Global Hotel Exchange went live the other day and, assuming there are no alterations in strategic direction, the hotel-booking site may be destined to be a resounding success or a quickly forgotten memory.
EasyJet answers regulators with upfront admin fee, scraps free Visa Electron payments
January 11, 2012 By 5 Comments
EasyJet is making changes overnight to the way consumers pay for its flights with the introduction of a £9 administration charge.
US rejects delay request from global airlines on bag fee transparency
January 10, 2012 By 1 Comment
The US Department of Transportation rejected a request from US and foreign airlines to delay new disclosure requirements about bag fees, but there will be few enforcement actions as they relate to interline itineraries or code-shares for six months.
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US government delivers transparent warning to GDSs and online travel agencies
February 14, 2011 By 4 Comments
The U.S. Department of Transportation wrote a “display bias” letter to major global distribution systems and online travel agencies, warning them “not to engage in undisclosed display bias.”
Total Price Hotel–You can lead a horse to water…
October 6, 2009 By 2 Comments
When it comes to Orbitz Total Price Hotel, you can lead online travel agencies to water, but you can’t make them drink.
Six months ago, Orbitz introduced this new mode of displaying hotel pricing, where consumers view the base rate plus “taxes and fees” up-front, but none of Orbitz’s OTA competitors has copied this bow to transparency.
For years, OTAs have played bait and switch with consumers on hotel pricing because travelers only learn the true cost of the room, with booking fees tacked on, when they are ready to book. Comparing base rates doesn’t really tell the story.
Addressing a gaggle of bloggers at an Orbitz bloggers’ summit in its Chicago headquarters last week, Orbitz Worldwide CEO Barney Harford said, “I am a little surprised” that no competitor has matched Total Price Hotel.
