American Airlines and Expedia Reach Distribution Agreement
The press release below from American Airlines and Expedia poses questions and presages a great deal. The technology approach is open for debate and its feasibility is another question altogether. So while this does represent change is it more a case of "the more things change, the more they stay the same"? Direct connect through a GDS? This seems to be more of a case of American Airlines trying to reject the past through committee: a compromise approach wins out over a full-blown reinvention of the travel distribution marketplace. Well, its a start. However, a hybrid approach likes this by a major travel supplier continues to leave the door wide open for key distribution players, such as Sabre, Amadeus and their ever increasing competitors to grasp the reins of innovation.…