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HitchHiker XtremePricer – Next Generation Flight Shopping Tool

Frankfurt am Main, August 2008
The trend of flight bookings via the Internet is permanently on the rise. The latest figures show an approximate 30% increase, which in turn presents many portals with a new technological challenge, with which the fewest can cope.

In particular, it is proving to be quite difficult for European portals to differentiate their products other than by price. Thus, these portals concentrate on undercutting one another by a few cents for the service fees on usual routings such as on short-and medium-haul flights yet have neglected the high margin destinations either completely or deliver only insufficient results. The reason being is that the reservation technology behind almost all portals functions according to the same principles, meaning it is optimized for plain and simple routings. Revenue generating routings, such as long hauls, are often handled inadequately.

Thus, it is not surprising that a potential customer gives up in frustration since 300 results for one request are anything but user-friendly, even less if 200 of those results are identical.

Internal on-line studies have shown that flight shopping engines deliver improper results as soon as more than two transfer points are allowed per routing. These same engines deliver good results as soon as a major airport is included within the routing. This major airport guaranties the existence of “simple” tariffs – in general.

However, not all people are able to depart from one of London’s International airports for example. A request for a routing from Glasgow to Queenstown would result in an excess of overpriced results. This routing is offered by Qantas yet no flight shopping tool offers Qantas – even if flights with Qantas are available and bookable via cryptic GDS systems.

Most shopping engines give up and shut down entirely if additional add-on flights are contained in the routing, especially when different airlines are applicable. Most standard shoppimg engines rely on the LowFareSearchEngines of the GDS. However, these LowFareSearchEngines generate expensive transaction fees. Furthermore, the inefficient caching methods and the high volume of failed bookings due to inefficient algorithms are becoming an ever increasing standard for GDS LowFareSearchEngines.

With a study from 2007 on the difference of tariffs loaded into the GDS and those which are returned with a query, HitchHiker’s technicians had already proven that only fundamentally new shopping engine technologies will endure in the long run.

The logical answer to this issue is HitchHiker’s XtremePricer.

Only during direct customer consultation at a travel agency is it possible for agents to build the most complex routings manually, thanks to their knowledge and expertise. However, this manner of travel reservation is a time and money waster and always requires specialists who are able to deal with the cryptic entry masks of the CRS.

Therefore, the new HitchHiker XtremePricer takes a totally different approach. XtremePricer uses a newly developed technology called “HitchHiker Pathfinder”, which is capable of taking all possible routing variations into account without wasting expensive GDS transactions. The results will uncompromisingly contain the best and shortest routings; the actual complexity of a routing has no influence on the results. A valuable side effect is the fact that the results are constant no matter which GDS is being used.

HitchHiker’s Pathfinder technology evaluates all relevant and possible flight combinations, rules and restrictions and builds a routing comprising several airlines and transfer points. This totally new technology includes not only the latest algorithms, search and optimization mechanisms but also 16 years of tourism, booking engine and InternetBackEnd experience and expertise.

HitchHiker’s XtremePricer is characterized by its comprehensive, flexible and pioneering features as well as its adaptability and scalability - of course, just like everything from HitchHiker, it is GDS-neutral!

The traditional InternetBackEnd technology will remain in use up to the final stage of expansion of HitchHiker’s XtremePricer. All existing booking engines and TeMyra.net applications are automatically upgraded with version 1.0 of HitchHiker’s XtremePricer as part of their service and support contracts. New customers get the HitchHiker XtremePricer version 1.0 as a standard. Thus, HitchHiker customers using visualFares Entry and the IBE will be able to display the shortest, easiest, fastest and cheapest routings available between 2 points – no matter how many airlines or transfer points are necessary.

Andreas Bieber, Key Account Manager: ”With this innovation, we are establishing new standards and new minimum requirements for online flight queries within the European online market. Hitchhiker’s XtremePricer marks the start of a number of new developments based on HitchHiker’s Pathfinder Technology.”

"By using the latest search algorithms and heuristics," according to David Friderici, Director of Product Strategy ", we find first-class results and even save transactions on all net fare queries. Currently, we are brooding over the next generation that will incorporate published fare tariffs as well. Further developments planned for 2009 are a tax-engine, low-cost carrier hopping and HitchHiker’s Round-The-World Engine.

Amadeus Certifies HitchHiker Tariff Loading

Frankfurt on the Main, June 2008
It is now official: being the first software company in all of Europe, HitchHiker Software has now received the official certification from the Amadeus IT Group for loading tariffs directly into the Global Distribution System (GDS).

HitchHiker’s visualFares XML Feed for Amadeus, which has been on the market for approximately two years now, allows consolidators and airlines to load tariffs into Amadeus within a very short time-span without the usual manual intervention of having to go over the US-establishment ATPCO.

“The interface certification is an additional highlight in the year long, successful development-cooperation between Amadeus and HitchHiker, says Sascha Nau, Marketing Director at HitchHiker. “The obtained certificate portrays a long-term cooperation, thus guaranteeing our customers stability, dependability and compatibility in terms of data management.

The goal of visualFares XML Feed for Amadeus is one of quick and efficient fare-loading of net fares and specials so that consolidators and airlines are able to react to competitor’s prices at lightning speed. “With visualFares XML Feed for Amadeus we’ve reduced the time to market to an unprecedented minimum. After consulting our customers, it is presumed that 80% of time is saved by using visualFares XML Feed.” as Sascha Nau states.

Loading tariffs with visualFares XML Feed for Amadeus is achieved by following a few simple steps:

1. Net fares are loaded using HitchHiker’s visualFares Entry and then sent to HitchHiker
2. HitchHiker then automatically converts the data to the format required by Amadeus and transfers it to the Amadeus Host, which in turn loads the data at multiple daily intervals at specific times into the GDS

However, visualFares XML Feed for Amadeus is not only fast, it offers above all several further advantages over other fare loading variations to the GDS:

- ATPCO is basically optimised for Published Fares. However, with visualFares XML Feed for Amadeus HitchHiker has optimised processing and loading for net fares. Consequently, tariff particularities can be displayed in a better and more detailed manner without any unintentional loss of data or pertinent information.

- by entering the tariffs into HitchHiker’s visualFares Entry, they are not only available in the XML format but are also made available in other formats such as Stadaf, HTML and/or RFF for example. The tariff only needs to be entered once and after that you are able to offer your distribution partners the data in any of the aforementioned formats.

- airlines and consolidators who have outsourced data entry for net fares or are planning to do so can take advantage of our full-fledged-service which we offer together with our Belgian partner Gateway. This service includes complete incorporation, updating, conversion and exporting of tariffs into Amadeus or other third-party systems.

Comtec and Hitchhiker launch Sales & Flight Tariff Management Service

Leading leisure travel technology Supplier, Comtec, has partnered with Hitchhiker to deliver tour operators and travel agents a range of services for managing access to flight availability and tariffs.

Comtec says the Hitchiker interface enables travel organisations to more effectively manage net fare contracts and integrate their negotiated fares database with Charter, Scheduled and Low-Cost flights available via Travelink.

Ed Whiting, Product Director at Comtec commented "Many travel organisations have highly complex requirements for managing an extensive range of directly negotiated airline contracts. The partnership between Comtec and Hitchhiker ensures we’re able to integrate a specialist travel sales and management system seamlessly with a best-of-breed air tariff management module". Ed Whiting added "Flight tariff management is a highly specialist area and our relationship with Hitchhiker ensures our customers don’t have to make compromises on system integration to access the best tour operating and flight tariff functionality available in the marketplace."

Nicole Hoeckle, Managing Director at HitchHiker said “Two leading travel IT provider managed to bring their unique systems and services together, to provide First Choice a high-end B2B & B2C booking platform. We were convinced by the fact that Comtec and HitchHiker together generate dynamic packages with only a few clicks. In combination with HitchHiker visualFares Entry and Ticketing Automation First Choice will profit from a closed and continuous work flow beginning with tariff input and maintenance, on to multi-channel distribution continuing with ticket checking and printing.”

Automated Fareloading of Agency Private Fares with HitchHiker into GDS Galileo

Frankfurt, Langley, 21.June 2007:

Galileo teams up with HitchHiker to enable the automatic upload of agency private fares into the GDS - new technology solution developed to reduce time spent on administration.

Galileo FlightShopper was the first successful project between HitchHiker and Galileo.
Based on their mutual success both companies continued their partnership and developed a new GDS fare filing solution called visualFares XML feed for Galileo APF (Agency Private Fares). With HitchHiker’s visualFares Entry, agencies, airlines and consolidators can enter all of their net fares into an offline database. Equivalent to the ATPCO Cat. 35 the user can select who shall have access to which fare and to which price level. Then, an on site convert begins validating all of the selected tariffs whilst checking compatibility to Galileo APF. Any discrepancies are found immediately, prior to transferring the final database to HitchHiker, which reduces the error rate to an absolute minimum. After the user has amended any reported discrepancies, the ultimate export can be started and the database including all relevant selections will be placed onto HitchHiker’s FTP server. A robot system on HitchHiker´s site then feeds the data to Galileo.
With 5 import slots per day, Galileo can assure the most up-to-date net fare data on their GDS. All key Galileo Agency Private Fares criteria are fully supported within visualFares XML Feed to allow for easy and fast data distribution.

Nicole Hoeckle, Managing Director at HitchHiker:”The workflow is quite easy. At the end of the on site convert, a report file is created automatically, which shows potential discrepancies during transfer or occurring inaccuracies within the airfares file. Error messages are no longer cryptic and are editable to allow multi-language use. The all over export process will reduce the time spent on administration dramatically and therefore shorten time to market for privately negotiated airline fares.”

HitchHiker & Comtec, Travelink run FirstChoice, UK

London, Frankfurt, November 2006

Comtec and Hitchhiker deliver enhanced flight tariff management services to First Choice Speciality
Holidays

Leading leisure travel technology Supplier, Comtec, has partnered with Hitchhiker to deliver First Choice Speciality Holidays with a range of services for managing access to flight availability and tariffs.

The First Choice division, which includes its Hayes & Jarvis, Meon and Citalia brands, has implemented the interface between Comtec’s Travelink system and Hitchhiker in order to more effectively manage its net fare contracts and integrate its negotiated fares database with Charter, Scheduled and Low-Cost flights, available via Travelink.

Mark Thompson, Director E-Commerce & IT, at First Choice commented “First Choice has complex requirements for managing our extensive range of directly negotiated airline contracts. The partnership between Comtec and Hitchhiker ensures we’re able to integrate a specialist tour operator sales and management system seamlessly with a best-of-breed air tariff management module.”

The integrated Travelink and Hitchhiker system has been implemented by First Choice at its call-centre and websites. Richard Turner, Account Director at Comtec, added “Flight tariff management is a highly specialist area and our relationship with Hitchhiker ensure our customers don’t have to make compromises on the integration of their systems in order to access the best tour operating and flights functionality available in the marketplace.”

HitchHiker / Amadeus XML Fare Data Interface

Frankfurt, Madrid April 2006:

Amadeus and HitchHiker launch new generation GDS fare filing solution Amadeus and HitchHiker announce an easy-to-use fare management solution that is the first to provide a modern and fully automated fare filing facility through a GDS

Frankfurt, Madrid February 2007:
Amadeus and HitchHiker are proud to announce the completion of their joint project which implements the Amadeus XML Fare Data Interface. The new HitchHiker XML export process allows users to quickly upload and file net and negotiated fares, as well as rules, routing and ticket information directly into the Amadeus database. This fare management solution uses HitchHiker’s visualFares Entry, a fully graphical fare management software widely used within the travel industry and seen as the industry’s most advanced fare management tool today. It also supports a comprehensive XML structured data interface designed to seamlessly transfer all applicable fare data into the Amadeus ‘new generation’ rule-based Fares database. After the pilot phase and release for American Airlines and Gateway, the Amadeus XML Fare Data Interface passed its final test. Thereafter, the next step was taken: the certification according to Amadeus standards. Through visualFares Entry’s easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI), the most complex tariffs and conditions can be managed quickly, simply and precisely before being exported to the Amadeus system and immediately distributed to the company’s sales channels.

Quality in – Quality out!
With the XML export process, both companies have set a new benchmark. visualFares Entry features such as Passenger Type Discounts, detailed Transfer and Stop Information, Cancellation and Rebooking Fees, Child / Infant Information can be exported to Amadeus and processed accordingly Moreover, the information and calculation of minimum and maximum stay are now fully supported. Individual markups for each day of the week are also included within the export file as well as e-ticketing or paper ticket surcharges. Next to the countless feature upgrades, the entire handling, ergonomics and workflow have been completely revamped. The standard visualFares Entry with the optional Amadeus XML Fare Data Interface offers the possibility to upload airfare data to Amadeus securely via the Internet. Amadeus processes the uploaded file locally and generates a report-file which contains information whether or not the data integration was successful. The customer can use the Amadeus XML Fare Data Interface to download the report-file. An intelligent incremental update procedure is used and consequently the file size is reduced to a minimum, which in turn reduces the overall upload time. For example, when making a small change in a visualFares Entry Rule only the changed information is exported. There is no need to re-send the entire rule which was the case with the old converter/uploader solution. Optimized incremental updates together with the file-based upload protocol leads to a much more stable upload process.

Thomas Boffo, Managing Director at HitchHiker: “The overall use of the converter tool has been greatly simplified. Error messages aren’t as cryptic as they used to be, they can be adapted to allow multi-language usage and can also be customized to the user’s individual needs. Ultimately, the time and effort in training has now been reduced by at least 50% in comparison to the trainings for the previous manual converter. In compliance with our announcement from 2003, we are further dedicated to match or even exceed the 80% of administration downtime for fare filing with the new XML converter process as promised.”

Pascal Bertaud, Senior Manager, Product Management Group at Amadeus: ”The combination of HitchHiker’s fare management solution with Amadeus’ XML Fare Data Interface provides Travel Agencies, Consolidators and Airlines with a modern and highly powerful solution for the filing and instant distribution of private fares via Amadeus. Local control over fares management with rapid, secure and precisely-timed automatic uploads have become crucial advantages in today’s increasingly competitive market and we are confident that this joint solution, an industry-first, represents a real step forward in terms of operational and business efficiency”.

Galileo FlightShopper

Frankfurt, April 2006

Galileo presents a brand new sales platform for Consolidators

Price comparison at a glance, with all available fares within the Galileo system.

Make a booking within 4 steps using a new platform based on HitchHiker’s TeMyra

Galileo Germany introduces their new tariff query and reservation platform, the Galileo FlightShopper.Consolidators now have the possibility to offer travel agencies a new "State of the Art" product without the travel agencies having to have a separate contract with Galileo. The product enables querying and booking of Consolidator fares, Internet based low cost carrier fares, and all fares which are available in Galileo.

The Galileo FlightShopper is characterised by its clarity, its high performance and not to mention its easy and efficient handling.During a flight query, FlightShopper simultaneously searches the Consolidator’s database for negotiated fares and Galileo’s system for published fares and on-line rates of the low cost and web based carriers.After that, all available fares including all relevant information are shown in a clearly structured manner.This newly designed “Quick-Overview-Display” provides travel agents with a quick response, eliminating the several different search procedures on several different data bases between different web sites.

"With only three to four steps the travel agent can determine the available fare for his or her customer and can then book it.You simply cannot get a flight query and booking done faster, more efficient and more service-oriented than this", says Gunther Holzschuh, Managing Director Central Europe of Cendant Travel Distribution Services (TDS)."The Galileo FlightShopper completely fulfills the requirements of a modern reservation platform and is therefore the ideal sales and marketing tool for Consolidators. The final release of the Galileo FlightShopper will be towards mid year 2006."

The most apparent attribute of the Galileo FlightShopper is the intelligently arranged graphical user interface (GUI).The GUI can be customised by the travel agent according to his or her personal needs. General company calculations remain unaffected by the individual user settings.

The guided workflow ensures a professional booking procedure even for “part-time” FlightShopper users. When applying additional filter functions, users can prioritise the display of available fares, e.g.cheapest flight, cheapest direct flight, highest margin, shortest flight time, etc.

Net-fares (inbound or outbound), which are not available at the requested time will also be displayed as unavailable tariffs but with the option to conduct an additional flexible search. Tariff rules and conditions including additional information such as airport terminal are shown in a separate window in a clearly arranged and easy to read layout. The training effort for new users is reduced to an absolute minimum.

The Galileo FlightShopper was developed in close cooperation with HitchHiker and the system is based on HitchHiker’s booking engine and TeMyra Agent.

Next to the FlightShopper B2B launch in Germany, Galileo Switzerland will release the FlightShopper B2C version for Switzerland very soon. This B2C tool is also based on HitchHiker’s TeMyra B2C.The launching HitchHiker customer for the new TeMyra Agent will be FTI, Germany.

Galileo Deutschland,
Lyoner Straße 40, 60528 Frankfurt/Main, Telefon 069 – 2 27 36 70, Fax 22 73 67 98

Press Contact Galileo:
Claasen Communication, Hindenburgstraße 2, 64665 Alsbach Telefon 06257 – 6 87 81, Fax 6 83 82, www.claasen.de, galileo@claasen.de

HitchHiker realize dba direct interface

Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, 08. December 2005.
HitchHiker now interfaces dba directly via API (Application Programming Interface) onto the dba host. Hence, users who are looking for particularly low priced flights within Germany or Europe will now find it much easier than ever!

www.travelchannel.de will be the launching customer for this new direct interface.
„A direct interface provides a much more robust connection than the conventional method of screen scraping.“, according to Claus Fischer, Director Commercial Development and Planning, dba. „We are more than happy that we were able to have finished this interface within a few weeks together with HitchHiker, one of the leading travel software companies.

The implementation was extremely successful mainly due to the excellent teamwork between HitchHiker and our Internet Booking Engine development team, 2e Systems.“

Travelchannel has been using HitchHiker’s Internet Booking Engine and its WebFares Engine successfully for their web portal for over 6 years now.

Apart from the standard GDS interface, Travelchannel also uses HitchHiker’s WebFares Engine to query and book Internet based airlines.

„Naturally, the consumer will profit from this new, direct interface because they will receive the entire overview of all of the available tariffs in dba within a very short time. These being favorably priced and of a wider range than when using the screen scraping method. Consequently, we think that we will be able to double the already high amount of dba bookings within the next year.“, Thorsten Hardtmann Product Manager for Flight at Travelchannel.

“Dba is our first direct airline interface and further interfaces are already in development. The need for direct interfaces will definitely grow in the future due to GDS deregulation. Therefore, it is highly important for us to be highly competent in both markets, those being the GDS and Internet market.”

“Right off the bat the customer can decide in which direction he would like to go!", said David Friderici eCommerce Director at HitchHiker GmbH.

As soon as all three companies give the go-ahead for the interface, the new plug-in will be available for all HitchHiker IBE customers and TeMyra.net use, automatically.

Press contact flydba.com:
Matthias Andreesen Viegas
Leiter Presse & Kommunikation
Tel. 089 / 97591-565
mail: matthias.andreesen@flydba.com

Press contact Travelchannel:
Doris Schinagl/Thomas Wilde
w&p Wilde & Partner
Tel.: +49 (89) 1791 900

Online Breakthrough for Australian International Travelers with HitchHiker

Sydney, 8 November 2005
For the first time, Australians anywhere in the country can book international travel online – to practically any destination – at truly competitive prices.

In Sydney today, Jetabroad launched its revolutionary online travel business, www.jetabroad.com. Using the leading edge flight search technology of HitchHiker, Germany, Jetabroad delivers a full range of international flight options from all Australian capital cities and regional centres, many previously unavailable. Whether it be a trip as simple as Sydney to Los Angeles non-stop with Qantas, or as complex as Burnie to Budapest, HitchHiker TeMyra.net provides the best selection of flights and competitive fares for Jetabroad´s customers.

Jetabroad’s prices are always competitive because its flight search capability allows it to find thousands of fare combinations that other online providers cannot, and with which many offline agents are unfamiliar.

Jetabroad CEO, Alex Snead, said that today’s launch signified a landmark in Australian Internet-based retailing.

“The ability for travelers to book their flights directly online has long been regarded as one of the most promising uses of Internet technology,’ said Mr Snead.

“Up until now, Australian travelers have been unable to access a full range of international flight options online, mostly because of the limitations of existing search engines.

“HitchHiker’s powerful search engine, in combination with Jetabroad’s proprietary databases, finds more ways for customers to get to their destination – so you’re more likely to find the right flight at the right price.”

“Jetabroad not only accesses all available fare options in all classes – but is able to identify all available seats in real time by interrogating the live inventory systems of international and national carriers. And all of this is accomplished in just a few seconds,’ said Mr Snead.

TeMyra.net is an ASP solution (Application Service Provider) hosted by HitchHiker in Frankfurt, which enables Jetabroad to serve its customers speedily and with minimal internal hardware and administration complexity.