Skift Take
Ticket pricing data appears to be a commodity in itself, as tech upgrades potentially limit access to fare availability — with travel agents complaining it impacts their ability to do their job effectively and leads to higher fares for consumers.
The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) claims that American Airlines has removed 40% of its fare inventory from distribution channels used by travel agents and travel management companies following the implementation of new systems with the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) New Distribution Capability (NDC) technology.
ASTA has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) accusing American Airlines of unfair trade practice, claiming it has caused "substantially higher air ticket prices for consumers and frustrated trav