SOUTHLAKE, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 31, 2005–Sabre Airline Solutions announced the introduction of Electronic Ticket Essentials, a low impact, simplified approach to electronic ticket distribution, interline electronic ticketing and check-in processes for carriers that have not yet implemented their own solution. Using the SabreSonic solutions’ open-systems technology, the Electronic Ticket Essentials component — part of the SabreSonic Ticket portfolio that includes the industry’s richest package of e-ticketing solutions — directly addresses airlines’ needs regarding the International Air Transport Association’s “Simplifying the Business” initiative to move the industry to 100 percent electronic ticketing by 2007.
Unlike the conventional approach to electronic ticketing, which requires significant changes to airline business processes in several areas, the Electronic Ticket Essentials component retains existing processes within the airline, minimizing internal costs and training. The Electronic Ticket Essentials component’s unique approach also minimizes activation costs and a transaction fee pricing approach allows carriers of all sizes to realize the full benefits of GDS electronic ticketing. Using Sabre Airline Solutions’ patent pending technology, the Electronic Ticket Essentials component enables an airline to distribute electronic tickets through travel agents, interline electronic tickets to provide e-ticketing among multiple carriers and check in passengers with electronic tickets
“Airlines are looking to their technology partners to simplify the travel process — and e-ticketing is an area in which we believe we have strongly delivered robust solutions,” said Gianni Marostica, president of Airline Passenger Solutions for Sabre Airline Solutions. “We provided every option for all types of carriers because every carrier has unique needs and the solution for them is not always the same. We are very pleased that our SabreSonic solutions e-ticketing approach has been able to play a part in so many airlines advancing their customer service, ease of use and compliance with IATA’s ‘Simplifying the Business’ initiative, and we believe that the Electronic Ticketing Essentials component will help even more carriers meet this goal in a way that doesn’t require major change to their business processes.”
Part of the leading e-ticketing solutions suite, the Electronic Ticket Essentials component joins existing SabreSonic ticketing options including:
-- SabreSonic Ticket -- State-of-the-art e-ticketing module that
eliminates the need to build costly systems for electronic
ticket distribution and database maintenance. Using this
component, airlines can connect to a universal electronic
ticketing hub for cost-effective, efficient connectivity to
e-ticketing partner airlines. SabreSonic Ticket components
include:
-- Full Service Electronic Ticketing -- Allows an airline to
remain hosted on its reservations system while acquiring the
ability to access and utilize a full suite of electronic
ticketing products within Sabre Airline Solutions' e-ticketing
system.
-- Interline Electronic Ticketing Hub -- Enables the exchange of
inbound and outbound interline electronic tickets with
multiple participating airlines via a single connection to the
Sabre IET Hub. Carriers implementing IET connections through
the IET Hub average savings of 50 percent for initial
connections versus the industry standard, and greater than 50
percent savings on subsequent connections. Sabre Airline
Solutions has already implemented 26 connections through the
IET Hub component of SabreSonic Ticket.
-- Ground Handling Electronic Ticket Solutions -- Enables the
exchange of electronic ticket coupon data between an operating
carrier and a ground handler using IATA Resolution 722h ground
handling methods
SabreSonic Res also supports the “Simplifying the Business” initiative with a complete host and ticketing solution with advanced reservations management capabilities that enable an airline to efficiently grow revenue and manage every channel of distribution. The offering includes the industry’s leading online booking engine as well as shopping, ticketing and codeshare capabilities all managed from a single, easy-to-use GUI.
In February, American Airlines adopted Sabre Airline Solutions’ IET Hub offering to enhance the traveling experience and lower costs. The IET Hub helps American Airlines connect to its partner carriers in the oneworld alliance.
Sabre Airline Solutions’ involvement in the fulfillment of interline e-ticketing among all oneworld alliance partners is a prime example of the far-reaching effect e-ticketing is having, and will continue to have, on the industry.
“We are very excited about reaching this goal at this point. e-Ticketing is a significant part of our vision for simplification and the partnerships with the technology vendors such as Sabre (Airline Solutions) were key to this success,” said Bob McNair, vice president of Information Technology for oneworld.
e-Ticketing Facts:
-- It is estimated that an average of US$9 is saved when an
e-ticket is issued as opposed to a paper ticket through the
elimination of printing, postage, shipping, storage and
accounting costs.
-- IATA figures attest that 7 percent of tickets worldwide are
e-tickets, with a 1 percent to 2 percent increase every month.
-- IATA aims to arrive at 40 percent e-ticketing by the end of
2005, 70 percent in 2006, and 100 percent e-ticketing by the
end of 2007.
-- e-Ticketing by the numbers:
-- 44 percent of tickets issued in the Americas are e-tickets
-- Europe is at 35 percent
-- Asia/Pacific is at 25 percent
-- For the travel agent, e-ticketing provides a greater level of
flexibility that enables the agents to handle changes to
itineraries and last-minute travel decisions instantly and
efficiently.
-- During irregular operations, IET facilitates the transfer of
coupons to alternative flights on other airlines.
-- e-Ticketing allows increased efficiency in revenue accounting.
Sabre Airline Solutions e-Ticketing Figures:
-- Almost 40 airlines hosted in SabreSonic Res have implemented
electronic ticketing.
-- Sabre Airline Solutions has implemented 58 interline
electronic ticketing connections for 30 unique carriers; 26
connections are routed through the IET hub, and 23 carriers
are connected to the hub. This includes 15 non-hosted
carriers.
-- In 2004 Sabre Travel Network (GDS) issued over 136 million
tickets of which 75 million were electronic tickets.
-- Sabre Travel Network distributes electronic ticketing for 65
airlines in 64 countries.
-- In January 2002, 43 percent of travel agency-issued tickets
were electronic.
-- In January 2005, 68 percent of travel agency-issued tickets
were electronic.
-- In June 2004, (date of IATA Simplifying the Business
announcement), 60 percent of travel agency issued tickets were
electronic.
About Sabre Airline Solutions
Sabre Airline Solutions, a Sabre Holdings company, is the world’s largest provider of software products; reservations, departure control systems and other passenger management systems; and consulting services that help airlines simplify operations and lower costs. Sabre Airline Solutions’ proven leadership is demonstrated by the growing number of airlines that leverage the technology and services: More than 200 airlines worldwide use Sabre Airline Solutions’ broad portfolio of smart solutions for decision-support tools to increase revenues and improve operations. More than 500 contracts worldwide were signed in 2004 for Sabre Airline Solutions’ leading technology solutions. More than 100 airlines worldwide rely on Sabre Airline Solutions for passenger management solutions, with eight new carriers choosing SabreSonic, the first new generation reservations system offered in the market, in 2004 and six carrier renewals. In addition, more than 100 clients worldwide have turned to the Sabre Airline Solutions consulting group for strategic, commercial and operational consulting.
Sabre Holdings Corporation (NYSE:TSG) is a world leader in travel commerce, retailing travel products and providing distribution and technology solutions for the travel industry. More information about Sabre Holdings is available at http://www.sabre-holdings.com.
Sabre Airline Solutions, the Sabre Airline Solutions logo and SabreSonic are trademarks and/or service marks of an affiliate of Sabre Holdings Corp. All other trademarks, service marks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. (C) 2005 Sabre Inc. All rights reserved.
CONTACT: Sabre Airline Solutions
Media Contact:
Kathryn Hayden, 682-605-2252
kathryn.hayden@sabre-holdings.com
or
Electronic Ticket Essentials Contact:
Gary Millward, 682-605-1977
gary.millward@sabre-holdings.com
SOURCE: Sabre Airline Solutions
