GLOBAL

DISTRIBUTION
SYSTEM
LECTURER:
NOR AKASHAH BINTI KASSIM
SURAYAHANIM BINTI ALI

WELCOME TO YOUR E-LEARNING

Topic 1:
Introduction To Global
Distribution System
(GDS)

What is a Global Distribution Systems?

Worldwide computerized reservation network used as a
single point of access for reserving airline seats, hotel
rooms, rental cars, and other travel related items by travel
agents, online reservation sites, and large corporations.

It is used by airlines, travel agents, and travelers to book

tickets for multiple airlines.

The system stores passenger information relating to their

scheduled air travel; it is commonly utilized by airlines,
travel agencies and travel-booking websites.

What is a Global Distribution Systems?

Global Distribution System technology is also
employed by several passenger train companies and
hotel chains so clients can make multiple bookings
for various tickets and locations.

The premier GDS are Amadeus, Galileo, SABRE, and

Worldspan owned and operated as joint ventures by
major airlines, car rental firm and hotel groups.

Also called automated reservation system (ARS) or

computerized reservation system (CRS).

History
The airline industry created the first GDS
in the 1960s as a way to keep track of
flight schedules, availability, and prices.

GDSs were actually among the first ecommerce companies in the world
facilitating B-2-B electronic commerce as
early as the mid 1970s, when SABRE
(owned by American Airline) and Apollo
(United) began installing their propriety
internal reservations systems in travel
agencies.

History
50s Airline Reservation Centres get first terminals
60s First CRS Terminals in Travel Agencies
70s Dumb Terminals become CRS
80s CRS become GDS
90s Ownership Change: Airlines divest their GDS
Rise of direct sales through Internet
00s GDS facing new entrants, Airlines reclaim the
ownership of the channel, Low Cost Carriers, new
business models, GDS loose market share

History
Formerly known as CRS
Computer Reservation System
A passive system that only handled bookings
Now new Name:
GDS Global Distribution System
Name change because of function change :
Airline Reservation

All Travel Services

Distribution Channel in its own right (from passive

to active)

Scope of Services

Types of GDS

ABACUS
AMADEUS
GALILEO

ABACUS
It is operated by Abacus International Pte. Ltd ,
which is headquartered in Singapore and which is
owned by Sabre and twelve Asian airlines

It was founded in 1988 by the main airlines in Asia.

During the late 1990s and the first decade of the

21st Century Abacus was the main GDS system
used by travel agencies in Asia but in 2009 Abacus
lost its market leadership in the region.

ABACUS
Mid 80s, 4 advanced airlines in Asia (Singapore Airlines,
Cathay Pacific Airways, Chinese Airlines & Royal Brunei)
had created ABACUS

Widely used in Asia Pacific region

Connected to almost all major systems world wide

Has more than 10,000 terminals connected to travel

agencies and airlines agent world wide Malaysia is one of
the major user of ABACUS

AMADEUS
Founded in 1987 by Air France, Iberia, Lufthansa, and SAS,
Amadeus is the youngest of the four GDS companies.
Amadeus is a leading global distribution system and
technology provider serving the marketing, sales, and
distribution needs of the worlds travel and tourism industries.
The earliest system in Europe
Created by several airlines company ( Lufthansa, Air France,
Iberia & SAS Scandinavia Airlines System.)
Centered in Munich
Widely used in Eroupe
Most user friendly system

GALILEO
Invented in 1987
Centered in Colorado, USA
Complement the core functions reservation service
for all NDC (National Distribution Company)
Responsible to control computer system, database,
& worldwide communication network
Variety of products car rental, airlines ticket, cruise
For travel package coordinate with other travel
agent to create a data view system connected to
Galileo

THANK YOU
Please read and understand and then review on your own words