When BTN first identified Davidson as among the 2018 Most
Influential, there was one thing we didn't know, that Farelogix was in
late-stage talks to be acquired by global distribution system provider Sabre.
Even without that piece, Davidson was a shoe-in for the list, thanks to the
momentum behind the International Air Transport Association's New Distribution
Capability and the role his company has played in that momentum: When American
Airlines, Emirates, Lufthansa Group and Qantas Airways pipe NDC content, it's
Farelogix technology supporting it. He told BTN Group's The Beat this summer
that, aside from the number of providers using Farelogix technology, the
company enabled "more than half" of total active NDC volume.
In terms of the November announcement that Sabre will
acquire Farelogix, it's a curious moment for Davidson: moving back into the GDS
environment. Once an executive with Amadeus, Davidson went the other way with
Farelogix, which became synonymous with "GDS-bypass." As CEO, he was
an outspoken agitator against GDS dominance. Before the Sabre/Farelogix
announcement, though, Davidson spoke of a sea change in distribution
collaboration and said he saw the industry working to put archaic protocols and
antagonism behind it. "That's the gorilla sitting on my sofa,"
Davidson told BTN in October. "I keep asking myself, 'We're friends now?'"
Indeed, the GDS community has done an about-face as it eyes
opportunities presented by NDC. An Amadeus IT Group executive declared in October
that Amadeus had "not seen any players having a vision of going as far as
we are prepared to go, which is [to] deliver the detailed reporting, the
ability to service the bookings and support duty of care."
While Sabre's Farelogix acquisition won't change
that vision for Amadeus or any other GDS, installing active NDC capabilities
with Farelogix should catapult Sabre to industry-leading NDC status; it
previously might have been perceived as relatively disengaged. Sabre was the
last of the major GDSs to achieve IATA NDC Level 3 certification, in September.
That perception changes dramatically now.