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Sue Powers
CIO and Sr. Vice President
Worldwide Product Solutions
GDSs TodayThe Myths, Fables and Fairy Tales
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Once upon a time…
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The Emperors Have No Clothes!
Myth #1: GNEs are a viable alternative to GDSs
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GNEs are
Limited Travel Distributors
The Reality…
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“GNEs are not viable. Agencies and
airlines alike need a strong, viable
system that provides all of the content
we need in one, easy-to-use place.”
Robert PolkCEO Polk Majestic Travel GroupAs quoted in The Beat
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• Proven solutions developed through years ofinnovation
• Reliable and comprehensive– Process more than 17,000 messages per second with
response times of less than an second
– Offer customers one billion combinations with more than 750airlines
– Offer 95% available airline seats worldwide
– Offer rooms in all price ranges with more than 50,000 hotelproperties
– Offer rental cars at more than 30,000 car rental locations
GDSs Offer Full-Scale Operations
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LTDs use the newest technology
and GDSs use legacy technology
Myth #2
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GDSs Invented e-Pricing Solutions
Revolutionarynext- generation
server- basedfare search engine
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LTDs will lower airline distribution
fees and provide airlines with
new distribution tools because
they use newer technology
Myth #3
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LTDs don’t really lower prices, they just shift costs
– Ticketing and PNR in airlines system
– Agents must use multiple systems
– Inducements??
Reality: GDSs Provide Value andComprehensive Distribution Services to
Airlines
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• Fuel surcharge automation (YQ/YR)
– GDSs collected $5.7 billion in surcharge revenuein January 2006
• E-Ticketing interchanges will achieve 2007 electronicticketing worldwide, saving the airlines $3 billion a year
GDSs Respond to and Deliveron Airline Needs
It’s all about value delivered
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LTDs give travel agents
the tools to be successful
and GDSs don’t
Myth #4
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Reality: GDSs are Customer-Focused andProvide Unmatched Capabilities
Reliable, secure systems with a
99.9% assurance of connectivity
Interline capabilities
Guaranteed airline pricing
Customer service support
Highest security for personal
data
Group capabilities
Localized content for nearly
every major city worldwide
Accurate and comprehensive
fares and pricing systems
worldwide
Sophisticated low-fare search
technologies
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Powerful agency desk-topportals provide comprehensiveaccess to all content andbooking capabilities
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GDSs are the REAL Innovators
• Broadest possible content
• Innovative rapid response platforms
• Industry-first technology
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Sometimes When You Kiss a Frog….
…It Just Stays a Frog
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The Moral to our Story……
“Do not denounce the genuine,
only to applaud an imitation.”
- Aesop