What is the role of distribution in revenue management? - Past and future

In this article, we review the role of distribution in revenue management (RM) in the airline industry over the last 50 years, describing the evolution of these systems and providing evidence for their interdependence. With the omnipresence of the Internet, the proliferation of mobile communication devices and the growing trend of personalized retailing, the benefits of the distributor middleman are being questioned; airlines can access customers through their own websites and dynamically package best offers. In this fast changing environment, we discuss our vision for the future roles of RM and distribution.