CONCORDE SMARTFARES INTRODUCES 'FARE MATRIX'

22 July 2002

Smart Fares, an advanced air fares database in the Australasian market, has been upgraded yet again with the introduction of Fare Matrix, a brand new feature designed to list instantly the lowest fares available on specific routes.

The Concorde SmartFares database contains more than 20 million fares or combination fares on airlines around the world.

Fare Matrix uses this information to identify the lowest fares listed by Concorde on the 10 most popular airlines from Australia and New Zealand to the major cities of both countries, plus Asia, Europe and throughout the Americas.

The system displays colour logos of the carriers, and lists their best prices to a range of cities in each region, making it easy for travel consultants to find and book flights for their clients.

And for customers of the advanced Private Fares Database, which also includes levels negotiated by specific travel companies, Concorde offers the option of purchasing a customised Fare Matrix, which includes both private fares and all of those on the core Concorde database.

Fare Matrix was launched officially today on the Concorde Group website www.concorde.com.au, after a preview period in which travel agents had an opportunity to test the new system - and early responses are extremely encouraging.

"Fare Matrix is all about saving time for travel agents, by making it easier for them to find fares," said Mr Leslie Cassar, Joint Managing Director of the Concorde Group.

"Access is easy, and it is free," said Mr Cassar. "And every minute saved in searching for a fare is another minute available for productive selling.

"All that travel agents need to do is go to the agents' home page on the Concorde website and click the Fare Matrix button in the top left corner. From there, they just have to follow the prompts to find the information they need."

Mr Cassar said Fare Matrix was also a great benefit for the travelling public, as it enabled their travel agents to find the lowest air fare in the fastest possible time, negating the need for customers to spend hours on the phone or trawling through websites for low fares.

Concorde SmartFares, or variations of it, is now operating in Australia, New Zealand and increasingly throughout South East Asia and Southern Africa. Further enhancements are planned for SmartFares and specifically for Fare Matrix.