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Virgin America Selects Cendant Travel Distribution Services' aiRES(TM) Passenger Services System

Posted on: Tuesday, 28 March 2006, 09:00 CST

PARSIPPANY, N.J., March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Cendant Travel Distribution Services (TDS), a division of Cendant Corp. , today announced a multi-year agreement to provide Virgin America with Cendant TDS' next-generation Passenger Services System (PSS), aiRES. Virgin America, a new U.S.-based airline start-up company, will utilize aiRES as a foundation in its strategy to utilize the world's most advanced technologies to provide customers with best-in-class service and operational integrity as key differentiators.

aiRES provides the most innovative and flexible technical solution available in the industry today, and its extraordinary customer-centric design was a key consideration in the decision by Virgin America to select the system. aiRES is built from the ground up on open systems technology and is designed to replace less flexible, more expensive hosting systems common in the industry. The new, more efficient system is able to support growth by providing comprehensive passenger reservations, inventory control, fares, ticketing, and departure control functions and sustains a myriad of different airline business models for today's evolving environment. Designed to be fully configurable, aiRES allows airlines to respond quickly to changing competitive initiatives and market changes, without the need for complex and costly development. aiRES can reduce passenger service costs, improve customer service, and enable customer self service, while maintaining the flexibility to compete and succeed in this evolving market.

"The industry-leading, customer-centric functionality and flexibility that aiRES provides will enable Virgin America to provide our customers with state- of-the-art access and ease of use through advanced technology," said Brian Clark, vice president - Planning and Sales, Virgin America. "The open architecture and extended configurability will allow Virgin America to extend our business model in an efficient and cost-effective manner."

Through its open architecture, the new technology enables a number of attractive customer service functions, including a three-step booking process and a seven-second check-in at the airport, improving customer service and resulting in increased efficiency for the airline. aiRES also enables airlines to broaden their customer service offerings by integrating their distribution channels with other travel services. For example, when returning a rental car, a customer could also receive an airline boarding pass. In addition, the architecture can enable real time customer notifications of service impact situations, such as a weather delay or other flight schedule changes.

"aiRES is filling the industry need for an integrated, multi-hosting system built around a customer-centric design that will provide the right foundation for future success for an airline," said Flo Lugli, senior vice president, Airline Solutions, Cendant Travel Distribution Services.

"Virgin America's goal is to build an innovative, new breed airline based on safe and efficient operations, low costs and outstanding guest service," adds Lugli. "We are pleased to provide this new generation solution for Virgin America and to partner with its management team to help make this vision a reality."

In September 2005, Cendant TDS announced WestJet Airlines as its launch customer for aiRES. Cendant has brought aiRES to market through a business alliance with IBS Software Services, a leader in software solutions and services to the global travel, transportation and logistics industries. This partnership between two industry leaders attributes the primary responsibility for product development and support to IBS and the primary responsibility for product management, sales, marketing, and customer relationships to Cendant TDS.

More information on aiRES can be obtained at http://www.go-aires.com/. About Cendant Travel Distribution Services

Cendant Corporation's Travel Distribution Services Division, is one of the world's largest and most geographically diverse collections of travel brands and distribution businesses. The division, employing approximately 8,000 people in nearly 130 countries, includes: a leading (GDS) global distribution system (Galileo), serving more than 50,000 travel agencies and over 60,000 hotels; hotel distribution and services businesses (Neat Group(R), TRUST and WizCom(R)); leading online travel agencies (Asia- hotel.com, CheapTickets(R), ebookers.com(R), HotelClub.com, Lodging.com, NeedaHotel.com, Orbitz(R), RatesToGo.com, and The Away Network); an airline market intelligence company (Shepherd Systems); an international travel technology and software company (Travelwire); a leading international provider of long-haul air travel and travel product consolidator (Travel 2(R)/Travel 4(R)); online global corporate travel management solutions (Orbitz for Business(R) and Travelport(R)); and a leading wholesaler and global online provider of hotels, destination services, travel packages and group tours (Gullivers Travel Associates, OctopusTravel.com(R) and Travel Bound, Inc.).

About Virgin America

A U.S. majority owned and controlled company, Virgin America intends to launch domestic U.S. scheduled airline service utilizing new Airbus A320 family aircraft beginning in 2006. The company has announced agreements to take firm deliveries of 34 A320 family aircraft including 19 purchased aircraft from Airbus and 15 leased aircraft from GE Capital Aviation Services. Virgin America's corporate headquarters is in the San Francisco Bay Area, and its principal base of operations is at the San Francisco International Airport. Virgin America's goal is to build an innovative, creative travel brand based on safe and efficient operations, low costs, outstanding guest service, and a unique level of engagement by its team. Its mission is to create an airline people love. For the latest, visit virginamerica.com.

Cendant Travel Distribution Services

CONTACT: Jill Brenner of Cendant Travel Distribution Services,+1-973-496-5870, TDS.CorpCom@cendant.com; or Stacy Geagan of Virgin America,+1-650-548-2585, stacy.geagan@virginamerica.com

Web site: http://www.cendant.com/http://www.virginamerica.com/http://www.go-aires.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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