Travelport’s Purchase of Worldspan Approved by European Commission
Travelport's acquisition of rival global distribution system (GDS)company Worldspan has been approved by the European Commission. Travelport's Galileo is the second-largest GDS in the European Union, with Worldspan the fourth largest. Competitors Amadeus will remain the larges
Travelport’s acquisition of rival global distribution system (GDS)company Worldspan has been approved by the European Commission.
Travelport’s Galileo is the second-largest GDS in the European Union, with Worldspan the fourth largest.
Competitors Amadeus will remain the largest, and Sabre the third largest.
The commission says reducing the number of GDSs in the market from four to three is “unlikely to result in unilateral price increase by the merged firm” and will not result in “coordinated behaviour” among competitors.
The $1.4bn purchase was first announced in December last year.
The merger, which won the approval of the US Federal Trade Commission in July, is expected to be completed in the third quarter.