MONTREAL, Oct. 24, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada today announced it has signed a letter of intent to participate in a blockchain-based, decentralized open-source travel distribution platform being developed by the Swiss start-up, Winding Tree.

The complexity of the current travel distribution landscape can deter new entrants and innovation in the distribution and sale of air travel products. Winding Tree intends to address this complexity by developing a decentralized, open-source platform for travel distribution to provide greater access to inventory directly from suppliers.

"We are pleased to be participating with Winding Tree in this innovative project for a new travel distribution channel," said Keith Wallis, Director of Global Product Distribution for Air Canada. "As Canada's largest airline, and a global leader in innovative airline distribution solutions, Air Canada recognizes the importance of leveraging this next generation technology. We plan to integrate Air Canada's Direct Connect API with Winding Tree's public blockchain platform, giving blockchain-savvy users the ability to access our content directly from the source."

"As the first North American carrier to work with Winding Tree's public blockchain platform, Air Canada is showing itself to be a real leader in innovation," said Pedro Anderson, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Winding Tree. "We are excited to have their valuable collaboration in creating the ideal developer experience and their ongoing feedback along the way as we build an open environment for travel distribution."

About Air Canada

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 220 airports on six continents. Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2017 served more than 48 million customers. Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 64 airports in Canada, 59 in the United States and 98 in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,317 airports in 193 countries. Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax, which also named Air Canada the 2017 Best Airline in North America. Air Canada was also named the 2018 Eco-Airline of the Year by the respected airline industry publication Air Transport World in its 44th Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards for its commitment to emissions reductions through supporting the development of alternative fuels, its numerous green programs and partnerships, and being the first airline worldwide to voluntarily join the World Bank's IMF Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition. For more information, please visit: aircanada.com/media, follow @AirCanada on Twitter and join Air Canada on Facebook. 

About Winding Tree

Founded in 2017, Winding Tree is a blockchain-based, decentralized, open-source travel distribution platform striving to make travel cheaper for the end user, while making it more profitable for suppliers. An open market with open competition means no exorbitant transaction fees and no barriers for entry. Moreover, Winding Tree allows small companies to compete with big players, finally bringing innovation back into the travel industry.

SOURCE Air Canada

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