Emirates' Etihad partners with Swiss blockchain platform Winding Tree

Etihad Airways, the United Arab Emirates’ national carrier, said Thursday it has teamed up with open-source travel platform Winding Tree to explore using blockchain to distribute products and services without the need for third parties such as Sabre. Etihad is one of several airlines and hotels that have partnered with Switzerland-based Winding Tree over the last few years to bypass intermediaries using the distributed ledger technology. Those include Air Canada, Air France-KLM, and Lufthansa, as well as aviation services company Swissport, and hotels such as Nordic Choice, citizenM Hotel chain, and Airport Hotel Basel. “Winding Tree is obviously our distribution (platform) and that’s an opportunity for us to disrupt a traditionally siloed market dominated by major distribution systems,” said Tristan Thomas, Etihad’s director of digital and innovation. “Very few have chosen to disrupt the distribution world and that’s because those are major players with very significant margins that have acted to keep that kind of a closed shop.” Currently, global distribution systems (GDS) such as Amadeus and Sabre employ real-time inventory technology to compile data on flights and rooms for travel agents or corporate travel bookers. Winding Tree’s platform will allow corporates and institutions like airlines and hotels to publish available inventory to those customers directly.<br/>