Travelport GDS expands its direct operations

Travelport GDS expands its direct operations

Press release – 5 August 2008 – Travelport Travelport GDS, one of the world’s leading global distribution system providers operating both the Galileo and Worldspan systems, has today announced details of its acquisition of the Malév-owned Galileo operation in the growing Hungarian travel market. Through the acquisition of its local Galileo distribution business, previously operated…

Press release – 5 August 2008 – Travelport


Travelport GDS, one of the world’s leading global distribution system providers operating both the Galileo and Worldspan systems, has today announced details of its acquisition of the Malév-owned Galileo operation in the growing Hungarian travel market.


Through the acquisition of its local Galileo distribution business, previously operated by Hungary’s national carrier, Malév Hungarian Airlines (Malév), coupled with a new content agreement with the airline, Travelport GDS has become the leading supplier of GDS solutions to the Hungarian travel agency community.


The new Galileo entity is the second, wholly-owned direct operation for Travelport GDS in Hungary where it has also been running a direct Worldspan operation since 1994.


Karoly Foner, who previously managed Galileo Hungary for Malév, will continue to head up the new direct operation based in Budapest.


“This acquisition is further evidence of our commitment to the Hungarian travel trade and very much confirms our position as the number one provider of GDS services in this market,” said Niklas Andréen, Travelport GDS’s managing director for Eastern Europe.


“We are now better placed than ever to support the evolving needs of our customers in this market.  We will be able to offer our customers the best GDS tools and solutions available from the combined Galileo and Worldspan product portfolio.  Specifically, we now plan to make the market-leading Internet Booking Engine – Galileo Netbook – available to users of the Worldspan system.”


As part of the acquisition, Travelport GDS has also signed a new, long-term full content agreement with Malév which will see all of the airline’s published fares and inventory, including its web fares, continue to be made available on both the Galileo and Worldspan systems. 


“The content deal represents a continuation of our ongoing strategy of securing full content programmes for our travel agency customers across the globe,” continued Andréen. “The full content agreement along with the expansion of our direct operations in Hungary, will really help us to help our travel agencies grow their business.”


Zoltan Mester, Malév’s head of M&A, commented: “We have enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Galileo since they first entered the Hungarian market in 1991 and have helped them grow their business to where it is today.  We wish all of the team well as they embark upon this new venture.”