Rearden Commerce late last month completed the acquisition of expense management company ExpenseWire for an undisclosed amount and has integrated the system with its online procurement platform. ExpenseWire will operate as a subsidiary of Rearden and management including CEO Andrew Vaeth will remain. According to Rearden vice president of product marketing Dan Ford, the integrated platform is available to agency resellers, including American Express Business Travel, which in September plans to offer ExpenseWire capabilities with its Rearden-based Axiom.
CWT Inks Global Deal With Amex CardCarlson Wagonlit Travel and American Express Global Commercial Card this month announced a multiyear agreement to distribute and promote three American Express payment solutions in 21 countries. Amex now is CWT's only preferred global supplier of payment solutions and combines several local agreements between the two companies and prior deals between Amex and Navigant International, acquired by CWT in 2006. In the next three to four months, CWT executive vice president of global supplier management Mike Koetting expects expansion to other markets, as CWT works on agreements with indirect issuers of Amex corporate cards.
Southwest, Canada's WestJet Initiate CodeshareSouthwest Airlines and Canada's WestJet plan to implement a codeshare arrangement by the end of next year, with the opportunity to coordinate other reciprocal arrangements, including ground handling, corporate account cultivation, frequent flyer programs and purchasing. The carriers said they would launch "a distribution plan" this year, and Southwest said it would sell WestJet inventory through its Web site, though the airlines "are not ready to announce routes, schedules, or fares." The deal requires regulatory approvals from each carrier's home government.
Sabre To Use BidStork Tech In RFPs, AuditsSabre Travel Network, following this month's acquisition of online request-for-proposals management supplier BidStork, has launched a new hotel rate negotiating and auditing service for corporate travel management and plans on adding further capabilities through next year. BidStork, launched in 2006, is a Web-based tool that allows travel managers to create and deliver a hotel RFP compliant with the National Business Travel Association modular form as well as map hotels, negotiate rates and create final contracts
(BTNonline, July 23, 2007). Sabre now can offer buyers and agencies RFP and rate auditing tools as well as reporting capabilities. In 2008 and 2009, it will add rate auditing and RFP management tools for hoteliers, benchmarking reports and multi-GDS rate auditing capabilities.
Dollar Thrifty, Avis Banking On Summer DemandDollar Thrifty Automotive Group and Avis Budget Group in early July each issued statements detailing difficult second quarters, but both Dollar Thrifty president and CEO Gary Paxton and Avis Budget chairman and CEO Ronald Nelson said in statements that they anticipate summer demand to outpace supply due to industrywide fleet reductions, leading to increased prices. However, Bill Knepper, senior director of business development for Advito, said due to slackening demand, he does not anticipate an increase in corporate rates.