Scandinavian carrier SAS has signed a new deal with Amadeus which appears at least to have stabilised its distribution costs to the GDS.
SAS declined to give full details of the deal, but Robin Kamark, its senior vp airline commercial, said: “The cost of distribution is a significant factor. We are therefore seeking new means to reduce these cost elements to a competitive level, while giving the market full access to SAS' products.
“The scheme agreed with Amadeus is a step in the right direction.”
Under the deal, SAS and Amadeus will provide travel agents in Scandinavia with full access to the airline's content.
SAS said it was planning to “alter its current full content strategy from October 1 so it can introduce changes in its business model.
The airline brought in one-way tickets from the September 1 as part of a change in its business model.
It said it was also in negotiations with other GDSs and looked forward to signing agreements with them before October 1.
Amex to launch tracking system in Europe
American Express is to launch it traveller tracking system TrackPoint in Europe in the coming months.
The travel management company also said the system would now be immediately available to all its US-based customers.
The company's Extras Hotel Program which offers special rates is also being extended to cover 10,000 properties worldwide.
TrackPoint is a web-based system aimed at helping to travel managers or corporate security departments locate their travellers during unexpected event like terrorist attacks or severe weather.
It can track individual itineraries and be updated as and when these are changed.
Andy McGraw, senior vp and general manager of American Express Business Travel, said that with TrackPoint, clients would receive the “most rigorous traveller security solutions.”