TUI Airline has become the first carrier to activate GO7’s airline-controlled connection model, known as Orchestrated Virtual Interlining (OVI). The launch lets TUI Airline customers combine two flights into a single journey, with baggage checked through the entire route, while TUI Airline keeps full control of pricing, settlement, operations and the customer relationship.
The move addresses a trade-off that has long shaped connecting itineraries. Airlines wanting to offer combined journeys have typically had to choose between asking passengers to travel without checked baggage, requiring them to collect and re-check bags themselves, or investing in complex legacy interline infrastructure. GO7’s model is built to remove that friction without requiring airlines to change the systems they already run on.
For TUI Airline, that meant connecting its existing New Skies passenger service system into GO7’s environment without changing the systems its operation already depends on. The solution is PSS-agnostic, a detail that matters for airlines wary of the cost and risk of swapping core systems just to unlock new network capability.
The stack behind the launch includes ThruBag, GO7’s patent-protected baggage transfer technology, and ConnectProtect, an optional disruption guarantee offering parametric cash payouts when connections are missed. Settlement runs through the IATA Clearing House or GO7’s Splitpayment option, and the model allows aligned ancillaries and coordinated retail offers across partner carriers.
Peter Glade, Chief Commercial Officer at TUI Airline, said the airline wanted to extend its reach and sell beyond its own network without ceding control of the customer experience. GO7 CEO Adam Weiss framed the launch as evidence that airlines no longer need to choose between reach and responsibility, while GO7 Chief Distribution Officer Peer Winter described OVI as connectivity built around full ancillary retailing on every segment and end-to-end disruption handling, an approach GO7 says was developed originally for the Value Alliance and now runs on the GO7 Hub.
TUI Airline and GO7 said they intend to deepen the partnership beyond this initial go-live, treating the launch as a foundation for broader network growth.
