Thinking on this subject - is this a zero sum game or what? (sorry about the word choice I could not resist it) Situation: Airlines will not give T/A's commissions....but they will give over rides on the backend to move "market share". Now if I were an agent, I would charge a fee for my service and do all bookings online - outside the GDS. The only way an airline can track market share is through the GDS, right? But using a GDS is expensive and not getting cheaper. Buying online enables you can break all the rules (back to back, etc) without suffering any debit notes! Who cares about the airline market share? Your customers are paying your fees. These could be a flat fee per year plus a small transaction fee (like occurs in financial services) or a higher transaction fee - I like the latter at $30 per trip. It seems to me the T/A's have been living in a murky twilight zone - agents for the carriers but ostensibly offering travelers "deals". Now the market is clearer - agents now work for travelers not carriers. Consequently T/A's MUST focus on owning the customer relationship. That is their best protection. Carriers have made their business so complex in terms of pricing an expert is needed to navigate the fares on complex trips. For the simple "there and back" the SW web site is unsurpassed. Maybe the future for the T/A is better than for the GDS - they are going to suffer from airlines refusing to pay the fees (BA is rumored to be dropping one GDS!) and T/A's don't really need the GDS anymore. There is a great offering from a firm in the Bay Area called GDS Network for T/A's that want a GDS but without the "hostage" deal.