NWAC Northwest Airlines (MM)

Price Cuts, Competition & Airline Negotiations Put Global Distributions Systems On the Hot Seat at CASMA Spring 2005 Conference 21-23 March, New York NEW YORK, March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- CASMA (Computerized Airline Sales & Marketing Association) will present a Town Hall discussion of the current distribution crisis in the airline and travel industries with executives from the largest Global Distribution Systems (GDS) in the world on Monday, March 21 during the opening session of the Spring 2005 Conference in New York. The 4:20 p.m. session at the Marriott Financial Center includes: Hon Chew See-Toh, vice president ABACUS; Walter Jacobs, vice president AMADEUS; Steve Diffley, vice president Galileo; Toni Beeny, vice president SABRE; and, Helen Porter, vice president WORLDSPAN. David Field, editor for the Americas, Airline Business magazine will moderate this panel. The format will provide an interactive, informal and in- depth discussion between the GDS's and many of there customers that comprise the audience of nearly 200 participants. More than 30 airlines are represented at this conference. The GDS's power the largest and broadest base of travel agencies around the world. They provide a variety of services to airlines and travel agencies. But airlines are looking at how to lower the cost of services provided by GDS in a market that demands cost cutting and value transactions. What are GDS's doing to keep up with the demand for an improved business model? How are they changing to stay ahead when their airline customers are demanding lower costs and higher value? Is it all about price? Can the competition knock the GDS's off simply by lowering costs? Airlines continue to struggle with high fuel prices and low ticket prices. Every opportunity to reduce operating costs is being evaluated and distribution expenses, such as those charged by GDS's are at the forefront. This industry critical discussion will take place in front of more than 30 airlines including: American Airlines (NYSE:AMR), British Airways (NYSE:BAB), Northwest Airlines (NASDAQ:NWAC), America West (NYSE:AWA) United Airlines (OTC:UALAQ) (BULLETIN BOARD: UALAQ) , Air Canada, Korean Air, and Alitalia. Contact Richard Lowry, CASMA Secretary at to register for two free press-passes. http://www.casma.org/. DATASOURCE: Universal Air Travel Plan; CASMA CONTACT: Richard Lowry, Secretary of Computerized Airline Sales & Marketing Association, Web site: http://www.uatp.com/ http://www.casma.org/

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