The Next Phase of Airline Retailing: Takeaways from ECTAA Travel Distribution Summit
The ECTAA Travel Distribution Summit 2026 brought together airlines, travel sellers, technology providers and distribution
For decades, the Global Distribution System (GDS) was the undisputed backbone of travel. It provided a centralised, efficient way for agents to book flights, and for years, that was enough. But as we move through 2026, the industry has shifted and a more sophisticated form of retailing is required to keep up with buyer demand.
In 2026, relying solely on legacy infrastructure is like trying to run a high-end digital platform using a 1990s spreadsheet. It works, but it can’t handle the complexity, speed, or personalisation that travel agents, tour operators and OTAs need to remain competitive.
Here we explore why traditional retailing methods have reached the ceiling, and what comes next.
1. Empowering travel sellers
Today’s travellers don’t just want a seat; they want a personalised journey. To win their loyalty, sellers need the ability to seamlessly offer and manage complex ancillary requests, from specific seat assignments and extra baggage to specialised sports equipment, all within a single workflow.
While legacy systems often create “content gaps” that force agents into manual workarounds, the industry must work towards truly normalised distribution that integrates these rich offers. Travel agents and OTAs want a system that allows them to say “yes” to every customer request and maximise Average Booking Value (ABV).
2. The domination of low cost content
Low-cost content continues to dominate the market for travel sellers who dynamically package or require a diverse range of route options. However, as these carriers traditionally bypass legacy distribution models in favour of direct connectivity, the market has become increasingly fragmented. Traditional retailing methods are simply unequipped to handle the unique complexities of low-cost models, which is why data normalisation is no longer optional. By normalising disparate data into a single, high-performance stream, Paxport eliminates technical friction.
3. Fully integrated journeys
Our data demonstrates that booking success rates increase significantly when Paxport manages the payment alongside the content. By leveraging suppliers such as Pax2Pay for fully integrated payment processing, we unify the retail experience and remove the most common points of failure in the transaction lifecycle.
This seamless integration ensures that travel sellers don’t just find the right fare, but successfully convert it into a confirmed booking.
4. Precision that drives dynamic packaging
Dynamic pricing is non-negotiable, and relying on static filed fares no longer serves the needs of many travel sellers. Paxport solves this by driving dynamic packaging with highly accurate Cache data, delivering fast results that reflect true live pricing to eliminate price-drift.
The future is more than just a connection…
At Paxport, we are proud to be different. We recognise that traditional retailing methods are a piece of the puzzle, but it isn’t the whole picture. Our approach ensures our customers have strategic agility with our products thanks to our focus on:
- Data Normalisation: We take the fragmented LCC and NDC feeds and “normalise” them so they work perfectly within your existing workflow.
- The Value of Connection: We don’t just provide the tech; we provide a partnership that helps you understand how to retail these new offers effectively.
- Future-Proofing: As AI and machine learning become embedded in travel tech, the ability to process these dynamic offers in real-time becomes a critical competitive advantage. Travel sellers must look toward platforms that can bridge the gap between legacy reliability and modern retailing innovation.
It’s time for the industry to level-up. In an era where customers demand instant, Amazon-like efficiency, a traditional-only approach leaves travel sellers unable to offer the full breadth of the market, ultimately handing a competitive advantage to those who have embraced a more diversified, normalised distribution strategy.
