Germanwings, which operates services from Dublin to Düsseldorf and Cologne, has announced a new agreement with Amadeus that will enable the airline to distribute all of its published fares and the most demanded ancillary services in the travel agency channel. 
The Lufthansa subsidiary previously sold a limited range of its fares via Amadeus’s travel agency partners, using full e-ticketing. Now, in addition, through this industry-first agreement, the airline will become the first in the world to also make its full range of published fares bookable using light ticketing functionalities, making Germanwings the first carrier to offer both full and light ticketing to travel sellers.
Light ticketing is Amadeus’s unique system enhancement that enables agents to book low-cost and hybrid carriers with the same booking process used for full-service carriers, even when established through an interface using XML technology.
Christian Hein, Senior Vice President E-Commerce, Sales and Distribution, Germanwings, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer our full range of published fares to travel agency partners combining light ticketing and full e-ticketing options. Thanks to our industry-leading agreement with Amadeus, travel agents will be able to offer their customers a comprehensive range of fare options for our point-to-point and interline flights, as well as all the ancillary services that allow travel agencies to tailor the full air travel experience to their customers. This means that it will be easier and more attractive than ever for travel agency partners to make a Germanwings booking via Amadeus.”
Holger Taubmann, Senior Vice President – Distribution, Amadeus said: “We are excited to be extending our existing relationship with Germanwings in order to provide travel agents with a comprehensive offering. We are seeing increasing numbers of low-cost and hybrid carriers choosing to distribute their fares and ancillaries through our global network of travel agents.
“By doing so, these carriers can access high-yield customer segments such as business travellers and provide passengers with choice, value and opportunities to personalise their journeys with the same booking flow as for traditional carriers. It’s a win-win situation.”
As of September 2014, travel agents will benefit from being able to offer travellers more relevant, tailored travel options, including access to Germanwings’ budget, standard and comfort fares; point-to-point and interline flights; and a wider range of optional extras. The fare options include:
- BASIC: The budget fare that includes the flight, hand luggage, miles and cannot be combined with other airlines. This fare is to be newly added to the Amadeus system and will be bookable using only light ticketing; all other fare options below can be booked with both light ticketing and full e-ticketing functionality.
- SMART: The standard fare, which includes the same benefits as the budget fare, as well as a range of the most important ancillary services, such as one item of checked luggage, an inflight snack and drink and a seat reservation.
- BEST: The comfort, highest-value fare, which is aimed at business travellers in particular but also appeals to leisure travellers. It includes the flight and a wider range of ancillary services, such as two items of checked luggage, à-la-carte catering on board, preferred seating in the front rows with a free adjacent seat, and priority ground services including lounge access.
- Germanwings’ flexible fare options, SMART Flex and BEST Flex, will also be available. They enable travellers to re-book or cancel flights free-of-charge, even at short notice.
Germanwings is among more than 70 LCCs that distribute their inventory via the Amadeus GDS. Amadeus’s travel agency network covers more than 200 markets worldwide.
