Galileo increases airline participation in China

Galileo International has announced that the number of mainland China airlines it distributes has increased more than three-fold from 4 to 14.

The increase results from the recent decision by Hainan Airlines to participate in Galileo and from the People's Republic of China (PRC) Government consolidation policy that is placing six of China's key regional airlines under the control of three main carriers. Taken together, these two developments mean Galileo agency subscribers have real-time access to better China content than ever before.

Hainan Airlines, China's fourth largest carrier, and all mainland Chinese carriers are participating at the highest level that directly impacts the sell process - a level known as Interactive Sell and sometimes referred to as  Inside Link-Last Seat. The highest participation level allows agents to make real-time bookings and offer instant confirmation to passengers, with the airline giving its own reference number to agents to guarantee the booking. Interactive Sell enhances yield management for airlines by giving them the opportunity to sell every last seat on a flight. With its travel agency subscriber network currently extending to 47,000 agency locations in 115 countries, Galileo will provide global distribution to Hainan Airlines.

The consolidation of the regional airlines under existing Galileo participant airlines - Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines (China's three largest carriers) - means Galileo-connected agents will also now be able to book flights operated by China's key regional carriers. Those  key regional carriers comprise: China Southwest Airlines and China National Aviation Corp (CNAC-Zhejiang Airlines); China Northwest Airlines and Yunnan; and China Northern Airlines and Xinjiang Airlines.

"The welcome addition of Hainan Airlines, along with airlines it manages, and the PRC's consolidation policy has significantly enriched our content and brings immediate benefits to our travel agency customers," said Janie Kaung, executive vice president and managing director of Galileo's Asia  Pacific region. "Our subscribers can now serve customers flying to China with a much broader range of options for extended itineraries between Chinese cities than ever before. Galileo's worldwide reach allows us to market key Chinese airlines very effectively."

Yang Jian Hong, general manager of sales & marketing, Hainan Airlines, added: "We are seeking to sell our product as widely as possible, especially as we are extending our operations into the international arena. We are confident Galileo will bring us global exposure as our overseas network grows."