American Airlines Selects Amadeus e-Travel as E-commerce Provider in Asia Pacific Expansion

Bangkok, 7th June 2005: Amadeus e-Travel, the global leader in online travel solutions and the e-commerce business unit of Amadeus, today announced that American Airlines has launched their Japanese website, powered by Internet Self-Service engine e-Travel^® Planitgo. Putting the traveller firmly at the centre of their online sales strategy, Planitgo allows the airline to reduce costs and increase online yield.

Mr.Theo Panagiotoulias, Managing Director Japan, American Airlines, said “Amadeus is an IT solutions provider with the track record and market knowledge necessary to understand where customer-centric online faring technology is heading and best tailor that to our expansion strategy in Asia Pacific. Within two and a half months of signing the contract, Amadeus delivered a fully customized website in Japanese, fast tracking us to success in Japan.”

Japan, Australia, and Hong Kong have been classified by Nielsen/NetRatings* as “emerging online markets” having demonstrated double-digit growth in time spent by householders online in the last year. Specifically, Japanese spent 12% more time on the web at home in 2004 compared to the previous year, showing key potential for online travel sales in that market.

Peter Smith, Vice President, Amadeus e-Travel Asia Pacific, said, “Amadeus e-Travel’s commitment to the airlines’ success in Japan is reflected by the strong take-up of our industry-leading solution that can be translated into 21 languages. www.aal.co.jp, powered by Planitgo is American Airlines’ portal to a bright future in Asia Pacific and with American’s plans to add routes in Japan and eventually in China, Amadeus e-Travel is excited to be part of their expansion in the region.”

American Airlines joins five other airlines with Japanese websites powered by e-Travel Planitgo, including Air France, Cathay Pacific Airways, Korean Air, Philippine Airlines and Thai Airways. These airlines join more than sixty airlines worldwide currently benefiting from one of the most widely adopted Internet Self-Service engines worldwide.

Planitgo is part of Amadeus’s suite of IT solutions for airlines, which includes Amadeus’ unique community based sales and reservation platform concept for airlines (Altéa Sell), with its global reach and state-of-the-art technology, enables carriers to outsource their airport and city ticket office sales and reservation services, while maintaining control of all core and commercially sensitive functions. In parallel, through Altéa Sell, airlines distribute their offer to travel agents, corporate travel professionals and online channels.

*Nielsen//NetRatings Global NetView Analysis, excluding Internet Applications and Proprietary Channels, March 2005

Notes to the editors:

e-Travel

e-Travel, the e-commerce business unit of Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry. It provides e-commerce solutions to airlines, corporations, travel agencies and other online travel businesses, and is dedicated to its customers net success. e-Travel serves customers in 90 countries including corporations such as Airbus, DaimlerChrysler and Oracle Corporation, airlines and travel suppliers such as Air France, Iberia and Qantas, and online agencies such as Opodo. Parent company Amadeus Global Travel Distribution S.A. 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 further information, please visit our Web site at www.e-travel.com

Contact details:
Sebastian Beaumont
Marque Consulting
Tel: +66 2 305 8112
E-mail: [email protected]

Paul Martin
Amadeus Asia Pacific
Tel: +66 2 305 8181
E-mail: [email protected]