Trading Statement

RNS Number:3591U
ebookers PLC
19 January 2004



    ebookers trading statement

      Stronger long haul market conditions drive online growth

19 January 2004 - ebookers plc (Nasdaq - EBKR, LSE - EBR) Europe's No.1 retail
online travel agency today gives an update on trading for October-December 2003
(Quarter 4) and trading to date in 2004.

We were pleased with strong online sales growth in the October-December 2003
quarter, that has led to us beating analysts' expectations of Gross Sales (total
transaction value).  The October-December 2003 quarter was a bigger quarter for
sales than the July-September 2003 quarter.  However, at this stage of our
financial reporting process we are unable to comment on financial metrics.

January has started well, with strong growth in online passenger bookings across
most of our businesses.  We are also pleased to see a return to a more
favourable market environment for long and mid haul travel, our key sector, from
October 2003.

We are hosting an analysts' briefing today, 19 January, prior to going into our
Close Period on the 22 January, in advance of our 2003 Results.  We will be
presenting on developments in our UK business, on IT successes and plans, and
also initiatives aimed at continuing the increasing sale of high margin hotel,
car rentals, and travel insurance products. There will be no new financial
information given at the analyst briefing.

Our 2003 full year results are due to be announced on Monday 22 March.

Dinesh Dhamija, CEO and Chairman ebookers plc, comments:

"In contrast to many of our competitors, ebookers sells the majority of its
products to long and mid haul destinations.  In 2003, long and mid haul was
affected by the Iraq War, SARS and a European heatwave.  Recently, however,
there are strong signs that the long and mid haul market is bouncing back and
our sales are benefiting from this.  We are also benefiting from the full
assimilation of our February 2003 Travelbag acquisition into our UK operations.
Travelbag is a renowned long haul specialist particularly to Australasia and the
Far East"

                                    --ends--


For further information:

ebookers plc
Oliver Strong                                        [phone]
[e-mail]                           [phone]

Cubitt Consulting (UK)
Fergus Wylie                                         [phone]
[e-mail]


About ebookers plc

ebookers is Europe's No.1 retail online travel agency (based on the last 4
reported quarters of gross sales, excluding estimates of wholesale transactions
and non-travel transactions.).  ebookers has websites in 12 European countries -
UK, France, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Spain, Holland, Switzerland, Sweden,
Denmark, Norway, and Finland. It specialises in the mid- and long-haul modular
leisure segments of the European travel industry. It also specialises in selling
discount merchant fares, which are negotiated directly with leading travel
suppliers in order to help them sell their excess capacity without damaging
their pricing structure and brands. ebookers has a low-cost BPO facility in New
Delhi, India with a staff of over 700, which carries out 13 separate functions
from email sales to software development. The Company has a multi brand
marketing strategy. Its brands include ebookers.com, Flightbookers, Travelbag,
The Adventure Company, Bridge the World, and MrJet. ebookers plc is listed on
the London Stock Exchange and quoted on Nasdaq in the United States of America.


Forward Looking Statements

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in
this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
such forward looking statements.  Potential risks and uncertainties include,
without limitation, the company's ability to identify, acquire and integrate its
potential subsidiaries across Europe, its ability to significantly increase its
online revenues and sales volumes, to maintain and develop relationships with
travel suppliers and strategic partners and to attract and retain customers,
potential adverse changes in its gross mark up or in commission rates,
unforeseen events affecting the travel industry, and the company's dependence on
its ability to establish its brand.  The foregoing list of important factors is
not exhaustive.  When relying on forward-looking statements, readers should
carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and events, as
well as factors described in documents ebookers plc files from time to time with
regulatory authorities in the United Kingdom and the United States, including
annual reports on Form 20-F filed with the US Securities and Exchange
Commission. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which
they are made and except as required by the rules of the UK Listing Authority,
the London Stock Exchange the Nasdaq National Market and applicable law,
ebookers plc undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any
forward-looking statements.



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