CheapOair.com brings travelers choice and ease in airline seat selection using the power of Amadeus technology

Hybrid travel agency enables the purchase of preferred airline seats on its site and is the first globally to implement Amadeus' functionality

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Amadeus

May 19, 2015, 08:30 ET

NEW YORK and MIAMI, May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- CheapOair, a leading hybrid (online/traditional) travel agency, and Amadeus, a leading provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel industry, announced today that the agency is the first online distribution partner using Amadeus' technology to enable their users to book paid airline seats using seat map displays with prices.

"CheapOair strives to make it effortless, affordable and enjoyable for our customers to book their perfect trip," said Sam S. Jain, CEO of Fareportal, the company that operates CheapOair. "With the introduction of the wide range of seat options from a broad selection of airlines, we are excited to provide our customers worldwide with an even smoother booking experience and the preferred seats they want."

Travelers booking select airlines on CheapOair.com, as well as Fareportal's OneTravel.com website, can now get a graphical view of the aircraft seats along with prices to purchase the seating they want based on their preferences.

Currently paid seat selection is available for dozens of the world's leading airlines. The ability to pay for baggage when booking air travel will also be added in the coming weeks, along with new features such as seat pictures and descriptions, all designed to ensure travelers can choose their preferred flight experience via rich, transparent information and functionality.

"Consumers want comprehensive choices when it comes to their travel options so delivering ancillary services is key. Travel companies like CheapOair are harnessing leading edge technology such as Amadeus' web services to assure that they can deliver what travelers need most," said Scott Gutz, President and CEO, Amadeus North America.

Gutz added that enabling ancillary services and merchandising overall is a top priority for Amadeus, to empower travel agencies to deliver exceptional choice and service and to distribute differentiated and enriched content the way an airline wants it displayed.

With Amadeus technology, agencies can create a customized travel booking application that delivers a seamless, easy and rich booking experience for their online customers. Amadeus Web Services is a next-generation Application Programming Interface (API) that offers online travel companies unparalleled connectivity and unlimited scalability. Amadeus Ancillary Services are seamlessly integrated into existing pricing and booking flows. Amadeus' flexible technology architecture also supports different types of airlines and a variety of connectivity standards such as EDIFACT and NDC-XML, all made transparent to the travel agency.

Notes to the editors

About CheapOair

CheapOair is the first hybrid (online/traditional) travel agency that enables consumers to book travel online, on mobile apps, by phone or live chat. CheapOair (http://www.cheapoair.com, 1-800-566-2345) bridges the gap between an online and traditional travel agency with certified travel agents available 24/7 to help find deals and offers to destinations worldwide on over 450 airlines, 150,000 hotels, and 100s of car rentals. Partner airlines benefit from access to CheapOair's broad customer base that books high yield international travel and add-on ancillaries at above the industry average. Follow CheapOair on Facebook and Twitter to learn how to travel the world for less.

About Amadeus

Amadeus is a leading provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel industry. Customer groups include travel providers (e.g. airlines, hotels, rail and ferry operators, etc.), travel sellers (travel agencies and websites), and travel buyers (corporations and travel management companies).

The Amadeus group employs around 10,000 people worldwide, across central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters), Nice (development) and Erding (operations), as well as 71 local Amadeus Commercial Organizations globally.

The group operates a transaction-based business model. Amadeus is listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange under the symbol "AMS.MC" and is a component of the IBEX 35 index.

To find out more about Amadeus please visit www.amadeus.com, and www.amadeus.com/blog for more on the travel industry.