Lufthansa Is No Longer Alone in Its Battle Against Airfare Middlemen
Photo Credit: Ukraine International is the second airline company after Lufthansa Group to tack on a charge to bookings made via global distribution systems. Ukrainian International
Skift Take
Ukraine's flag carrier is the first airline to follow Lufthansa's bold September 2015 move to add a surcharge to bookings made via third-parties. Yet the industry may be overstating the threat to the revenue of the middlemen.
In the past week Ukraine International Airlines quietly joined Lufthansa Group's skirmish with the middlemen who distribute airfares through most travel agencies worldwide.
As of April 19, it is adding a $9 fee per segment for bookings made through the four global distribution systems — Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport, and Travelsky — that process nearly all airline tickets worldwide that are not sold directly by airlines through their own websites or online agency portals.
The move represents a bit of changed course for the Ukrainian carrier. Last year it signed up to use Amadeus's software to help sell their ancillary services, such as meals and bags, via travel agencies. Now it will be taxing tickets if they're sold via agents who use Amadeus's reservation systems to book tickets.
Lufthansa Group's fee is $17 (16 euro) per ticket booked via those companies.
Despite the "tax," a substantial majority of tickets are still being booked via the middlem
