Several travel management companies, travel distributors and airlines announced they have "agreed to support common technology approaches for the merchandising of airline ancillary services."

Those listed on a joint press release included corporate TMCs American Express Business Travel, BCD Travel, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Egencia, HRG, Orbitz for Business and Travelocity Business, and global distribution system operators Amadeus, Sabre Travel Network and Travelport. They each expressed support for both the Airline Tariff Publishing Company's optional services fare filing capabilitiesand the industry standard Electronic Miscellaneous Document. According to the joint statement, "the GDSs plan to provide corporations and travel agencies the ability to shop, book and fulfill airline ancillary servicesto travelers by late 2010." Air New Zealand, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Lan and WestJet also were listed in the announcement as supporting these developments as "an option" for distributing products and services. American Airlines previously told The Beatthat for its unbundling plans and direct connect initiative, it plans to implement EMDs but does not need ATPCo specifications. An AirTran Airways executive recently saidthat implementing EMDs is "something we don't want to do" because for the carrier's business model, some standards "don't make sense."