Travelport's New Tech Chief Aims to Modernize How Agencies Book Trips

Andrew Jordan arrived at Travelport six months ago with a mission to reduce the frustrations travel management companies have with the software their agents use.

The new chief product and technology officer has worked previously at Carlson Wagonlit Travel, where he led technology transformation at the $27 billion travel management company.

That experience, he said, taught him what agencies actually need from the global distribution systems like Travelport, which they use to book trips for road warriors.

"The number of conversations I will have with customers where I start to talk their language and they go, 'Finally, finally, somebody on the GDS [global distribution system] side now understands us,'" Jordan said in his first media interview since joining the company. "I've lived their life."

Relations with travel agencies matter because Travelport faces competition, having recently lost accounts with BCD Travel, World Travel, and Gary Dawes Travel.

Jordan acknowledged those losses but noted that customer turnover is normal in business. This year, Travelport won business with Costco Travel and RateHawk, and it expanded its partnership with Chase Travel Group.

"I feel very confident about the support of customers that we've got," he said, adding that he's "very confident" about the company's pipeline of customers.

Travelport operates one of four major global distribution systems that airlines, hotels, and car rental companie