Business Travel News
Business Travel News
  • SECTIONSOpen Menu
    • Transportation
    • Lodging
    • Payment & Expense
    • Technology
    • Distribution
    • Meetings
    • Global
    • Management
    • Travel Procurement
    • New! Sustainability
    • Recent Issues
  • VOICESOpen Menu
    • Expert Q&A
    • OpEds
    • Sponsored Content
    • Podcasts
    • What to Watch 2022
  • RESEARCHOpen Menu
    • BTN's 2022 Essential OBT Guide
    • Corporate Travel 100
    • Corporate Travel Index
    • Expense Manager Report
    • Small & Midsize Enterprise
    • Salary Survey
    • Strategic Meetings Report
    • VIEW ALL
  • WEBINARSOpen Menu
    • View All Webinars
  • EVENTSOpen Menu
    • Webinars
    • Business Travel Hall of Fame
    • Business Travel Intelligence Summit
    • Business Travel Lodging Summit
    • Business Travel Show
    • Business Travel Tech Talk
    • Business Travel Trends Forecasts
    • DEI Symposium Series
    • Entertainment Travel Summit
    • Global Travel Risk Summit
    • Government Travel Summit
    • Innovate
    • Strategic Meetings Summit
    • Sustainable Business Travel Summit
    • VIEW ALL EVENTS
  • RESOURCESOpen Menu
    • Business Travel Buyer's Handbook
    • Business Travel Buyer's Techbook
    • Corporate Travel Index Calculator
    • Data Sources: The Reference Guide
    • White Papers & Case Studies
    • Influencers
    • Webinars
    • Hotel Search
  • SECTIONSOpen Menu
    • Transportation
    • Lodging
    • Payment & Expense
    • Technology
    • Distribution
    • Meetings
    • Global
    • Management
    • Travel Procurement
    • New! Sustainability
    • Recent Issues
  • VOICESOpen Menu
    • Expert Q&A
    • OpEds
    • Sponsored Content
    • Podcasts
    • What to Watch 2022
  • RESEARCHOpen Menu
    • BTN's 2022 Essential OBT Guide
    • Corporate Travel 100
    • Corporate Travel Index
    • Expense Manager Report
    • Small & Midsize Enterprise
    • Salary Survey
    • Strategic Meetings Report
    • VIEW ALL
  • WEBINARSOpen Menu
    • View All Webinars
  • EVENTSOpen Menu
    • Webinars
    • Business Travel Hall of Fame
    • Business Travel Intelligence Summit
    • Business Travel Lodging Summit
    • Business Travel Show
    • Business Travel Tech Talk
    • Business Travel Trends Forecasts
    • DEI Symposium Series
    • Entertainment Travel Summit
    • Global Travel Risk Summit
    • Government Travel Summit
    • Innovate
    • Strategic Meetings Summit
    • Sustainable Business Travel Summit
    • VIEW ALL EVENTS
  • RESOURCESOpen Menu
    • Business Travel Buyer's Handbook
    • Business Travel Buyer's Techbook
    • Corporate Travel Index Calculator
    • Data Sources: The Reference Guide
    • White Papers & Case Studies
    • Influencers
    • Webinars
    • Hotel Search
Business Travel News
  • Business Travel News on Twitter
  • Business Travel News on LinkedIn
  • Business Travel News on Facebook
  • SECTIONS
    • Transportation
    • Lodging
    • Payment & Expense
    • Technology
    • Distribution
    • Meetings
    • Global
    • Management
    • Travel Procurement
    • New! Sustainability
    • Recent Issues
    Subscribe to NewslettersNew! BTN SustainabilityBTN DailyBTN GlobalBTN Travel ManagementTravel Procurement
    Subscribe to Print IssuesBusiness Travel NewsTravel Procurement
  • VOICES
    • Expert Q&A
    • OpEds
    • Sponsored Content
    • Podcasts
    • What to Watch 2022
    Jina SanoneFlush With Infrastructure Funding, Amtrak Readies New Trains
    Alex ChatzieleftheriouFurnished Apt. Co. Blueground Leans into Corp. Market
    Flight Centre Ready to Invest in More InnovationFlight Centre Ready to Invest in More Innovation
  • RESEARCH
    • BTN's 2022 Essential OBT Guide
    • Corporate Travel 100
    • Corporate Travel Index
    • Expense Manager Report
    • Small & Midsize Enterprise
    • Salary Survey
    • Strategic Meetings Report
    • VIEW ALL
    Annual Supplier Ratings• Car Rental Survey & Report• Hotel Survey & Report• Airline Survey & Report
    Special Reports• The Future of Meetings• The Mechanics of Sustainble Business Travel
  • WEBINARS
    • View All Webinars
    Analytics, Sustainability and Traveler Safety: Shaping the Future of Corporate Travel

    Thurs., Dec. 8 at 1pm ET / 10am PT
    Sponsored By: Emburse

    The Future of Meetings

    Fri., Dec. 2 at 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT
    Sponsored by: American Express Meetings & Events, Cvent, Group360

    Understanding Booking Behavior and Its Impact on Travel Experience

    Tues., Nov. 15 at 12pm ET / 9am PT
    Sponsored By: TripActions

  • EVENTS
    • Webinars
    • Business Travel Hall of Fame
    • Business Travel Intelligence Summit
    • Business Travel Lodging Summit
    • Business Travel Show
    • Business Travel Tech Talk
    • Business Travel Trends Forecasts
    • DEI Symposium Series
    • Entertainment Travel Summit
    • Global Travel Risk Summit
    • Government Travel Summit
    • Innovate
    • Strategic Meetings Summit
    • Sustainable Business Travel Summit
    • VIEW ALL EVENTS
    Business Travel Show Europe Kick Off

    Virtual Event - 23 February, 2023

    Strategic Meetings Summit Series

    In Person Event Series

    3rd Annual Travel Procurement Virtual Workshop Series

    Virtual Event Series - March/April 2022

    Business Travel Trends and Forecasts Series

    Business Travel Trends & Forecasts is a one-day,

  • RESOURCES
    • Business Travel Buyer's Handbook
    • Business Travel Buyer's Techbook
    • Corporate Travel Index Calculator
    • Data Sources: The Reference Guide
    • White Papers & Case Studies
    • Influencers
    • Webinars
    • Hotel Search
    BTN CTI Calculator

    Filter in or out as many as 200 cities, as well as hotel and car rental class and meals of the day and watch as the per-diem calculator automatically adjusts per diems to your program. Drill down into cost breakdowns and export the results.

  • Business Travel News Supplier DirectorySUPPLIER DIRECTORY

AirTran Becomes First U.S. Carrier To Use Sabre XML Interface

By Jay Boehmer / December 16, 2007 / Contact Reporter
Share
AirTran Airways last week began displaying seat maps through Sabre's Extensible Markup Language interface, and plans to add additional booking options through the global distribution system early next year.

Sabre vice president of product marketing Kyle Moore said the XML interface allows the GDS to display travel content not generally enabled through traditional legacy systems. Through XML, Sabre can tap into airlines' Web-based reservations systems and display and sell air content in a manner closer to how airlines sell and distribute through their Web sites, Moore said.

Though Sabre has been using XML "for years now" to link with other travel suppliers, including Expedia and hotel companies, Moore said AirTran is the first major airline to adopt the link.

"XML is far more flexible than technologies that we and travel suppliers have used in the past," according to Moore. "It allows us to do things that we previously were not able to do." Among those, Moore said that carriers can use an XML connection to sell ancillary services, unbundle fare options and—like AirTran—show seat maps and more detailed flight information through the global distribution system.

"As carriers introduce new things, they're generally not building them in legacy technologies," Moore said. "This is a platform that can support traditional types of transactions using new technology or nontraditional types of transactions in environments in which they may want them to work."

AirTran early next year will launch additional booking features through Sabre's XML link, according to Moore, who said that other airlines also are in discussions to hook up through XML.

However, not all airlines are sold on the option. Though Air Canada has launched a slew of Web-only products—and has engaged in several direct-connection deals that have brought them to a corporate audience—an Air Canada spokesperson last week said Sabre's XML offering does not appear to be the right link for the carrier to connect with Sabre.

Last year, Air Canada unbundled ticketing options to allow customers to include or decline such services as checked baggage or meals in the price of the ticket. The carrier last year also launched its Corporate Flight Pass—which enables companies to buy prepaid flight segments for redemption in various geographical zones—as its preferred way to deliver corporate fares to clients (BTN, Oct. 23, 2006). Some travel buyers, however, griped that the GDS took a back seat to the Air Canada Web site, prompting agencies and technology companies to seek workarounds through direct connects.

Moore said that XML could enable Sabre to sell such Air Canada content, claiming, "We certainly believe that we have the right architecture to help us sell Air Canada's products and services in a way that they would like them sold. My belief is that this is another example to allow Sabre to sell the products and services of any airline in the manner they want them sold."

However, Air Canada countered Moore's outlook in an e-mail to BTN. "As you're aware, Air Canada's requirements are much more sophisticated and involve functions that are not supported by EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange For Administration, Commerce, and Transport), nor the described XML link. For example, to properly merchandise Air Canada's branded fare attributes, Air Canada requires merchandising upsell and downsell attributes, as well as to support our multi-trip subscription Flight Passes. So it appears this news doesn't really change anything for us, although it may be good for other carriers like AirTran."

jboehmer@btnonline.com

More

Sponsored Content

VIEW ALL
Delta’s Accelerated Sustainability Flight Plan
Delta’s Accelerated Sustainability Flight PlanBy Pam Fletcher, Chief Sustainability Officer – Delta Air Lines

At Delta, we see travel as a noble force for good – and the miracle of flight is helping us to better understand the far-reaching impacts of climate change.  KEEP READING

Delta: Your Partner in Travel
Delta: Your Partner in TravelBy Delta Air Lines

Partner with Delta and get access to innovative products and services, award-winning account support and powerful tools that help your business reach new heights. KEEP READING

Travel is back – easy solutions to maximize your travel budget
Travel is back – easy solutions to maximize your travel budgetBy United Airlines

As the world returns to travel, you may have more questions than answers when it comes to managing your resurgent business travel needs. KEEP READING

Subscribe to Our

Free Newsletters

pixel2

Click Here for our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

  • Most Read
  • Most Shared
  1. Amex GBT Restructuring to Two Global Segments: Multinational, SME
  2. Managed Travel Unicorn TripActions to Rebrand as ‘Navan’
  3. As Airline Rollovers End, Buyers Assess Status-Loss Fallout
  4. Race Away From Transaction Fees Remains Close to Starting Line
  5. Contracted Corp. Business Losing Prominence at American
  1. Report: U.S. Mtg. Volume Exceeds 2019, Signaling End of Recovery Efforts
  2. AHLA Survey: Most U.S. Corp. Travelers Returning to Normalcy
  3. TakeTwo Partners with Serko to Offer Zeno Booking Tool
  4. Delta to Offer Free Wi-Fi, Special Content for SkyMiles Members
  5. Could the FAA Outage Hinder Business Travel's Recovery?
Business Travel NewsBusiness Travel News
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Business Travel News on Twitter
  • Business Travel News on LinkedIn
  • Business Travel News on Facebook
BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS
NORTHSTAR TRAVEL GROUP
Business Travel News
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Upload Print Ad Material
  • Purchase Reprints
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Subscribe to BTN
  • Subscribe to Travel Procurement
  • Subscribe to Newsletters
  • BTN Europe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
Business Travel News
Business Travel News Travel Procurement The Beat
Northstar Travel Group
  • Retail Travel
  • Travel Weekly
  • Travel Weekly Asia
  • Travel Weekly China
  • TravelAge West
  • TravelPulse
  • TravelPulse Canada
  • TravelPulse Quebec

  • Hotel Investment
  • Burba Hotel Network

  • Travel Technology
  • Inntopia
  • Phocuswire
  • Phocuswright
  • Web In Travel
  • Meetings & Incentives
  • Northstar Meetings Group
  • Meetings & Conventions
  • Meetings & Conventions China
  • Meetings & Conventions Asia
  • Meeting News
  • Successful Meetings
  • Incentive
  • SportsTravel

  • Data Products
  • Agent Studio
  • AXUS Travel App
  • Intelliguide
  • travel42
Northstar Travel Group
Copyright ©2023 Northstar Travel Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. 301 Rte. 17N, Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA | Telephone: (201) 902-2000
RRManagement rrtestprocurement