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		back to Press releases Opodo launches new car rental service Exclusive deal signed with Holiday Autos London, March 27, 2002, Opodo, the new online travel portal, backed by nine of Europe's leading airlines, has signed an exclusive deal with Holiday Autos, the world's largest leisure car rental broker, to provide a new online car rental service. The new service will launch in Germany and the UK today and will roll out across all other Opodo sites as they launch throughout Europe. This new offering will give Opodo customers access to low cost, fully inclusive car rental in all of Holiday Autos' 4,000 locations worldwide, with access to a fleet of over 750,000 cars, worldwide. To launch the new partnership Opodo customers are being offered a £15 / e25 discount available on bookings made before 11th April 2002. Giovanni Bisignani, CEO of Opodo, commented, "Holiday Autos are at the forefront of the leisure car rental industry and are a well established online company. As an online travel portal it is extremely important to us that our customers have access to a full range of travel products and we believe that they will be delighted with this new service." Clive Jacobs, Chairman and CEO of Holiday Autos said, "We are delighted to sign this major deal to become Opodo's exclusive car rental partner as once again it demonstrates our leadership in the online car rental sector. Holiday Autos offers the consumer an easy to book, all inclusive car rental product worldwide and continues to be the number one choice for online car rental bookings. We look forward to a fruitful partnership with Opodo which is already showing impressive results since its launch." Media contact: Gail Gillogaley / Ben Hall Opodo Corporate Communications Tel: 020 7664 7956 Fax:020 7664 6363 Email: gail.gillogaley@opodo.co.uk Michelle Hamilton / Tom Barnes BGB & associates Tel: 020 7233 2300 Fax: 020 7233 2301 Email: michelle@bgb.co.uk Notes to editors Key features of Opodo.co.uk are: Opodo, was created by nine of Europe's leading airlines - Aer Lingus, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa and Amadeus 30,000 pages of useful expert information integrated with special fares covering 1,300 destinations, including interactive maps, guides and daily weather updates - all on an easy to view and use site - covering more than 80 per cent available capacity in every market. Leading research company NOP confirms that Opodo.co.uk is cheaper than the UK average online fare for 85% of top destinations from the UK (Source: NOP January 2002) Can book and fly the same day Reserve flights for up to 24 hours Don't have to register to use Can request your preferred seat on booking Advanced search capability - by destination or holiday themes Guides to 180 of the world's busiest airports Quick search tool gives time-sensitive consumers speedy access straight to booking Explore the World - provides consumers with the tools and inspiration to book Highlights 10,000 key tourist attractions around the world  Download > English > German Opodo is owned by: Aer Lingus, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa and Amadeus Copyright Opodo 2003