Less than a month after Delta pulled its content from
TripActions, it is returning with a vengeance as TripActions rolls out a new
flight-booking tool that is among the first to use ATPCO's Next Generation
Storefront standards.
TripActions' new air shopping platform -- which the travel
management company developed with Delta, American Airlines and United Airlines --
will start rolling out to travelers on Wednesday and will become available to
all travelers within a few months, said TripActions head of product Anique
Drumright.
The platform is designed to enable travelers to better
compare flight options when searching an origin and destination based on the
diverging classes of travel. Rather than sorting them into the traditional
tiers defined by individual airlines, the platform uses a six-star rating
system developed by ATPCO to classify options based on included product,
ancillaries and restrictions.
"TripActions' mission is to make everything as smooth,
fun and easy as possible," CEO Ariel Cohen said. "Airlines have all
of these new cabins, and we're really bringing this together in our new
platform."
Basic economy fares, for example, would largely always fall
in the one-star category, and standard economy fares would fall into the
two-star category. Premium economy, business and first-class options, however,
can differ by airline, so the star categories give the traveler a better idea
of what to expect.
TripActions' platform pulls in data from global distribution
systems, its direct airline relationships, FlightStats and Routehappy, which
ATPCO acquired last year. Together, those relationships provide access to
flight performance stats like on-time percentage rates, as well as airline
content like photos and maps of seats, branded fares and in-flight amenities.
Companies also can color code flights to show travelers what is in policy.
"When you're thinking about creating a great
experience, you're talking about choice and speed," Drumright said. "I
can immediately see what's in my policy and aligned with my company, and the
results I am mostly like to book will be at the top."
Delta, meanwhile, which had pulled its content because
TripActions' platform did not meet its display requirements, is praising the
new platform. Delta vice president of global distribution and digital strategy
Rhonda Crawford said the carrier is working with other providers to develop a
tool meeting the ATPCO standards but added, "It's no surprise that a small
tech startup in Silicon Valley would beat the others to the space."
___
Source: Business Travel News