NEW DELHI, 10 January 2020: Travelport reported Thursday that it is now the sole global distribution system (GDS) provider of Air India’s domestic flight content to points of sale in India.
Earlier in the week, competitor, Amadeus released information confirming it had renewed an agreement to supply Air India’s international and domestic flight content to points of sale worldwide.
Sabre another competing GDS acknowledged in press statements that it had failed to seal a fares and flights content agreement with Air India despite lengthy negotiations last year.
Now, Travelport has stated that following a “competitive bidding process, came into effect in November 2018 and was fully implemented 1 January 2020…Travelport is now the only GDS provider through which points of sale (travel agencies) in India can receive both Air India’s domestic and international flight content.”
As Air India is signed up to Travelport’s leading merchandising solution, Travelport Rich Content and Branding, travel agents booking through its platform benefit from a graphically rich experience when searching for and booking the airline’s branded fares, as well as greater access to its ancillary offers, the statement reads.
The milestone comes just one month after Air India executive director of commercial operations, Meenakshi Malik, revealed that the carrier had already seen “growth of 22%” in operational profit and cut down cost by around INR300 crore” (USD41,820,000) since it began changing its distribution strategy. Malik also projected a saving of “INR3200 crore in five years (USD445,760,000)”.
Travelport regional managing director for India and Sri Lanka Martin Herbert said: “We are now the sole GDS provider of these services to Air India when it comes to both domestic and international content in India. The results the carrier has already achieved since it started adjusting its distribution strategy have been extremely positive.”
The table below confirms where Air India domestic and international flight content is available through global distribution systems.
| Points of sale within India | Points of sale outside of India | |
| Air India domestic flight content | Travelport GDS only | Travelport GDS and other GDS(s) |
| Air India international flight content | Travelport GDS and other GDS(s) | Travelport GDS and other GDS(s) |
