Galileo International
has today announced the launch of fully automated Airline Private Fares for international itineraries. 
Galileo`s comprehensive faring system, now called Galileo 360¡ Fares, consists of both fully automated domestic and international Airline Private Fares, North American Public Fares, Web Fares, Consolidator Fares and Agency Private Fares. This move signals the end of manual fare rule loading and positions Galileo as the first and only GDS to be able to offer a complete suite of fully automated private fares.

Airline Private Fares enables airlines to file fare data to Galileo using more automated Airline Tariff Publishing Company (ATPCo) rule categories than any other GDS, including fully automated and validated Fare by Rule `Category 25` and Negotiated Fares `Category 35` fares. This new solution allows for the latest domestic and now, international airline private fare data to be available sooner to Galileo customers than any other GDS for fare pricing and shopping after the airline originally posts them with ATPCo. The data, filed by the airlines and transmitted from ATPCo to Galileo, is received completely electronically, removing the need for any manual intervention.  Upon use of these fares by Galileo customers, the fares are fully validated for all rule provisions ensuring proper fare pricing and further reducing debit memos.

 

“This groundbreaking fares offering delivers the most accurate and comprehensive faring system in the industry today and represents a multi-million dollar investment by Galileo,” said Mitch Gross
, executive vice president of Galileo`s Americas region.  “This is a true industry first. We are continually looking for ways to improve how we manage and deliver content. Working closely with our airline and agency partners, we are now able to deliver a complete suite of fully automated fares solutions that considerably improves accuracy and efficiency of fares loading providing our agents with a competitive edge,” added Gross.

 

Galileo customers will now have access to the broadest set of fares upon filing by the airlines, which will enable them to instantly leverage special fares promotions and sell more complex itineraries.  Galileo 360¡ Fares supports more fare options, greater fare details and is fully automated which will decrease agency transaction processing costs.  As part of an overall effort to completely automate fares loading, Galileo 360¡ Fares provides significant benefits:

 

Faster time to market for new and adjusted fare and fare-related conditions, allowing agencies to be more efficient, more competitive
Virtual elimination of discrepancies caused by manual input of rules

The first phase of Galileo 360¡ Fares launched in December 2001 with the introduction of North American Public Fares along with North American Airline Private Fares. Airline Private Fares for International fares is the second phase of Galileo 360¡ Fares. A release date for international public fares will be announced later in 2003.

 

Galileo 360¡ Fares directly answer the demands of both the travel agent and the airline. The two key drivers are accuracy of data and speed of availability or distribution.

 

“This latest enhancement to our Fares product is the result of our strategic use of open architecture,” said Mickey Lutz
, senior vice president and chief information officer of Galileo.  “These solutions and the technology behind them are critical to the future of the industry and give us a strong competitive advantage. We continue to be significantly ahead of our competition in delivering new technology solutions that solve complex faring needs, ” Lutz added.

 

The Galileo 360¡ Fares program also offers many benefits to airlines enabling them to be more responsive and provide more robust support of their pricing and market planning programs.  Further, Galileo 360¡ Fares can reduce airline costs by streamlining the fare filing process as well as increasing fare integrity.

Related stories on ITN:

(20/07/2003) Galileo Expands Momentum with Aloha Airlines

(17/06/2003) Travelfusion Announces Strategic Alliance with Galileo

(22/05/2003) Galileo Fully Automates Private Fares Distribution

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