It all started with an announcement in May. Delta Air Lines and Sabre signed a deal whereby rather than paying a “commoditized” flat fee to the global distribution system operator per sold transaction segment, the fee would be based on the value of the offer. Delta called the arrangement an “industry-first model.” Travelport followed in August, and Delta hit the GDS trifecta when Amadeus signed a similar agreement in November.
“This entire initiative was built around the idea that we have to provide a more modern experience to our corporate travelers,” Delta managing director of global distribution and omnichannel strategy Jeff Lobl told BTN. “They are the reason we did this. … We’ve come a long way in developing a…