Cleartrip adds International air ticketing to site

Mumbai, Jul 23 (UNI) City-based leading travel portal Cleartrip.com introduced its international air product here today.

The multiple source flight booking site has tied up with Global Distribution System (GDS) and ITA software, developed by Cambridge, USA, which will provide detailed data on international flights, and offer customers multiple choices in price, time, segments, airports, services, duration in a simplified, easy-to-use and transparent manner. Focus will be on individual travellers and alliances with corporate houses has not yet been considered.

The company expects a daily run rate of 550 transactions a day from its international air product.

''We feel its the right time to roll out our product and we are moving away from traditional travel industry,'' Cleartrip CEO Stuart Crighton said, at the launch. Elaborating, Mr Crighton said, the portal is not giving away any discounts, it offers competitive and comprehensive choice to users, because of its excellent network with airlines. Cleartrip has also tied up with three banks to facilitate credit payments.

Cleartrip, which was launched in July 2006, has projected a turnover of Rs 1,200 crores in 2008-09. It is also holding talks with Railways Ministry for online booking of rail tickets and also plans to modify its advertising and marketing, to a more focussed approach ''that would translate into a transaction''.

The company plans to break-even by March 2009.

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