Standards: YES -- Confusion: NO!

Open AXIS Group and the OpenTravel Alliance announced today they are committed to working together with the airline industry to create useful, workable and interoperable XML schema to distribute airline information and inventory.

Under the terms of the agreement, the two organizations agree to work together to align their standards with one another. Both groups will cooperate fully in their efforts to advocate and promote an optimal electronic messaging structure for airline system connectivity used in content distribution while allowing each organization to maintain its individual goals and objectives.

Jim Young, Open AXIS Group executive director, said, “Open AXIS Group has established a proven XML schema as the baseline for its standard and we will work closely with our members and the OpenTravel Alliance without duplicating efforts. Together, we will adopt, promote, enhance and maintain this schema to create a robust industry standard that addresses the needs of both the supply and demand sides of the travel supply chain.”

“There is no point in having two disparate and conflicting sets of standard XML structures for the airline industry,” said Valyn Perini, executive director of the OpenTravel Alliance.  “OpenTravel has a history of working with other industry associations to create implementable, interoperable distribution standards that meet the needs of suppliers, their trading partners and their customers, and we’re happy to build the same type of relationship with Open AXIS Group.”

“It’s great to see that OpenTravel and Open AXIS Group have agreed to align their standards with one another,” added Scott Stachowiak, Director Distribution Planning of Continental Airlines. “But the more important part of this announcement is that it will help clear the air and end the confusion that exists in the marketplace about which standard to support. The strength of these organizations, working together, can only have a positive impact on the industry.”

About the OpenTravel Alliance

The OpenTravel Alliance is passionate about solving the problems inherent with connecting multiple systems within the complex travel distribution arena.  OpenTravel creates, expands and drives adoption of open universal data specifications, including but not limited to the use of XML, for the electronic exchange of business information among all sectors of the travel industry. 

With a diversified membership representing influential names in all sectors of the travel industry, OpenTravel is comprised of representatives from airlines, car rental firms, hotels, cruise lines, leisure suppliers, service providers, tour operators, travel agencies and trade associations. Thousands of OpenTravel message structures are in use, carrying tens of millions of messages between trading partners every day. For more information, visit www.opentravel.org.

About Open AXIS Group 

Open AXIS Group is a member-based, not-for-profit organization. Its primary goal is advocacy and promotion of the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) as the optimal electronic messaging structure for airline system connectivity used in content distribution. In support of this purpose, the Open AXIS Group intends to adopt, promote, enhance and maintain standardized XML schema tailored to the airline industry that is capable of delivering comprehensive functionality to both the supply and demand sides of the travel supply chain on a worldwide basis. Follow Open AXIS Group on Twitter (@OpenAXISGroup), become a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/OpenAXISGroup) or connect on LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/companies/open-AXIS-group). Find out more, become a member or register and download the Open AXIS Group’s schema at www.openAXISgroup.org.

 

Media Contacts:

Terry Hrynyshyn

Echo Communications (for Open AXIS Group)

+1 416-302-8581

[email protected]

 

Valyn Perini

OpenTravel Alliance

+1 603 957 0069

[email protected]