Travelport and Japan Airlines create joint venture to run local GDS Axess

Partnership will operate a GDS tailored needs country’s travel industry

Japan Airlines and Travelport Worldwide have formed a joint venture to take ownership of Travelport Japan and JAL’s 100% owned subsidiary Axess International Network.

Under the unified Travelport Axess brand, the joint venture will operate a Global Distribution System tailored to the needs of the Japanese travel industry, combining Axess’ expertise in Japan and Travelport’s global technology.

Travelport Axess will continue to offer travel agents services through Axess’ GDS platform and enable access to Travelport’s GDS platforms Apollo and Galileo.

The partnership will provide online, mobile and corporate travel propositions including global booking and expense management tools as well as access to New Distribution Capability (NDC) content, offering Japanese travel agencies and their customers locally developed products with global connectivity and capabilities.

Travelport has worked closely with and provided core systems to Axess under technical collaboration arrangements since 2012 and has established a trusted relationship with JAL.

JAL said it is pleased to partner with Travelport in this joint venture due to Travelport’s “focus on meeting the needs of its travel agency customers, demonstrating JAL’s strong commitment to continue to work closely with Japan’s travel agents.”

For Travelport, this strategic alliance will strengthen its position in Japan’s growing international travel industry. Travelport Axess will benefit from a team of Japan-based service agents and product specialists uniquely able to deliver products tailored to customer needs.

Through combining the strengths of the two companies, Travelport Axess said it aims to build a strong position and plans to become the leading GDS provider in Japan.

Yoriyuki Kashiwagi, Japan Airline’s executive officer of international passenger sales, said: “We believe that the future of travel will be transformed by technological innovation. I am confident that Travelport Axess, will be able to help Japanese travel agents to respond to growing global demands by offering services based on state-of-the-art technology.”

President and chief executive officer of Travelport Gordon Wilson added: “This announcement and our ongoing partnership with Japan Airlines is a significant advance in the provision of state-of-the-art technology for the Japanese travel industry. We are very excited about the growth opportunities it presents for our mutual travel agency customers.”

Stephen Shurrock, Travelport’s chief commercial officer, said: “Through a forward-thinking combination of Axess’ local expertise and Travelport’s API-based commerce platform technology we’ll bring greater choice and exceptional performance to our Japanese customers and travelers.”

Under the planned agreement, Travelport will hold a majority stake in Travelport Axess with JAL controlling the remaining stake and playing an active role in the joint venture.

Following the signing of a definitive agreement between Travelport and JAL, the new joint venture is expected to be formed on June 1, 2019.

Initially, Travelport Japan and Axess will continue to operate independently, with a gradual program of integration to combine the two organizations commencing later this year.