BA gives GDSs full access to fares

British Airways is giving UK agents that use Sabre and Galileo full access to fares, and plans to introduce a fee to UK agents who book fares through other GDSs. The airline has struck a three-year contract with Sabre and Galileo that will give agents using either of the GDSs access to all fares, including those available on ba.com. Agents accessing the fares through the other GDSs will face a £3 per sector booking fee from 1 March. Agents can still access the full range of fares through Trade Fare Explorer without facing the charge. BA head of UK & I sales and marketing, Tiffany Hall said the move is essential. She said: “We are committed to working with the GDSs as they are a very effective distribution tool, but we need to reduce our distribution costs further in order to restore profitability and ensure our survival.” Galileo says the deal with BA will give agents access to better fares, and allow agents to have greater confidence selling to consumers. Vice president airline service, EMEA, Bryan Conway told TravelMole: “The tendency has been for highly reduced fares to only be available on the BA website. “Agents are increasingly facing a situation where customers are finding cheaper fares for themselves on the internet. This deal means agents can say with confidence that customers won’t be able to find a BA fare cheaper anywhere else.” Agents who sign up to Galileo’s deal with BA will avoid the £3 per sector booking fee introduced by British Airways, but will have to make a smaller contribution per booking to Galileo. Mr Conway told TravelMole that the cost to agents would be disclosed during a series of roadshows taking place over the next few weeks. He added: “It [the charge to agents per booking] won’t be anything like £3”. Sabre agents will not be charged for the full access to BA fares. A spokesperson for Sabre Travel Network told TravelMole: “This is the fundamental difference between the two. Sabre that has taken the hit and Galileo has shared the hit with agents.” Mr Conway told TravelMole that increased competition has forced a change in the distribution of air tickets. “The distribution channel has been put under the spotlight as a result of a significant reduction in fares and it is becoming unsustainable for airlines to continue to put all fare content through the GDS channel. This is why I think it is reasonable to change the model” he said.

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