ATLANTA, October 21, 2002—Worldspan today announced a
groundbreaking technology partnership with FareChase, Inc., the leading
provider of Web automation solutions for the travel industry, to provide
Worldspan travel agencies and Worldspan Trip Manager®
customers unparalleled access and full booking functionality for airline Web
fares. Utilizing FareChase Web AutomationÔ
technology under a new licensing agreement, Worldspan is making Web fares as
easy to view and book as published and negotiated fares, all in a single
platform.
New FareChase technology will offer Worldspan users
around the world access to travel inventory from more than 150 travel Web
sites, including fares previously unavailable through global distribution
systems. Users can compare and book Internet fares from major North American
and European carriers as well as leading international low-cost airlines.
Integration of FareChase technology into the Worldspan system and Worldspan
Trip Manager is underway, with full deployment expected later this year.
In the months following initial implementation,
responding to new airline trends, Worldspan will also deploy FareChase User
Recognition System (URS) technology. URS allows travel agents and corporate
travel managers to automate access to their accounts on airline Web sites.
With URS, Worldspan users will be able to access Web-only fares while still
taking advantage of ARC reporting and commission payment offered through
various airline sites.
In addition, Worldspan’s new Web fare solution allows
users to integrate itineraries booked through the system into their
back-office system.
“With the new integrated Web fare solution announced
today, Worldspan travel agents and Trip Manager users can book with complete
confidence, knowing they found the best fare available, without spending extra
time searching the Internet. Our corporate customers are able to select their
level of participation in this new functionality, from the total corporation
down to individual travelers, providing their employees with still greater
choice,” said Mike Parks, senior vice president and general manager –
Worldwide Travel Distribution for Worldspan. “Our new partnership with
FareChase keeps Worldspan out in front in delivering Web automation and other
state-of-the-art technology our travel agency partners and corporate customers
need.”
The ability to access and book airline Web fares directly through the Worldspan system means more options for users and broader marketing reach for air carriers. JetBlue was among the first carriers to applaud the move.
We welcome Worldspan’s use of FareChase technology to
access fares from JetBlue.com for
its users,” said Tim Claydon, Vice President – Sales and Distribution for
JetBlue. “This real-time search capability will enable travel agents and
corporate travel managers to book, track and report JetBlue’s low fares,
which were not previously available to Worldspan customers. This solution
also allows JetBlue to accommodate the needs of the agency and corporate
markets without compromising our low cost model.”
“Worldspan has listened carefully to its customers and responded impressively. Fast, easy access to all key data, including Web fares, will ensure that all Worldspan users can find the fares they need while reducing confusion from use of multiple databases and platforms,” said Krista Pappas, Senior Vice President for FareChase. “Implementing FareChase’s latest software allows for the fastest, most comprehensive instant delivery of global fares with a seamless user experience and full reporting capabilities.”
About FareChase, Inc.
Farechase, Inc. is the leading provider of real-time Web automation technology for the travel industry. Established in 1999, the management team consists of Lior Delgo, President; Ofer Shaked, CTO; Boaz Behar, VP, R&D, and Krista Pappas, Senior Vice President. Motti Kirschenbaum, Chairman of the Board, is developer of the High Tech Center, Ben Gurion Airport, Israel. Other Board members: Bill Burgess, Managing Director, DB Capital/Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB) Hanan Gilutz, co-founder of Orbotech, Ltd. (NASDAQ: ORBK), Alex Wilmerding, Principal, Boston Capital Ventures, and Lior Delgo, President. For a travel enterprise demonstration, visit www.farechase.com.
Worldspan provides global electronic distribution of
travel information, Internet products and connectivity, and electronic
commerce capabilities for travel agencies, travel service providers and
corporations worldwide. The company's three lines of business are travel
supplier services, e-commerce, and global distribution systems for the
worldwide travel industry. The Worldspan reservations system provides nearly 20,000
travel agencies and other users worldwide with travel data and booking
capabilities for hundreds of the world's leading travel supplier services.
Worldspan is the market leader in e-commerce for the travel industry,
processing more than 50 percent of all online travel agency bookings. The
company maintains world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Worldspan is owned
by affiliates of Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL), Northwest Airlines
(NASDAQ: NWAC) and American Airlines. Additional information is available at www.worldspan.com.
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CONTACT: Patricia Cooledge, Worldspan, 770-563-7885,
email: patricia.cooledge@worldspan.com
Jeffrey Hodes, FareChase, Inc., (646) 452-0660
email: jeff@farechase.com