The domestic airline market will lose nearly 11 percent of its flights and 9 percent of its available seats in the last three months of this year, compared with the same period last year, OAG said in a revised capacity analysis. OAG reported the United States will lose 21.4 million available seats in that timeframe. Several domestic carriers during third-quarter earnings calls this month said they could further scale back capacity next year if demand continues to deteriorate.
Travelport Works Toward Traversa ExpansionTravelport GDS president and CEO Gordon Wilson said the company continues to roll out its Traversa corporate booking platform with launch client IBM, a process that began in the summer of 2007. "We just cut over IBM in India with the product," Wilson said this month. "We're working with another major corporation with the product, and we're also engaged with users of the original Travelport, and we're working on a migration plan to move those customers onto the Traversa model." Wilson would not disclose the other client, and said the company is not yet prepared to sunset the Travelport booking tool.
Registered Traveler Co. Raises Annual FeeClear Registered Traveler this month upped its fee for annual memberships in its program to $199, from $128. The program promises a faster pass through airport security for members who submit to a background check and pay the annual charge. Verified Identity Pass launched Clear at a cost of $99.95, then in January raised annual memberships to $128 to include a $28 Transportation Security Administration vetting fee. A Clear spokesperson said existing members "get a break" at $159 to renew. The company also introduced a 10-year membership option for $1,200.
Worktopia Partners With Pegasus, StarwoodHotel distribution provider Pegasus Solutions announced an agreement with meetings technology firm Worktopia to provide its Universal Meeting Solution users access to Pegasus' Ultradirect distribution technology. The agreement will link UMS to the central reservation systems of 86,000 properties and offer real-time information on rates, availability and reservations. The first phase will allow booking of one to nine guest rooms, with the ability to book 10 or more rooms set for the second phase of the release. The first phase of development is expected to be completed toward year-end, said Worktopia CEO John Arenas. A separate Worktopia partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, announced this month, allows for real-time booking of small meeting rooms in 63 Starwood properties in the southeastern United States, with plans to introduce additional properties in the future.
Top 25 For BTN's 25th YearThe Jan. 26, 2009, issue of Business Travel News will include our 25th annual list of the 25 business travel buyers, suppliers, consultants, public policy makers or association leaders who, through their decisions or actions, exerted the greatest influence in the industry during 2008. Please e-mail editor-in-chief David Meyer at
[email protected] by Nov. 17 with nominations that provide not only the nominee's name, company, title, phone number and e-mail address, but also descriptions of the 2008 accomplishments and influence that should earn your nominee a place on this year's list.