FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is the eTravel Gateway for?

The eTravel Gateway is for two groups of professional users:

• Travel Agents or other professional travel staff who want to make bookings on behalf of their clients. The ETG Terminal has been designed specifically with the needs of the travel professional in mind.
• Software Developers who want to integrate a travel enquiry and bookings facility into their back-office system, web site or corporate intranet. The ETG Developer Interface consists of a set of APIs which allow software developers to implement their own user interface to the eTravel Gateway.

• How do I get signed up for the eTravel Gateway?

For the standard eTravel Gateway ETG Terminal:

• You can install the ETG Terminal at any time. A 14 day trial version is available via our Download ZONE. Please contact eTravel Gateway for a trial User ID and password.
• To take out a subscription to the eTravel Gateway you must fill in a simple Application Form. We can send you this form on request or you can download it from the Application Forms section of this web site.
• We will ask your GDS to issue a set of Terminal IDs to allow you to access their systems via the Gateway.
• When the paper work has been processed, we will set up your live eTravel Gateway account and let you know your Account ID, User Name and Password.

Developers who are interested in the eTravel Gateway Developer Interface, please call 01772-766-800 or complete our on-line enquiry form.

• Do I need any special hardware?

eTravel Gateway is accessed over the Internet and therefore requires no proprietary hardware such as a Travipad or dedicated telephone lines.

• Do I need a browser to access eTravel Gateway?

No, eTravel Gateway is not a browser application. You may have found that browser applications can be very slow and frustrating to use. eTravel Gateway uses a very fast ETG Terminal which looks exactly like the Galileo Executive terminal that you are familiar with. Because you access the eTravel Gateway via the ETG Terminal, access speeds are very fast. And if you use a broadband Internet connection it is faster than the Galileo Executive Terminal itself!

See Also: eTravel Gateway Demonstration

For the technically inclined, ETG Terminal uses the same 128 bit encryption as Microsoft Internet Explorer. The ETG Terminal requires Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5.01 or above to be installed on the same PC as the ETG Terminal. For more information go to the Download ZONE.

• So, what equipment do I need?

You need only an Internet connection from a PC. The Internet connection can be a normal dial-up connection through a modem or a network connection through a router and ISDN, ADSL or other broadband connection.

• What about ticketing?

If you have the relevant IATA accreditations, you can print your own tickets on a suitable ticket printer installed anywhere on your network. If you don't want to print your own tickets, we offer a third-party ticketing service through ETS - please contact us for more information. 

The eTravel Gateway is compatible with the current range of ATB ticket printers supported by Galileo. Ticket printers and other similar hardware are subject to Galileo's purchase/rental/maintenance charges as appropriate - please contact us for the latest schedule of prices and list of compatible ATB printers.

• How much does it cost?

For the eTravel Gateway standard ETG Terminal: there is a monthly fee of £50 (£70 including ticket production) for up to five users for Galileo access and a one-off software licence fee of £25 for each PC on which the ETG Terminal is installed. 

The eTravel Gateway is compatible with the current range of ticket printers supported by Galileo. Ticket printers and other similar hardware are subject to Galileo's rental/maintenance charges as appropriate. And if you don't print your own tickets, we offer a third-party ticketing service through ETS - please contact us for more information. 

Please add VAT at 17.5% to all prices quoted.

If you are interested in the eTravel Gateway Developer interface: please call 01772-766-800 for a quotation, or complete our on-line enquiry form.

• Do I keep my sector credits?

Yes. Galileo pay you a commission directly on each segment booked via the Galileo GDS. The exact value of sector credits is negotiated between the agent and GDS and depends on volume, type of connection and other factors.

• How do I pay?

For the eTravel Gateway standard ETG Terminal: You pay a deposit equivalent to the first month's usage fee plus the one-off software licence cost on completion of the eTravel Gateway Service Application Form. Subsequent monthly usage fees will be invoiced quarterly in advance.

• What about training?

The ETG Terminal preserves the familiar look and feel of the Galileo Executive Terminal. If you are already familiar with Galileo Executive Terminal, no additional training is required. 

If you are looking for a little help with the Galileo commands - look no further! We have produced a Quick Reference Guide (PDF format) to help you through the Galileo command set.

And, if you are looking for some formal training, Chameleon Training & Consulting run the following accredited Galileo training courses:

• Galileo Professional, 4 day course: £575 per person

This course covers the entire booking process including requesting and interpreting availability and timetables, obtaining and applying fares, adding and amending servicing information, using the Timatic (health & visa information) database and accessing the Galileo Information System pages.

This course is designed for Travel Consultants with knowledge of airport and city codes, general and IATA geography and/or 3 months IATA travel agency experience.

• Moving To Galileo, 2 day course: £325 per person

This course will show you how to use the Galileo Global Distribution System to create flight reservations by converting existing Global Distribution System knowledge.  It is designed for people who are moving to the Galileo system and have at least 6 months experience gained on an automated scheduled airline reservation system.

• Galileo Document Production, 2 day course: £325 per person

This course will show you how to to produce travel documents from the Galileo Global Distribution System, maintain records and perform trouble-shooting procedures.  This course is designed for people who are familiar with booking file creation and who will be required to produce tickets and itineraries from Galileo

All training prices quoted are for guidance only and are subject to V A T.

Chameleon London & Manchester Course Dates

• Can I extend the number of users?

You can activate further users at any time by paying the relevant software licence fee and additional monthly charge, if applicable, for additional users over and above 5 users.  New optional services, which will be introduced in future may attract additional connection charges.

• Can I set up my User ID on my laptop or home PC?

Yes, with the proviso that the same user cannot be logged in from two locations at the same time. If you are using the same User ID from your home PC, you need only pay the one-off software licence fee for the new installation of the ETG Terminal. 

• How to install the ETG Terminal for eTravel Gateway

Installation is simple - you'll need:

• The ETG Terminal setup program.
• Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5.01 or later.

You will find simple installation instructions and the ETG Terminal setup program at the eTravel Gateway Download ZONE. 

When you have installed the ETG Terminal, you'll need a valid User ID in order to login to the eTravel Gateway.

• How to obtain a trial User ID for eTravel Gateway

A 14 day trial version of the ETG Terminal is available for download via the eTravel Gateway Download ZONE. After 14 days, you will require an Activation Code to continue using ETG Terminal. You can evaluate ETG Terminal for 14 days without an Activation Code, however you must have a valid User ID in order to sign on to eTravel Gateway.

When you have installed the ETG Terminal, please complete our on-line Enquiry Form to request your trial User ID consisting of a User Name and Password that allows you to access the eTravel Gateway demo system. 

The trial User ID gives you access to the Galileo COPY system. Please note that there are a limited number of connections for the COPY system - your connection may be refused at busy times or seem slower than expected. However, you can test most of the features of the Galileo production system and you can't do any harm if you make a booking! Obviously, you can't do REAL bookings, print tickets etc until you become a customer of eTravel Gateway.

Novices should be aware that the Galileo ETG Terminal system is intended for the use of experienced travel agent staff only. If you are not familiar with the Galileo system or the Executive Terminal Command set, you should familiarise yourself with it before attempting to evaluate ETG Terminal.

See Also: Galileo Quick Reference Guide | Training

If you are a Systems Developer, please contact us for information on the eTravel Gateway Developer Interface.

• How to connect to eTravel Gateway Galileo Service

		To start ETG Terminal click the eTravel Gateway icon on your desktop.   NOTE: You don't need an Activation Key - you can test the software for 14 days free of charge. After the end of the trial period you must contact us for an Activation Key.
		To start the Galileo service within ETG Terminal click the Connect button on the ETG Terminal toolbar. NOTE: If the Connect button is greyed out, you need to set up a Service Definition before you can sign on to the Galileo Service.
		The command prompt '>' should appear on the screen -see the screen example below. You will need to enter your User Name and Password to access the Galileo Service.  To sign on to the Galileo Service, type: SON-<username>/<password>, eg:         >SON-HARRY/******** To sign off:         >SOF Once signed on, you can use all the Galileo Executive commands.  If you require a trial log-in, please complete our on-line Enquiry Form

If you have been issued a trial login you will be able to access the Galileo COPY System. Note that the COPY System is slower than the normal Galileo system and you can't do any harm if you make a booking! You can't do real bookings, print tickets etc until you become a customer of Galileo & eTravel Gateway.

• How to set up a new Service Definition in ETG Terminal

ETG Terminal allows you to connect to different services. To connect to a new service you need to create a Service Definition. The eTravel Gateway Galileo Service should be pre-configured when you first install the ETG Terminal. If not, follow the instructions below.

To start ETG Terminal, click the Gateway icon on your desktop. 

Go to the menu Options|Services; click 'New' and enter the following info:

Service Name: Galileo

Server: etgateway.ttsltd.com

Emulation: Galileo

DLL Path: C:\Program Files\ETG terminal\eTG_Gal.dll 
               (or wherever you installed it)

Description: eTravel Gateway Galileo Service

Then you can click 'Connect' and log into the new service.

• Problems installing/running ETG Terminal

When I try to install ETG Terminal the following message appears: 

"This installation package cannot be installed by the Windows installer service. You must install a Windows service pack that contains a newer version of the Windows Installer service."

This message is self-explanatory - you need to upgrade to the latest Windows Installer. Click the appropriate link below:

Windows Downloads Page

 

I have installed ETG Terminal but when I try to connect to the eTravel Gateway the following error message (or similar) appears: 

"Error 12157: Failed to open Galileo service at etgateway.ttsltd.com"

It is possible that you need to upgrade to a more recent version of Internet Explorer. ETG Terminal requires Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5.01 or above to be installed on the same PC as the ETG Terminal. To find out which version of Internet Explorer you have, select 'About Internet Explorer' from the Help menu in your browser. If you don't have a up to date version of Internet Explorer, click the link below.

Internet Explorer Download page

If you encounter other problems installing or running ETG Terminal please email eTravel Gateway Help Desk. Please briefly describe the problem that you are experiencing - including any error messages. Please also state which version of Windows and Internet Explorer are installed on your PC and what kind of Internet connection you are using.

• Problems connecting to or using the Galileo service 

I can't sign on to the Galileo Service

First, you need to have a Galileo account and a valid User ID in order to connect to the Galileo Service. If this is not the case, please contact eTravel Gateway sales or complete the on-line enquiry form.

If you have successfully connected to the service in the past, please check that your Internet connection is working: is Internet Explorer and your email service working properly? 

For information on the service status of the Gateway, look out for the regular Service Bulletins that appear on screen when you log into the eTravel Gateway.

I don't know what command to use when I want to do something on the Galileo service.

If you need help with Galileo Executive Terminal commands our Galileo Quick Reference Guide can be viewed on-line or downloaded and saved for future reference.

If you are a newcomer to Galileo, we recommend that you attend a specialist Training Course

If you need more general help, use our SEARCH facility (at the top left of each web page) to find the information you need on the eTravel Gateway web site. The chances are that the information you need is contained within this FAQ section of the website. The FAQ section also contains many useful links to other information sources.

Finally, if you experience problems that can’t be solved with the information on the web site you may submit a support request to eTravel Gateway via the Support Request Form which you will find in the User Admin section of the web site.

Developer Assistance is provided under the terms of eTravel Gateway Developer Assistance contract. For more information, please call 01772-766-800 for a quotation or complete our on-line enquiry form.

• Where can I get some more information on the Developer Interface?

For some basic information on the Developer Interface, please look at the specific Developer Interface Web Page or Data Sheet.

If you need more technical information, please contact us. We need to know a little of what your requirements are, for example which API you are interested in. 

There is an example of an implementation of the eTravel Gateway Developer Interface at www.ttsltd.com (click on Booking Example)

• What about technical updates?

Being a user of the eTravel Gateway means that you will be on the mailing list for news, tips, and other information. eTravel Gateway will keep you informed on the latest developments in the software and provide you with updates via email.

• What other services are you going to offer?

eTravel Gateway will offer an expanding range of connections to travel-related enquiry and booking services. This might include rail, car hire, tours, hotel bookings, villa rentals and other transportation arrangements.

ADSL

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. ADSL is the newly emerging broadband standard which offers an 'always on' connection to the Internet. Download speeds are up to 10 times faster than a conventional modem/telephone line. 

CRS

Centralised Reservations System, more commonly referred to as Global Distribution System as. See GDS

GDS

Global Distribution System. Enquiry and booking system for flights, hotels, etc. Sometimes referred to as Centralised Reservations System (CRS). The main GDSs are operated by Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan. 

GTID

Gallileo Terminal ID. A GTID is assigned to each terminal connected through a Pseudo City. The standard eTravel Gateway package comes with up to five GTIDs.

Pseudo City

A location from which bookings are made, each pseudo city has a number of GTIDs associated with it. You can configure the Gateway GTIDs into one or more Psuedo Cities.