Travelport GDS has admitted bookings for easyJet have been slow since it began selling the low cost carrier in November last year.
Easyjet became the first major low cost carrier to make fares available to corporate travel agents through global distribution systems after signing deals with Galileo and Amadeus.
However, a point of sale fee of euro 7.50 each way is deterring customers from booking the airline, Travelport general manager Patrick Lukan has said. “We haven’t seen the volume we anticipated as customers are saying its too expensive.”
He said the GDS company had not expected the low cost airlines to add a point of sale fee when the deal was being worked on.
“We had invested very heavily in the technology to sell easyJet so we were not in a position to back out of the deal once they told us about it.”
The Guild of Travel Management Companies recently reaffirmed its decision to boycott booking easyJet through GDS systems, for fear other airlines will follow suit with a fee.
However, a spokesman for easyJet said: “We continue to enjoy a good working relationship with Amadeus and Galileo.”
Meanwhile, Travelport is preparing to launch Travel Tracker in September, a tool which allows travel management companies to track their clients wherever they are in the world. “Following the introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter Act, it is important TMCs know where their customers are at all times,” said Lukan,
Travelport is also developing a new travel agent desktop solution – expected to launch in early 2009 –using elements from G2 SwitchWorks technology the company purchased in April. “We are evaluating how we will bring this to market,” said Lukan.