Travelport announced that travel agencies in the UK are now able to book pre-paid seating on British Airways flights for the first time through the GDS channel, using their usual desktop and workflow processes. Previously, this optional extra was only bookable via www.BA.com.
The opportunity first offered to Travelport-connected subscribers follows the global, full content agreement the two organizations signed which included a commitment to integrate BA’s pre-paid seating solution into the Travelport GDS.
According to www.BA.com, Travelport’s managing director for Europe and Brazil, the initiative with British Airways is just one of a number of high profile merchandising announcements the GDS provider hopes to make over the coming months with other key flag carriers.
Travelport Options Integrator, which is available for connected agents to download free of charge, is the technology behind the new functionality and links directly to BA’s pre-paid seating content. The Travelport solution was designed to make shopping, selling and booking optional services through the GDS a straightforward process for travel agents.
Travelport and British Airways said they intend to implement the new functionality to other key regions later in the year following the initial home market (UK) launch this month.
Visit www.travelport.com.