Skip to main content
UploadLanguage (EN)Support
BusinessMobileSocial MediaMarketingTechnologyArt & PhotosCareerDesignEducationPresentations & Public SpeakingGovernment & NonprofitHealthcareInternetLawLeadership & ManagementAutomotiveEngineeringSoftwareRecruiting & HRRetailSalesServicesScienceSmall Business & EntrepreneurshipFoodEnvironmentEconomy & FinanceData & AnalyticsInvestor RelationsSportsSpiritualNews & PoliticsTravelSelf ImprovementReal EstateEntertainment & HumorHealth & MedicineDevices & HardwareLifestyle
TTS, profile picture
Uploaded byTTS
PDF, PPTX7,662 views

The evolution of GDS ( Global Distribution System)

In the early 1950s, travel agents had to manually book each flight with no automated systems. IBM and American Airlines created one of the first semi-automated reservation systems called Customer Reservations Systems. This allowed airlines to connect to the system and share availability and reservations. In the 1980s, airlines created their own fully automated booking systems called Global Distribution Systems (GDS) which allowed travel agents to search availability and book flights, hotels, and other travel services for multiple airlines in one place. Today there are three major GDS providers that continue to serve as the primary distribution channel connecting travel suppliers and agents globally.

Travel◦Technology◦Business◦
Download as PDF, PPTX
in 1950 Once upon a *me, in 1950 Photo source: h,p://cmedialab.org TTS
When the internet was s*ll far away…
Travel agents used to book each flight by hand. Photo source: h,p://www.everythingpanam.com
Imagine the workload!
And they had no other op*on. Photo source: h,p://www.allposters.com
Photo source: h,p://www.computerhistory.org/ Customers, too, had no other op*on, but the travel agencies.
Then, in 1953, IBM and American Airlines created a semi-­‐ automated system, c a l led C u s tomer Reserva=ons Systems. Photo source: h,p://www.corbisimages.com
Amazing ! Photo source: h,p://www.thisismarilyn.com
considering there was no
Result? Photo source: h,p://75.aircanada.com Photo source: h,p://www-­‐03.ibm.com
Result? All airlines got connected to this system.
Every day airlines would pay CRSs to be listed in their database. Photo source: h,p://news.bbc.co.uk
Travel agencies would get commissions from airlines, depending on the amount of flights booked.
And then the fares became biased to par*cular airlines.
In short, everything got complicated.
Because of that, in 1980, the Airlines decided to create their own systems.
And these systems were the Global Distribu*on Systems (GDS). =automated booking systems for individual airlines
What did this mean?
It meant that now the GDSs could calculate and get all offers for each airline. Photo @ Jack Mitchell
The distribu*on channels facilitated a great deal the online search process.
What has changed since then?
PreYy much.
Nowadays there are three major GDSs: Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport (Apollo, Galileo and Worldspan) "
Booking complex trips is no longer an issue.
With GDSs covering everything, from airline *ckets, to car rentals, to hotel rooms and more…
Mobility on the GDS is now also available. Applica*ons like Travelport Mobile Agent make it possible. Travelportmobileagent.,s.com
As you may see, GDS remains a hero in this whole story.
That is, GDS remains the main distribu*on channel to connect airlines and travel agents around the world.
The evolution of GDS ( Global Distribution System)