Easyjet has announced it is to reduce the fees it levies on bookings made through the global distribution systems (GDSs) to £3.30 (€4) per sector. Previously, the airline added fees of up to £5 (€7.50) per sector on bookings made this way. The airline said it would also levy the same fee on bookings made through its Application Programming Interface (API) channel. A number of travel management companies have direct connects to Easyjet’s fares through API which are then displayed in their own booking environment.
Jerry Dunn, Easyjet’s distribution development manager, said: "In contrast to the recent action taken by Ryanair to cancel bookings made by travel agencies through screen scraping, Easyjet is providing an alternative legitimate booking channel for business travel agencies, while maintaining a firm stance against unlicensed screen scraping. Most screen scraping systems are voluntarily switching off screen scraping to move to the API, while any that refuse to do so will face legal and technical action against them."
The reduction in fees came after many in the business travel industry refused to book through the GDS, arguing that the fees were too high.
The airline had consulted this issue with the Institute of Travel Management that is applauding the consultations, but hopes to have POS fees removed entirely.
Abridged from Business Travel World.