PARSIPPANY, N.J., Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Galileo International, a leading
global distribution services (GDS) company and subsidiary of Cendant
Corporation (NYSE: CD), today commended U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman
Y. Mineta, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Bush Administration
for taking bold action to deregulate the airline computer reservation system
(CRS) industry. Samuel L. Katz, chairman and chief executive officer of
Cendant's Travel Distribution Services Division said, "The DOT's move is pro
consumer and pro competition, and comes at a pivotal time for the airline
industry. Airline passengers, airlines and CRSs will all benefit from the
robust competition that deregulation will generate."
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020729/GALILEOLOGO2 )
In anticipation of the government's move to deregulate the industry,
Galileo -- working closely with its airline partners -- took significant steps
during the past year to maximize its competitiveness in a deregulated CRS
environment. "Galileo is well positioned to continue providing our travel
agency customers with the widest selection and best fares over the long term,"
Katz said. "Over the past few months, we have secured full fare-content
agreements with all six of the leading U.S. airlines and launched several new
technology solutions for our customers that help them add revenue."
The company's new Preferred Fares Select (PFS) program -- launched last
July -- provides Galileo-connected agencies in the U.S. with access to
participating airlines' publicly available fares. This competitive content
includes all fares the airlines sell through any CRS, third-party Web sites or
their own Web sites and reservation offices. American Airlines, Continental
Airlines, Delta Airlines, Northwest Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways
each committed to participate in the PFS program for three years. Yesterday,
Galileo also announced a new pricing agreement with British Airways, which
secures full content for its subscribers on a global basis. Galileo is also
providing its subscribers with a range of new solutions and capabilities for
increasing revenue as the travel industry evolves, including Galileo Web!
Hotels, desktop access to merchant hotel rates and Galileo NeatAgent, a
dynamic packaging tool that enables agents to set both the final retail price
and profit margin on customized travel packages created by combining
discounted airline, car and hotel rates.
Katz said, "Galileo's recent airline agreements directly benefit airline
passengers and travel agents by providing greater choice and lower fares, and
they benefit airlines by increasing distribution of published fares while
decreasing related fees to airlines. We have also expanded the tools and
services available to our travel agency customers to enable them to transform
themselves into travel merchants and profit centers that are better positioned
to compete in the changing marketplace. As the global travel industry
continues to evolve, we will continue to work closely with travel suppliers
and distributors and introduce more innovative solutions that help them remain
competitive, productive and profitable."
About Galileo International
Galileo International (http://www.galileo.com) is a global technology
leader. Its core business is providing electronic global distribution
services for the travel industry through its computerized reservation systems,
leading-edge products and innovative, Internet-based solutions. Galileo is a
value-added distributor of travel inventory dedicated to supporting its travel
supplier, agency and corporate customers and, through them, expanding traveler
choice. A subsidiary of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD) and part of Cendant's
Travel Distribution Services Division, Galileo is headquartered in Parsippany,
NJ, and has offices worldwide.
About Cendant Travel Distribution Services Division
Cendant's Travel Distribution Services Division is one of the world's
largest and most geographically diverse collections of travel distribution
businesses. The division, employing some 5,000 people in more than 115
countries, includes: Galileo, a leading global distribution services (GDS)
company, serving more than 47,000 travel agencies and over 54,000 hotels;
hotel distribution and services businesses (Trust, THOR, WizCom and Neat);
leading travel agencies, including Cheap Tickets and Lodging.com; an airline
market intelligence company; and Travelport, a provider of global corporate
travel management solutions.
SOURCE Galileo International
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Related links:
http://www.galileo.com
Photo Notes:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020729/GALILEOLOGO2
CONTACT:
John Kiker, VP-Corporate Communications of
Cendant Travel Distribution Services, +1-973-496-8373,
john.kiker@cendant.com
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