shopping bookings growing by 60% a month
Bookings made by agents using Travelport’s Aggregated Shopping product are growing at an average rate of 60% every month, according to the technology firm.
The figure was revealed today at the Capa Airlines in Transition conference today in Dublin.
The platform allows agents to compare search results from traditional carriers that file fares through ATPCo with low-cost carriers (LCCs) and other airlines that connect to Travelport via API connections.
Fergal Kelly, the company’s vice president of merchandising and distribution, told Travolution he expected the growth to increase steadily throughout the remainder of 2014 as more carriers load fares into the system.
“The technology negates the need to shop and compare across several screens and allows travel agents to book both types of carriers in the same booking flow,” he said.
Aggregated Shopping is one of three products that fall under the Travelport Merchandising Platform that was launched a year ago.
Ancillary Services and Rich Content and Branding make up the trio.
In the last year Kelly said a number of networks and LCCs had signed up to sell ancillary services, including lounge passes and baggage in addition to seats.
Kelly said the most commonly sold ancillary was baggage.
The Rich Content and Branding retail platform enables airlines to upload images and product information so agents can access it from their point of sale.
Agents will be alerted to check new and updated information at the relevant time during the shopping and booking process.
Travelport said it allowed airlines to more effectively control how their flights and ancillaries are visually presented on a travel agent’s screen.
Airlines started the process of entering their content into the system in November last year and agents should have access by the third quarter of this year.
British Airways and easyJet are among 26 airlines to have signed up to use the product.
