Op-Ed: Agency Sees E-Delta Benefits, Poses Some Key Questions

<B> Op-Ed: Agency Sees E-Delta Benefits, Poses Some Key Questions</B>

By Ron Merriman

In principle, the "E-Delta" announcement (<I>BTN,</I> May 17) is good for our clients, but it is important to remember that it very closely resembles Carlson Wagonlit Travel's vision of the marketplace of the future. Our goal is to offer clients a variety of distribution choices. We have been working and will continue to work with Delta, and the other suppliers that inevitably will be following this approach, to ensure that our clients continue to receive the maximum value in the marketplace.

Delta's announcement recognizes the importance we place on reducing costs for our clients while offering them more choices. Unfortunately, up to this point, a major partner in the solution has been omitted, the travel management company. Major changes to the distribution channel will only occur through the efforts of all parties involved, and we feel strongly that our clients are best served when the travel management company is a driver in the initiative.

For example, there are several important issues and questions that have not been addressed. While perhaps not a long-term solution, why has Delta refused to put Internet fares on the GDS in the interim until efficient links to Delta's sites can be established? If travel is reserved directly with Delta, how will clients comparison shop or ensure that they are receiving the lowest available price? How will companies like Carlson Wagonlit provide service to clients who initially book with Delta's Web site and then turn to Carlson for service and/or fulfillment, and at what cost? How will data from bookings made directly with Delta be consolidated with data for all other suppliers whose reservations have been processed through alternate means? Who will validate and consolidate this data and at what cost? Will the data provided by Delta be consistent with the data streams Carlson Wagonlit Travel and other travel management companies provide to clients today? Who will manage reservations that have been made across booking channels, and how will they ensure that when a cancellation or change is made all supplier reservations have been updated? How will Delta enable corporate travel managers to ensure that policy and security issues (relating to fare basis codes) are addressed?

We strongly dispute any notion that bypassing a travel management company provides value to a corporation. Neither Delta, nor any other supplier, is in a position to replace our services.

While there may be alternatives to using the GDS, the applications are very limited and the linkages unavailable at this point. Web sites are not robust enough to satisfy the service demands of our corporate clients. Few if any clients in self-booking environments currently experience true "no touch" transactions.

<I>Ron Merriman is executive vice president of North America sales and account management at Carlson Wagonlit Travel.