Opodo
 

European Airlines To Go On-Line

Nine European airlines today unveiled plans to move into the online travel market with the launch later this year of a new online travel service, selling flights and other travel products direct to the consumer.

The new travel service, named Opodo, has been created as an independent business as a result of a joint venture between Aer Lingus, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, KLM and Lufthansa.

The nine airlines expect Opodo to become the market leader in European online travel - a market currently worth EUR 6.1 billion and estimated to grow to EUR 40.9 billion by 2005.



http://news.airwise.com/stories/2001/06/993586132.html

Its technology partners include US company Sapient, Energis and computer reservation system Amadeus will provide the country-specific booking systems. A full European roll-out is set to take place throughout 2002 and 2003.

The name “opodo” was taken from “opportunity to do".

Please also see:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/002767.html

AND:

Online airlines experience regulatory turbulence

Opodo.com - a joint venture between some of the world's leading airlines - is on a crash course with regulators over claims the site will be anti-competitive.


http://www.silicon.com/public/door?R...EQSTR1=newsnow

[This message has been edited by doc (edited 06-27-2001).]

The new online travel service, Opodo, a direct online sales collaboration between nine European airlines, will be launched in Germany in December to rival the existing online travel companies, such as Lastminute.com and Ebookers.

Lastminute.com will be watching the operations closely to ensure that airlines do not begin to favour the new travel service, which has received E128m in investments from the airlines.

http://www.europemedia.net/shownews.asp?ArticleID=4218

Personal Service Key to New European Airline-backed Online Travel Service
BroadVision Selected to Power Opodo Online Travel Service

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010724/0089.html