First To Get BSP Certification For eTicketing

Galileo Brings India Into The eTicketing Age

Anindita Chattopadhyay - New Delhi

Culminating the testing process that has been taking place with BSP for the last two months, Galileo India has been given BSP certification for issuing eTickets through travel agencies, thus making it the first GDS company to obtain such certification. After Kiran Yadav, regional manager, South Asia, IATA signed the certifying agreement on August 9, Thomas Cook through Galileo system issued the first live eTicket on United Airlines (for sectors Bom/Fra/Ord/Fra/Bom), thereby kick-starting a new era of hi-tech travelling.

Khalid Sohail, national business & products development manager, Galileo India Pvt Ltd and Seema Luthra, CEO & president, Galileo India Pvt Ltd at the event where the first eTicket was issued

Yadav said after the signing, “It has been my dream to bring eTicketing to the country. However, I could never imagine that it would happen so soon. Our team has been working very hard in the last few months to make this happen and we are pleased that our hard work has borne fruit, to make this dream a reality. Congratulations to Galileo for this historic moment.”

Commenting on being the first CRS to get the certification, R Srikrishna, marketing manager, Galileo India said, “The significant value-addition reinforces the position of Galileo as a proactive company quickly bringing in products and solutions to meet the market needs. The product offering will meet the requirements of a corporate travel agent comprehensively. So far some airlines were issuing eTickets from their offices, but now agents working in Galileo environment would be equipped to do the same.”

Galileo, noted Seema Luthra, president and CEO of Galileo India, would embark on a full-scale deployment of eTicketing facilities across travel agencies in the country. “We are already in the process of training travel agency staff on how to issue eTickets and creating awareness about its benefits. Over 45 airlines across 43 countries participate with Galileo for eTicketing. Many prominent airlines, including British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, United Airlines and others, have already shown interest in issuing eTickets in India. These airlines can start offering eTickets to their customers now,” she said. According to her, domestic carriers will also be joining the fray soon.

When asked about the future of ticketless travelling in India, Srikrishna said, “The travel pattern is India is 70 per cent corporate and 30 per cent leisure. The future of eTicketing is bright because the business/corporate travellers are mostly tech-savvy and conscious of the benefits of technology. With greater flexibility to make changes in the itinerary and do last minute bookings, it will catch up soon.”

Sanjay Kapoor, sales and marketing manager-India, United Airlines, added, “United Airlines is one of the pioneers of eTickets worldwide. We will be offering this facility on our flights ex-India with Lufthansa.”