Air Canada To Reinstate Tango Fares

Air Canada will reinstate economy Tango fares to its travel agency Internet portal beginning July 7, following changes to the company's contract with global distribution system Sabre Travel Network, according to an e-mail distributed by the company to travel agents.

The airline drew fire last month when it suddenly removed the Tango fares—which comprise fare categories R, K, N, P, G, E and T—from both GDSs and the portals, shifting such bookings to its Web site. The airline justified the move by saying it had added new attributes to the Tango fares and had taken them out of the systems to ensure they were distributed correctly.

One such attribute was the Go Discount, which reduces prices for travelers who do not check baggage. The Go Discount will be included on the travel agency portal, according to Air Canada.

"It's a really good first step on Air Canada's part," Business Travel Coalition chairman Kevin Mitchell said of the announcement. "Hopefully, they will take the customer out of the crosshairs next and voluntarily put these fares back in the GDSs."

Air Canada spokesman John Reber said that will happen when such third-party distribution systems "are able to offer the same level of functionality and merchandising capabilities that the Air Canada Web site provides."

The Tango fares are available only in the Florida and Canada markets, Reber said. Therefore, their removal from GDSs affected only those who travel to Canada from Florida and those who are traveling within Canada, he said.