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This blog is for anyone involved in the travel industry. I focus mostly on the procurement and management of corporate travel, with a bent toward best practices and innovation.
Category Archives: Travel Suppliers
Top 5 Posts in 2015; What should I write about in 2016?
Let’s start 2016 off in the right direction.. Please tell me what you’d like me to write about. To make things quick, easy and anonymous, here’s a 1-question survey of possible topics: Tell Gillespie what to write about If you’re … Continue reading
AA-US Merger Implications for Gov and Biz Travel
This morning I pointed out some new frontiers in managed travel to the Society of Government Travel Professionals. Things like traveler friction, trip tailoring, edit rights, Managed Travel 2.0 and traveler dashboards, along with their implications for the government travel … Continue reading
Posted in Airlines, Spend Categories, Travel Industry, Travel Procurement, Travel Suppliers
Tagged airfare impact, airline merger
4 Comments
De-Commoditizing Airlines – A Long Road Ahead
Last week in Beijing I made the case for de-commoditizing the airlines. Even though it was a friendly audience at the CASMA Fall Global Conference, there was some sharp discussion during Q&A. Fair enough, as I skewered American’s handling of … Continue reading
Posted in Airlines, Distribution, Innovation, Travel Industry, Travel Suppliers
Tagged American Airlines, CASMA, differentiation, direct connect, GDS, travel distribution
2 Comments
Buyers Right to be Crabby About LH’s Demands
Lufthansa (LH) has drawn a deep line in the corporate contracting sand this year. It is demanding financial clawbacks and access to detailed, perhaps unprecedented, corporate travel data in return for providing corporate discounted fares. More on this here. Many … Continue reading
Posted in Airlines, Travel Procurement, Travel Suppliers
Tagged air sourcing, airline contracts, airline RFP, airline sourcing, Lufthansa
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Innovation and Patents: Pros and Cons for Procurement
Are patents good or bad for the end consumer? OK, that’s pretty broad…how about this specific example concerning Virgin Atlantic and Delta Air Lines: Virgin recently filed this patent infringement case against Delta over Delta’s use of a herringbone-style seating … Continue reading
Posted in Airlines, Innovation, Travel Procurement, Travel Suppliers
Tagged Airlines, Innovation, patent litigation, patents, Procurement, sourcing, travel innovation
1 Comment
Catching Up at NBTA?
If you’re going to NBTA’s Convention in Houston next week, and you’d like to catch up – let me know! I’ll arrive on Saturday afternoon, and leave on Wednesday afternoon. No firm plans yet for dinner on Sunday or Monday, … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Innovation, Travel Industry, Travel Suppliers, Travel Technology
Tagged NBTA, travel conferences
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Job and Flight Roulette, Courtesy of D.O.T.
If Jeff Smisek, Continental Airline’s CEO, was a gambler, he probably wouldn’t play roulette. Why not? The odds are stacked too far in favor of the house. Mr. Smisek’s risk tolerances came to light at an investors’ conference earlier this … Continue reading
Airlines and Hotels: Two Sides of the Same Coin?
When it comes to buying airlines and hotels, there are some big differences. That may not be the case in the near future. I think we’re beginning to see a shift – the beginning of a shift – away from … Continue reading
Posted in Airlines, Hotels, Travel Procurement, Travel Suppliers
Tagged airline sourcing, hotel sourcing, procurement trends
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Service Standards for Travel Suppliers?
A travel manager in Canada recently asked me for a set of standards that she might use in her Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with her contracted travel suppliers. I had to admit that not only did I not have any … Continue reading
