Galileo International, a leading global distribution services (GDS)
company and subsidiary of Cendant Corporation , 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.”

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.”

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 and part of Cendant`s Travel Distribution Services Division,
Galileo is headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, and has offices worldwide.

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