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Real loser in AA distribution system: ticket buyers
American Airlines’ effort to distribute its own fare information system may evoke some ho-hums from travelers: just another tech battle.
But maybe not this time.
The real loser, analysts say early in this battle: anyone who buys airline tickets.
American Airlines, Orbitz, Expedia and other travel distribution systems are all passing the blame around.
“But for the traveling public, who’s right and who’s wrong is less relevant than the fact that for many individuals, travel is about to get even less enjoyable,” writes Consumer Travel.
American touts its direct distribution system as a way to provide consumers with greater comparison shopping when buying airline fares. It’s a long-time tradition: cut out the “middle man” to save money.
The airline’s fare listings have already disappeared from online travel booking sites.
But fewer ways to comparison shop makes it harder for consumers to find the best deals,
Rick Seaney, CEO or airfare comparison site FareCompare.com, told CNN
“The more places they have to hit, the more time it takes them to do the game that they play which is trying to find a cheap ticket," Seaney said.
American’s FareCompare system cites fares using the airline’s own Direct Connect distribution system. This is a tool American is pushing for other sites and distribution channels to adopt.
This change carries a large risk to consumers, suggested Clark Howard, HLN consumer advocate.
"If you only go directly to an airline’s web site to shop for a fare, what you miss is that many times the lowest fare may be flying one airline one way, another airline back home," he said.
Consumers who might eventually end up paying more for airline tickets are likely to do so because they overlook a lower fare in the increasingly complex web of comparison shopping, Seaney said.
"It’s not so much that prices will go up. It would be whether or not (travelers are) making the best decision for them on their particular trip choice," said Seaney.
By David Wilkening
David
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