Worldspan e-Pricing is expanding with the introduction of substantial new
features for standard level subscribers in the United States and Canada.
Travel agencies, airlines, Web sites and corporations using the solution
are receiving twice the number of low-fare itinerary options in a single
search to destinations worldwide. The boost from 10 travel options up to a
maximum of 20 represents the highest comparable return rate of any low-fare
shopping solution in the industry. Standard level users have also gained
access to Flex One-Day shopping, a value-added e-Pricing tool that enables
travel buyers to retrieve lower fares by searching one day before and one
day after the original departure and return dates.
  “We are intent on increasing our customers’ success and satisfaction by
continuing to expand the travel industry’s most advanced GDS-independent
shopping technology,” said Kathy Fitzpatrick, vice president - North
America for Worldspan. “Enhancements such as these provide Worldspan
customers the lowest-fare shopping tools available, and help them create
additional revenue opportunities and grow their businesses using the
premier fare shopping technology.”
  Shopping efficiency grows with the ability to instantly retrieve a
broader range of flight and fare options. This benefits travel retailers
and online travel buyers by offering increased choices in one search.
Additionally, airlines’ valuable inventory is protected with e-Pricing
through Worldspan’s exclusive Intellicache processing, which reduces the
number of electronic availability requests hitting airline systems during
shopping requests. Flex One-Day introduces a powerful new shopping tool to
standard level users. This time- and cost-saving tool delivers significant
value in fulfilling leisure travel requests for the least expensive travel
options. Of course, e-Pricing users at higher subscription levels continue
to have access to hundreds of low fare itinerary options to destinations
worldwide, and a full suite of flexible shopping tools.
  Flex One-Day shopping is a component of the value-added e-Pricing Flex
Shopping Options suite, a selection of robust tools giving users the power
to shop low fares based on flexible travel dates and destinations. The
suite also includes Flex More-Days (expands searches by one, two or three
days before and/or after the original departure and return dates); Flex
Weekend (searches Thursday, Friday and Saturday departures with Sunday,
Monday and Tuesday returns for the whole month of travel); Flex O&D
(searches up to six alternate airports in a 100-mile radius of the origin
or destination); and Flex Airports (searches up to six alternate airports
as defined by the user for both the origin or destination).
  An independent 2005 study conducted by Topaz International revealed
that Worldspan e-Pricing found the lowest available airfares significantly
more often than competitive GDS solutions. In the study, each shopping tool
searched all airlines that fly in the most popular U.S. travel markets, as
well as all possible airfare combinations, based upon low airfares, nonstop
flights, direct flights, and any creative connections representing
opportunities to drive down itinerary prices. The Topaz study compared the
performance of each shopping tool in finding lowest airfares on 99 U.S.
domestic city pairs. In the overall results, Worldspan obtained the lowest
fares 79 percent of the time, Sabre 61 percent of the time, and Amadeus 23
percent of the time. Additionally, 89 percent of the time Worldspan was at
or within $1 of the lowest fare found.

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