$3.50 per segment .... that's $14 on a round-trip connection. http://www.travelbizbuzz.com/ July 13, 2006 American Limits Agencies? Access To Full Content American Airlines is taking distribution into its own hands, and the GDSs are scrambling to keep up. The carrier has adopted a new policy for agents who book segments through non-preferred channels, according to guidance posted July 12 on American?s Web site. The policy provides full access to American?s full schedule, fare and inventory content to ?competitive booking sources,? but charges $3.50 per segment for access to content through ?other booking sources.? Competitive booking sources include specific Worldspan and Galileo optional programs, all G2 SwitchWorks? GDS products and all Farelogix?s GDS products. Agents will be charged when they use any Sabre or Amadeus products, Worldspan?s existing product and any other Galileo or Apollo program. The new policy, which was developed to help American better compete with low-cost carriers, is effective Sept. 1. American may eventually withhold content from its non-preferred suppliers if they fail to display its content on ?neutral terms as compared with other airlines,? the carrier stated. In response to American?s policy change, Galileo announced its opt-in Content Continuity Program, meant to protect its agency customers from airline service fees -- including those announced by American, according to a July 13 release. Effective Sept. 1, the program will provide agencies with access to full public content and negotiated non-public fares from all airlines participating in the Galileo GDS, as well as access to air, car, hotel, cruise and tour content on its agent desktop. The Content Continuity program provides ?airlines with market competitive distribution savings and delivers our travel agency partners efficient access to the full content they require while protecting them against airline service fees,? said Kurt Ekert, senior VP of supplier services for Travelport. Worldspan GDS also issued a statement in response to American?s announcement promising to provide details of its optional products next week. For more information about American Airlines' new policy, click here or stay tuned to the next issue of Travel Distribution Report. --------------------------------- Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1¢/min.