Nearly two dozen U.S. and foreign airlines have signed up to offer tickets, including discounted Internet-only special fares, on a Web site being created by UAL Corp.'s United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines and Continental Airlines. I believe this was previously posted in November when the initial press release was issued. For an update:
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/ne...421755,00.html
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/f/AP...-Web-Site.html


[This message has been edited by doc (edited 01-13-2000).]

Chicago Internet pioneer Alex Zoghlin, 30, logged 600,000 FF miles in 1 yr while building Neoglyphics Media Corp., his Web design and technology company. He swears never to do that again. But he is working on a travel megasite, code-named T2.

Having been CEO of two high-profile start-ups, Zoghlin is taking on a new role at T2: chief technology officer. He's working with a team from Boston Consulting Group's Chicago office to develop the company while a chief executive is being sought, and that person will help determine whether the company will be based in Chicago.

Zoghlin was attracted to the project based on its technology challenges and sheer size.
"The concept is actually quite simple in nature. We are going to create the single largest, unbiased, most comprehensive travel portal on the Internet. No holds barred," said Zoghlin, whose first firm helped design a competing site, Travelocity.

T2 is the Big Foot of the travel industry. It is owned by United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines and Continental Airlines and has signed on more than 450 other airlines to provide their schedules online. The site will list special "Web fares."

Also, 200 hotels, 44 car rental companies and other travel companies have signed on.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/business/alex10.html

And more: http://www.msnbc.com/news/393214.asp


[This message has been edited by doc (edited 04-11-2000).]

Any more info. on this out there?

Dorian

The DOJ is looking into this for any antitrust concerns. The airlines do not have the cleanest record in this area.

ORBITZ

The controversial proposed airline-owned online travel service finally announced its name as Orbitz after months of being referred to as T2.

At a press conference in Wash DC, CTO Alex Zoghlin said the name was chosen because it is "global in reach, understandable in hundreds of languages, and trademarkable."
Following consumer testing on hundreds of potential names, Zoghlin said Orbitz was determined to be the most "memorable, abstract and rich with association." He added that Orbitz - "without that darned dot-com" - was selected because it is generic and "we can't be limited if we to go into other things down the road."

"We�re going to give consumers an unbiased, comprehensive, unbelievably thorough search of information that has never been available before," said Zoghlin. In the meantime the proposed ticketing service is attracting considerable scrutiny. The Justice Department is checking out the project because of its airline links. "Some of the things you look at is: What kind of strategic business information do they share? What is the likelihood that a process can raise concerns?" Assistant Attorney General Joel Klein said.

Republican Arizona Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, said: "There are clear antitrust implications with the airlines ... running one Web site. If each airline wanted to run one, then that would be another matter, but I think it�s a great danger that could lead to higher airfares for average passengers."

Consumer watchdogs also are concerned that offering Internet-only lowest fares puts those who don�t use the Web at a disadvantage. "We are not happy to see exclusives in which consumers who do not have Internet access ... do not have access to the best-priced tickets," said Mark Silbergeld of the Consumers Union.

"I understand the T2 company says they�re an independent company, just like other travel agencies. That�s just nonsense," said Paul Ruden of the American Society of Travel Agents last week.

"They�re owned by five of the largest airlines in the country. They�re not going to operate in any way that interferes with or goes against the interest of the five, and that�s the problem right there," said Ruden.

Internet-based ticketing concern Travelocity alleges that the backers � United, Delta, American, Northwest and Continental � have cut an exclusive deal with T2, making certain low airfares available only on the new Web site.
http://news.airwise.com/stories/2000/06/960893693.html

The Justice Department said last month it was also probing the venture. Orbitz says it welcomes the scrutiny and will give consumers the most comprehensive and unbiased travel information on the Web.

McFadden, who was testifying on the proposed purchase of US Airways Group by United Airlines parent UAL Corp. (UAL.N) mentioned Orbitz in citing recent DOT steps to promote competition.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/busin...rlines-dc.html

http://www.msnbc.com/news/424046.asp


AND:
Travel agents and competing web sites have charged the venture will exclude them from certain travel offers, but Orbitz says it will provide consumers with the largest ever collection of unbiased air fare information using the offering of 25 airlines taking part as affiliates. At a recent symposium on the issue sponsored by the American Bar Association's section on antitrust, experts said that a B2B could promote or retard competition depending how it is structured.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/techn...b-antitru.html

AND HOTWIRE:
Karl Peterson, former Texas Pacific partner & Hotwire's CEO executive, says this new venture is talking to additional airlines about supplying some of their last-minute ticket inventory. "We are committed to being an open model," he says.
http://public.wsj.com/news/personalE...574188353.html

UPDATE:

Ed Rothschild, a spokesman for the Interactive Travel Services Association in Washington D.C., doesn't like the sound of the Hotwire alliance. �There is the potential for the major airlines to cooperate, collude and engage in all sorts of anticompetitive practices,� he said. �While this is something that initially might sound good from a consumer point of view, it could give the airlines the power to drive up prices in the long run.�
http://www.aviationnow.com/TwoShare/...30190734992772

[This message has been edited by doc (edited 06-29-2000).]

Swissair on Wednesday lost its chief executive to a consumer travel Web site that was formed by five big US airlines.
Jeffrey Katz, a 45-year-old American who has been at the Swiss flag carrier for three years, will become chairman, president and CEO of Orbitz.

Well jeff and his cohorts are getting grilled by our duly elected representatives today!
http://www.computerworld.com/cwi/sto...8%2C00.html?bb

[This message has been edited by doc (edited 07-26-2000).]

The DOT and DOJ are investigating the airlines' proposal. The U.S. Senate is also conducting a hearing about whether the Web site, which has been referred to as "T2," can be developed. The DOT has said it will issue a decision on the proposal by the end of the year.
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1007-200...e.1002.thed.ni


AND:
Remember "Hotwire" is due to debut next month too! Users of the Hotwire service, expected to be available in September, will simply designate when and where they want to fly. Within hours, Hotwire then will offer to sell an airline ticket at a set price. Unlike Priceline, Hotwire customers will NOT obligated to buy the ticket.
http://www.aviationnow.com/TwoShare/...30190734992772

For years, airlines have been trying to get fliers to bypass online travel agencies and buy tickets from the carriers' own Web sites -- a move that would save the airlines a bundle in commissions and fees. The strategy has worked with brand- and hub-loyal customers who like racking up frequent-flier miles -- such as business travelers -- but it hasn't gone over as well with the travel agencies' core customers: leisure travelers.
http://travel.wsj.com/n/SB967038906290360945-main.html

Good summary of some of the new sites coming soon in USA today (OK...I hadn't heard of some of these!)
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/t...iew/crh426.htm

In the face of heated competition, controversial travel Web site Orbitz.com today said it has delayed its public launch date from this year to next June.
http://www.nytimes.com/cnet/CNET_0_4_2727714_00.html

Online travel booking site Orbitz today unveiled a launch schedule that includes a �monster� beta-test period with phased-in site functionality as the company ramps up for a later-than-expected June, 2001 official unveiling.
http://www.aviationnow.com/TwoShare/...30323448427380

Well, time is flying by as competitors move ahead.

Hotwire, a discount broker backed by six major airlines and a direct competitor of Priceline, already debuted last month. The site, which offers last-minute and nonrefundable airfare deals, is still in a public beta mode as it speeds its booking engine and adds options.

Savvio, another online agency, also debuts today!
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/003365.html



[This message has been edited by doc (edited 09-08-2000).]

Orbitz, a controversial airline-funded Web site that intends to make inexpensive and Internet-only air fares available to travelers, said it is delaying its launch from this fall to next June to perfect its product offering and customer service...

...It will launch an interim site next month that will let users compare air fares with the search technology it has licensed from ITA Software. The technology combs massive numbers of fares and presents them in a neutral way. But browsers won't be able to book fares until next February.
http://travel.wsj.com/n/SB968428330318050522-main.html


Today, the ambitious project, formerly called T2, is grounded by problems encompassing technology, business development, management, and staffing. Like a traveler's worst nightmare, Mr. Katz has postponed Orbitz's take-off for nearly a year, rescheduling its launch to June 2001.
http://www.redherring.com/industries...itz091300.html

[This message has been edited by doc (edited 09-13-2000).]

Airlines will not dominate online airline ticket sales, despite the planned launch of an airline-owned Web travel venture next summer, market researcher International Data Corp.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/000918/n18273501.html

Orbitz, the ambitious project for an airline-run computer-based internet reservation system, filed comments Friday calling on the Department of Transportation (DOT) to strengthen regulations against anti-competitive abuses.
http://news.airwise.com/stories/2000/09/969797201.html