e-Travel Upgrades Aergo (Global)

Enhancements to world’s most widely deployed online solution for managed business travel mean more control for corporations and more choice for travellers

Madrid – 14 April 2003 – e-Travel, the global leader in online travel solutions and the e-commerce unit of Amadeus, today announced the launch of e-Travel® Aergo (Global) V4.3, the latest version of its online travel booking tool for corporations and travel agencies.

Aergo is the world’s most widely deployed online solution for global managed travel. It is currently in use in over 20 countries, enabling employees in more than 250 corporations to plan and book complete travel itineraries — according to the guidelines set by their companies and within a secure online environment. Corporations using Aergo save up to 30 per cent on their annual travel expenditure and typically see a full return on their investment in the year of implementation.

Aergo (Global) V4.3 brings enhanced travel policy management and sophisticated localisation features.

Expanded travel policy options give corporations more control and flexibility over the management of business travel, further helping them gain best value from their travel and entertainment expenditure. A new ‘back-up policy’ function includes a set of secondary fare rules which returns ‘second best’ available fares when the main policy does not produce satisfactory travel choices.

As security is becoming increasingly more important within corporations, e-Travel has applied enhanced controls on the creation of user IDs, passwords and the use of these identifiers to provide access to Aergo in order to make bookings.

Nadine Dewart, EMEA Travel Manager for BMC Software, a leading provider of enterprise management software, said: “More flexibility over our policy means we have a wider choice of good value fares — but we still have control.”

Available in 20 different languages (including German, English, Finnish, Norwegian, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese) and enabling specific single country features like rail fares, Aergo (Global) already offers an unrivaled degree of localisation. Through a recent agreement with SNCF French Rail, French corporations and travel agencies can now manage and book rail travel online via Aergo. Aergo also enables customers travelling by Eurostar or by UK domestic rail to access Byrail’s online database of rail schedules, seat availabilities and prices in real time and book rail travel.

The new release brings even more localised content, allowing Aergo to support single country air fares initiatives including Lufthansa ETIX, SAS Epass and Travel Pass, and Air France Carte Abonnés.

Ian Wheeler, Managing Director, e-Travel, said “We are continually adding new features and functionality to Aergo to meet the evolving requirements of our customers, and keep Aergo ahead of trends in the fast-moving travel industry. The latest version of Aergo has something for everyone. Corporations value its enhanced control and flexibility. And with added choice and convenience, we are confident V4.3 will drive even higher rates of end-user adoption — a critical factor for corporations intent on realising the full cost savings available from managed travel.”

About e-Travel

e-Travel, the e-commerce business unit of Amadeus Global Travel Distribution, SA, is the leading global provider of online travel technology. It provides e-commerce solutions for airlines, corporations, travel agencies, and other online travel businesses, and is dedicated to its customers’ net success. e-Travel serves customers in more than 40 countries, including corporations like Airbus, DaimlerChrysler, Gateway, Ingersoll-Rand Company, Oracle Corporation, as well as travel suppliers like Air France, Iberia, and Qantas, and online agencies like Opodo.

Parent company Amadeus Global Travel Distribution SA is the leading global distribution system (GDS) and technology provider serving the marketing, sales, and distribution needs of the world’s travel and tourism industries.

For more information about e-Travel, please visit www.e-travel.com

Contact:
e-Travel, Inc.

Corporate and Marketing Communication

Amadeus Global Travel Distribution

Tel : +34 91 582 0160

Fax : +34 91 582 0188

[email protected]