Genesis selects Worldspan to power agency-led system
Travel agency owned distribution system Genesis has moved a step closer operation with today’s announcement that Worldspan is to power its service. The signing-up of a technology partner should mean that Genesis is in a position to launch next February. It aims to be a travel agency-owned and initiated, point-of-sale system which includes reservations, ticketing, supplier settlement, and agency accreditation. The fact that the partner is Worldspan is bound to raise a few eyebrows in the industry. Originally none of the four big GDSs would work with Genesis for fear of aggravating the major airlines. And Genesis president and chief executive Bruce Bishins told TravelMole that the fact that Worldspan was involved did not mean it would be calling “the shots.” He said: “In our GDS relationship, the GDS does not call the shots or determine the various functional enhancements or capabilities.” He added: “In phase two we will amalgamate our transaction volumes to separately negotiate processing fees with Worldspan and content access with suppliers. This should dramatically reduce supplier booking fees and enable Genesis to emerge by the end of next year as a true low cost GDS.” The appointment of Worldspan ends a two year search to find a technology partner. The original provider Atraxis, was part of the Swissair Group and went bust along with its parent airlines in October 2001. Mr Bishins claimed: “Genesis was the first ever initiative to tell the industry that the existing GDS model would never survive. Everything we predicted, from agency commission taking a beating due to high segment fees to carriers eventually moving to other distribution channels in frustration over the same high GDS fees has come true. “Carriers and GDSs alike are finally realizing that Genesis was right all along. We saw the handwriting on he wall long ago and started to do something about it. Yes, it took longer than expected, but the end result is that we will achieve our objective in reducing industry distribution costs and giving travel agencies worldwide new opportunities to strengthen their role and profitability in the travel sales channel.”
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