CRS Vs GDS

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Airline Reservation

Introduction

Lecture (1)

What is CRS and GDS?


CRS stands for Computer Reservation System. A computer reservation system is a
computerized system used to store and retrieve information and conduct transactions related
to air travel. Originally designed and operated by airlines, CRS's were later extended for the
use of travel agents major CRS operations that book and sell tickets for multiple airlines are
known as Global Distribution Systems (GDS). Airlines have divested most of their direct
holdings to dedicated GDS companies, who make their systems accessible to consumers
through internet gateways. Modern GDS's typically allow users to book hotel rooms and rental
cars as well as airline tickets.
The best known global GDSs are Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre, and Worldspan with Amadeus
being the only one which is largely owned by European airlines. Together with Galileo, it is
the leading system in the European market. Galileo, however, also has a strong position in
the US market after it merged with an American system. Sabre and Worldspan have been
developed in the US.
CRS and GDS seem to have the same functions but the major difference between these two
systems is that CRS only provide information about airlines whereas by using GDS you can
reserve a ticket, a room in a hotel and also a rental car. This is why they are called Global
Distribution Systems because you can use GDS to reserve basically everything.

Major GDSs:
Amadeus
Sabre
Galileo
Worldspan

http://www.amadeus.com/
http://www.sabre.com/
http://www.travelport.com/
http://www.worldspan.com/

Amadeus was originally created as a neutral global distribution system (GDS) by Air France,
Iberia, Lufthansa and SAS in 1987 in order to cover their needs which were not available in
their own systems they were used at that time.
Amadeus has central sites in Madrid, Spain (Corporate Headquarters and Marketing), Sophia
Antipolis, France (Product Development), Erding, Germany (Data Processing Centre) and
Bangalore, India (software lab) as well as regional offices in Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Dubai,
Miami and Sydney.

IATA:
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is an international industry trade group
of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation
Organization is also headquartered. Its stated mission is to "represent, lead and serve the
airline industry." All the Airline rules and regulations are defined by IATA. The main aim of
IATA is to provide safe and secure transportation to its passengers.

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Airline Reservation
Introduction

Lecture (1)

IATA Main Regions:


Zone 1: North America, Central America, South America, Greenland, Caribbean, Hawaiian
Islands
Zone 2: Europe (West of the Urals), Azores, Iceland, Middle East, Africa, Seychelles Islands
Zone 3: Asia (East of the Urals), Oceania, (Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific Islands)

Fare Pricing Sources:


1- IATA
2- Airline
3- SITA (SITA is a multinational information technology company specializing in providing IT
and telecommunication services to the air transport industry). SITA, originally known as
the Socit Internationale de Tlcommunications Aronautiques, was founded in
February 1949 by 11 airlines in order to bring about shared infrastructure cost
efficiencies by combining their communications networks.
4- APTCO (The world leader in the collection and distribution of fare and fare-related data for
the airline and travel industry) Association of Public-Safety Communications OfficialsInternational.

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