More than 200 corporate travel departments, travel management companies and travel groups from 10 countries have written to major U.S. airlines offering to partner in an effort to support innovative distribution strategies and to maximize traveller uptake and resulting airline revenue growth from ancillary products and services, such as additional fees for checked baggage and pre-reserved seating. The coalition of organizations is endeavoring to elevate and inform industry and public-policy debate surrounding the rapid evolution of airline product unbundling and ancillary-fee strategies, including impacts on supply-chain participants and corporate customers.
'The success of managed travel programs is reliant upon travel management companies having efficient access to the full range of airline options for any particular trip, and being able to monitor, track and report on the comprehensive final-cost of airfares plus related services purchased,'