Delta and Worldspan today announced a seven-year agreement through which the carrier will offer its full content to the global distribution system's subscribers. The agreement places Worldspan's Super Access opt-in program among Delta's preferred distribution channels, shielding subscribers from a $3.50 fee on nonpreferred bookings.
"As part of the agreement, Delta will participate in all of Worldspan's distribution products for travel agency and corporate customers in the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico," the parties said in a statement.
While Delta also has secured seven-year content deals with Sabre and Galileo, Worldspan is Delta's dominant GDS. The deal leaves Amadeus as the only major content distributor yet to secure a deal with the Atlanta-based carrier.
When new distribution economics entered the marketplace on Sept. 1, Delta joined other major carriers in charging $3.50 for bookings that go through nonpreferred channels, noting it "has been unable to come to mutually acceptable terms" with Amadeus
(BTN, Sept 11). Amadeus, however, said it is absorbing the fee so as to protect its subscribers from further costs.
Delta was not penalizing Worldspan subscribers, as their existing content agreement does not expire until Dec. 6.