Luc Bondar

This week's episode of Marketing: Art and Science joins Lisa Martin and Delta Air Lines CMO, Alicia Tillman. They talk about the modern marketing strategies enabling Delta Airlines to revolutionize global travel. Lisa and Alicia dive into the massive impact of Delta's MarTech stack on its business. Make sure to check it out ➡️https://hubs.ly/Q02wyntt0

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Post-pandemic airline challenges like rising ticket prices and crowded flights are reshaping air travel. To provide the most valuable insights, J.D. Power recently enhanced its airline benchmarking study. The J.D. Power 2024 North America Airline Satisfaction Study dives deep into the changing travel landscape. 🔍 What's new in the 2024 study? - Updated experience dimensions: on-board experience; level of trust with airline; ease of travel with airline; value for price paid; airline staff; digital tools; and Day of Travel Pre- and Post-Flight Experience - Nearly 20 new diagnostic questions covering in-flight entertainment; food and beverage options; mobile app usage; and more - Modernized research methodology for clearer feedback and robust sample sizes 👉 Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q02t6Y090 #Airlines #Travel #TravelIndustry #AirlineInsights #TravelInsights #TravelTips

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Media: April 15, 2024, https://lnkd.in/gKz8gwg Aeronology launch #American Airlines Group NDC offers to complete the full travel retailing experience and benefits.   This collaboration signifies a major step forward in enhancing the travel booking experience, integrating Aeronology’s advanced technology with American Airlines’ extensive flight network for a streamlined and efficient booking process.   AMERICAN AIRLINES has certified Aeronology to provide access to American Airlines Group content via an NDC-enabled interface. This includes a wide range of fares and ancillary services, offering customers unprecedented convenience and flexibility in their travel plans. Aeronology by creating the full-service capability for NDC is setting a new standard in airline distribution. The Aeronology multi-channel booking engine portal enables a broad customer base, including retailers, corporate clients, universities, and wholesalers, to book American Airlines’ NDC offerings. These bookings come with automatic reissue and refund options, ensuring a seamless user experience. NDC offers from American Airlines and their American Eagle regional partners include enhanced offers, such as Main Plus and Main Select, and a range of ancillary services. Aeronology is also ready to support American’s pending launch of dynamically priced offers later this year. Providing Travel Advisors/Arrangers access to the most attractive NDC offers from American Airlines. “American Airlines is focused on providing a modern retailing experience. Working with travel technology companies like Aeronology provides our customers access to enhanced content and functionality that is only available through NDC-enabled interfaces,” said Marcial Lapp, managing director of Revenue Engineering at American Airlines. Russell Carstensen, CEO of Aeronology, states: “Our commitment to reshaping airline distribution and revolutionizing air travel experiences for our customers remains steadfast. Introducing American Airlines NDC offers to travel businesses is a key milestone for Aeronology. Our association with this renowned airline group is a matter of great pride.” Mr. Carstensen adds, “NDC distribution channels are evolving, scaling up in usability and management ease. Aeronology’s innovative technology assists the user to fully service American Airlines products and services with ease 24/7.” #airline #gds #ndc #iata #oag #capa #atpco #aviation #corporatetravel #aeronology #travelmanagers #traveltechnology #traveltech #travelcompany #onlinetravel #travelmanagement #travelmanager #airlines #globaltravel #travelagency #businesstravel #qantas 

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Attention airlines: Shockingly, 90% of airlines didn't pass Google's Core Web Vitals Test. Our 2024 Airline Digital Maturity Report uncovered that most airlines struggle with ineffective websites, and only 14% have a strong e-commerce system. This report includes eye-opening statistics from industry leaders like Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Emirates See how the top global airlines performed across 11 crucial digital marketing elements. Download your free copy now! https://lnkd.in/ep7Qhd4S #airlines #digitalmarketing #airtravel Remarkable Group

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The recent news regarding American Airlines has provided some relief for TMC's but more so for it's clients using AA and its network. To quote Robert Isom the CEO of AA - “We moved faster than we should have and didn’t execute well,” he said. “We regret that and the difficulty it created for our agency and corporate communities so we are going to modify our distribution strategy to ensure the transition is not disruptive to our end customers." In my short 10 years in the industry I have seen 2 major airlines make these decisions at different times and both have reversed them due to consumer and or market pressure. ❌ They don't have the resource to book and more importantly manage tickets on the scale like we do. ❌ They don't have the multi decade skill set that is dispersed around the globe like we do. ❌ They don't possess the client relationships like we do. It is no shock to me and many others in the industry that American Airlines has seen a double digit decline in share price whilst its US competitors who embrace and work with TMC's have enjoyed double digit growth in the period. I will finish this with one final quote from Robert at AA - “We have used a lot of sticks; we’ve got to put more carrots in place and make sure our product is available wherever customers want to buy it.” #AmericanAirlines #CorporateTravelManagement #NDC #Partnership #CarrotsVsSticks https://lnkd.in/dkhCwSup

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If you want to have a real discussion about commerce media, then RMN Ascendant Network Boot Camp is the place to be. Koddi’s Chief Commercial Officer, Harsh Jiandani, recently hosted a roundtable on overcoming fragmentation alongside Christine Foster from 84.51˚ and Expedia Group’s Lucy Yu. For the retailers who took part, fragmentation goes way beyond supply and demand. The challenges facing them (and brands) include measurement, attribution, billing and more. We’re always happy to talk about how Koddi is addressing fragmentation - we are passionate about solving these problems and want to get the experience right together. #commercemedia #retail #adtech

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The Strength of the Travel Agency Distribution channel and its added value is showcased once again with the recent changes in policy at American Airlines. This shift highlights the significance of collaboration between airlines and travel agents in the evolving landscape of the aviation industry. #airlinepros #airlineprosinternational #americanairline #NDC #travelagents #touroperators #tourism #distributionchannels #aviation #airlines #marinetravel #cruiseindustry #rivercruising Read more about this development here: https://lnkd.in/eYDG-Q4E

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In an interview with Business Travel News editorial director Elizabeth West, UATP President and CEO Ralph Kaiser talks about how payments are driving innovation as new distribution capacity models take shape and new tech emerges in the managed travel space. Catch the five questions they cover in the interview: https://lnkd.in/gexx4dAJ #paymentstechnology #paymentsinnovation #paymentsdistribution 

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In the wake of this week's public comments by American Airlines' CEO Robert Isom, we are closely watching how his new strategic direction translates into actions by his Sales team. Yesterday, the American Sales team released its first message with more specific guidance. What can we deduce so far? It appears that American's immediate priority is to adjust its tone and amend strategies which are not already implemented -- e.g., the preferred agency program. This highlights the challenges of accurately deciphering the future from CEO-level speeches alone. Many took Robert's comment that the preferred agency program was "off" to mean that it would simply be canceled as American entered a full retreat from its strategy. However, Robert simultaneously expressed a desire to promote adoption of new distribution technology. The preferred agency program will instead remain and be repurposed with a carrot-based rewards mechanism for travel agencies which use #NDC. Notably, the letter also points out a change to how American will incorporate the interests of agencies and customers into their *future* decision-making. The letter says nothing about the many strategies already in-market, like the removal of content from EDIFACT, the reduction of travel agency commissions, or the narrower and more standardized corporate discounts. As of yesterday, our sources confirmed that American's removal of content from EDIFACT appeared unchanged. That's understandable, as a re-evaluation of existing market practices will take some time to analyze and amend, assuming that is what they want to do. American will undoubtedly want to be seen to have made tangible progress in time for their next earnings call a month and a half from now. We've heard the new strategic direction from the very top, and now we'll continue to keep our ear to the ground to understand how it translates into specific actions by the team. We expect there will be more changes to come.

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Listen@ https://lnkd.in/eaMqHzW - This week: Greg Schulze, Chief Commercial Officer, Expedia Group; A tribute to Colleen Barrett, "The Mother of Southwest Airlines"; Ted Christie says the game is rigged; Spirit Airlines' plan moving forward; A new Federal Aviation Administration investigation of Boeing relating to 787 inspections; Multiple listener response to last episode's William J. McGee interview. #airlines #FAA #aircraft #travelindustrynews #airtravel #aviationnews #podcast #travelindustry #aviation #airplanes #CEO #travelnews

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Shifting Dynamics: The Changing Landscape of Online Travel Booking! The online travel booking realm is undergoing a significant transformation, reshaping how travelers explore the world. Insights from The Business Research Company project the global online travel agent market to reach $1,259 billion by 2030, highlighting its immense growth potential. In India, the travel agent market was valued at USD 38 billion in FY 2020, with projections to surpass USD 67 billion by FY 2027. The country's airport modernization initiatives and schemes like UDAN are revolutionizing domestic travel, offering new opportunities for travel providers to cater to niche audiences and embrace innovation. While travel agents remain crucial, the surge of metasearch engines and online travel agencies (OTAs) is redefining the booking landscape. These platforms offer extensive inventories, competitive pricing, and user-friendly interfaces, empowering travelers to make informed decisions and find the best value for their bookings. Personalization and innovation are driving this growth, with AI playing a pivotal role. Research by Skyscanner shows a 44% increase in global travelers using AI for trip planning. The industry's revenue influenced by AI is projected to triple by 2024, showcasing the significant impact of technology on the travel sector. These trends signify a dynamic and evolving landscape where tradition meets innovation to meet the diverse needs of modern travelers. As the industry embraces change, there's an opportunity for travel providers to enhance services, optimize operations, and deliver exceptional experiences, fostering growth and innovation within the sector. #travel #aviation #growth #customers #travelport #ancillary

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American Airlines Reverts Decision on Loyalty Points for Third-Party Bookings The airline has announced that travelers will continue to earn AAdvantage Miles regardless of where they book their tickets. This reversal comes after plans to limit mileage accrual to direct bookings were met with potential customer disruption. The airline is apparently prioritizing customer experience and feedback while still aiming to enhance direct booking incentives through New Distribution Capability (NDC). What are your views on this? #AmericanAirlines #LoyaltyProgram #TravelNews #AirlineNews

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🚀 Discover industry insights with our latest report! Unveil key CEO topics and figures driving discussions across sectors. Powered by Onclusive's CEO Index, we offer nuanced perspectives in Automotive, Airlines, Aerospace, and more. Highlights: Global CEO Standouts Leadership Themes Future of EVs Airlines in the US Access the full report: (https://lnkd.in/e44yNhNw) #CEOInsights #IndustryAnalysis

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🌟 Attention GBTA | Global Business Travel Association members! 🌟 Voting ends on June 25th -- looking for your vote! I’m running for a GBTA Board of Directors Allied-at-Large seat and would appreciate your support! As a board member, I’d focus on three core priorities: ✈ Drive member engagement by strengthening local chapter programming – we need to focus more resources and attention on delivering chapter level programming and exclusive engagements that drive direct member connections and value. ✈ Establish GBTA’s position to lead transformational technology change – it’s critical that our organization provide the structure, guidance and education our members so urgently need in this ever-evolving space. ✈ Double-down on industry advocacy and leadership - encourage and develop supplier collaboration and utilize the resources of GBTA to ensure top industry roadblocks are addressed effectively and in a timely manner. Check out my bio, platform and video on the GBTA Election page for the Allied-At-Large Board seat: https://lnkd.in/esh7Scjr United for Business

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Introducing ATPCO's Distribute the Offer leadership team - looking after airline product content data collection, distribution to data subscribers, and new distribution solutions (including #NDC). All of this in the context of ATPCO's industry utility model as we all move, #bettertogether, toward modern airline retailing through airline offers and orders. We spent time yesterday talking through strategy, 2024 outcomes (3, 6, 9 month) for each of the three areas, best-in-class team habits, championing cultural pillars at the heart of ATPCO, and leveraging the best of Artificial Intelligence. Most importantly, we talked about what we need, and how we can support each other, to be better at what we do, achieve the success outcomes we've committed to, and help each other out. Anne Kolodziej (Collection), Aruna Punya (Distribution), Cheikh FALL (New Distribution Solutions) - thanks for having my back; you're a super team of leaders to work with. Between the 4 of us, we have over 100 years of airline industry experience in technology, revenue accounting, performance data, distribution, pricing, taxation, strategy, customer service, and more; it's gratifying to work with people who use that tenure and knowledge to have a universally open and 'gritty' mindset, and embrace innovation together, to make the industry better. Let's make it a great 2024. #airlinedistribution #genAI #startwithwhy #startwithpeople #findyourwhy #distributetheoffer Jacquelyn Ingros, MS OD

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I am excited to learn about data collected in tests to help passengers combat jetlag on long flights. Changing the time of food service, meal options, and the light exposure duration may revolutionize how airlines support customer well-being during travel. These findings have the potential to transform the future of long-haul flights. #data #datadrivendecisions #jetlag Read more: https://lnkd.in/e-fg7ev2

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American Airlines delayed new restrictions on how travelers can earn loyalty program miles, to July 11 from May 1. The rules will affect bookings through agencies AA does not qualify as “preferred.” Here is AA's statement on the delay: “Customers are at the center of what we do. American is evolving to give our customers the travel management experience they have come to expect, and we've invited the industry to come along with us. We’ve seen a great response from agencies increasingly adopting modern retailing technology and many have already achieved preferred retailer status. The majority of our indirect bookings are now made via an agency with NDC capabilities, and the current list of agencies beyond 30% NDC bookings is already impressive. We anticipate even more who are on the cusp of meeting the threshold to do so very soon, which will provide customers with excellent preferred agency options to go along with our offerings on aa.com. As such, we’ve decided to extend the update to the way customers earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points on flights to July 11. This extension gives an opportunity for those agencies to complete the transition. We’ll continue to work closely with travel agencies to support them through this transition for our mutual customers.” Our recent coverage: https://lnkd.in/euFS3UYh American Airlines #airlineNDC #businesstravel #travelmanagement #corporatetravel #travelmanagementcompany  

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