USE CASES

Many companies are already actively rolling out blockchain solutions. Here is a list of those business travel sector initiatives, although this is not an exhaustive list:

Aeropaye – Developing a smart flight refund engine for TMCs and passengers on delayed flights, integrating distributed ledger technology, smart contract components and NDC protocol. Refunds will be automatic [30].

American Airlines – The airline teamed up with blockchain firm Winding Tree, with EY as the corporate buyer, trialling booking flights by cutting out middle-men such as the GDS’. EY will use Winding Tree’s decentralised marketplace platform to book travel. Air Canada is using it too [31].

Chain4Travel – A Swiss consortium has developed a blockchain where the participants themselves determine the amount of transaction fees [32]. The aim is to build a blockchain-based, stable and secure platform for B2B travel products. Their blockchain is called Camino.

Etherisc’s Flight Delay – This is one of the first decentralised insurance apps that allows travellers to insure their flight against delays or cancellations and guarantees immediate pay outs right after landing [33].

FlyCoin – This is a cryptocurrency-based travel rewards technology company. It pays guests every time they fly or transact with partners. It relies on blockchain, allowing permission-less transfer and exchange of points. It’s one of the first of its kind [34].

Kuoni Business Travel – In Switzerland, it’s partnered with Bitcoin payment service provider BitPay to enable cryptocurrency payments for its services. The idea is to meet the need for greater digital and crypto payments [35].

IBM’s Digital Health Pass – This has been integrated into Amadeus’ Traveler ID for Safe Travel digital health verification solution. Credentials are verified using a combination of encryption and blockchain technologies [36].

Melia Hotels – One of the world’s first hotel companies to apply ‘environmental blockchain’ to offset its carbon emissions through a partnership with Climatetrade, which uses blockchain, allowing companies to offset their CO2 [37].

Travala – This UK-based OTA uses blockchain. It has an NFT-based rewards system and is now accessing airline content directly through the NDC standard. By connecting directly to airlines’ reservation systems, rather than using a GDS, it offers competitive pricing [38].

Travel ledger – A UK-based electronic invoice and remittance system for the travel industry, which is industry owned. Comparable to IATA’s BSP it aims to highly automate the travel purchasing process along the entire distribution chain using blockchain technology [39].

Travelport – It’s considered blockchain to enhance the commission reconciliation process. Working with IBM Services, as well as a number of high-profile hotel chains [40].

TravelX – It allows airlines and travel suppliers to tokenise inventory and is creating one of the world's first NFT flight ticket series. The company's technology could allow travel suppliers to manage their inventory using more efficiently blockchain [41].

TUI Group – The company is a firm believer in blockchain. BedSwap is its in-house private blockchain-powered project, which sees TUI place its own hotel inventory on a DLT to assess demand, moving 100 million bed nights. It shifts inventories between different points of sale in real-time [42].

Winding Tree – The company allows airlines and hotels to distribute their products to travel agents directly using blockchain. Through its open-source infrastructure, it hopes to drive a new era of industry-wide developer collaboration. Etihad has partnered with this Swiss blockchain [43].

If we manage to identify the real opportunity there is with blockchain, and we have the technical capabilities to implement it, then we have a chance to drive real change.

Ilan Twig, TripActions Co-Founder and CTO