<B>Bypass Site On The Way</B>
By Jay Campbell
GoldenWare Travel Technologies this summer plans to launch a Web-based booking system with direct vendor connections that it can private label for corporations.
The system, which will take off from www.flightlookup.com, will allow travelers to see airline schedules and book directly with the airlines via an XML-based price feed. This will allow carriers to "begin the process of differentiation much earlier by putting out special offers like frequent flyer miles or negotiated rates," said GoldenWare president Matt Goldworm.
American and Continental airlines are working "very closely" with GoldenWare Travel Technologies to develop "direct pricing feeds for integration into the wireless market," said Rory Veevers-Carter, GoldenWare's vice president (<I>BTN</I>, April 24). Participation in wireless could imply that American and Continental will set up direct feeds to flightlookup.com as well, though GoldenWare did not say as much.
GoldenWare also works with Canadian and United on other business travel projects, and added that for flightlookup.com, "There are over 40 direct pricing feeds under development," said Goldworm. The company is playing a bit of catch up for direct links, however, since other tech vendors, such as E-Travel, are further along in signing up suppliers (see story, this page).
The new Web site will be customizable for corporations, though it also will be available in a general way to the public. That means that corporate clients, none of which currently are working with GoldenWare, could preference certain airlines and book negotiated rates.
GoldenWare is developing a link to Sabre to cover suppliers that do not offer direct feeds of their own; that also would give GoldenWare access to negotiated fares maintained by Sabre.
Goldworm said his company would not track data after the booking, but he did say, "We can integrate this with a T&E reporting system."
Without the need to provide things like fulfillment, he noted, pricing would be minimal if not free. GoldenWare expects flightlookup.com to generate revenues from advertising.
"This site allows the airline to be part of the process from the beginning, so they can differentiate and change the buyer experience," said Goldworm. "Now, there is almost no interaction with the airline until the gate. It's clear that this is a direction in which the airlines want to go."
Among other things, GoldenWare provides flight schedules in print and via PC or Palm Pilot, and "soon on the wireless," said Goldworm.