New Advanced Technology Suite to Propel State of Travel in Russia
MOSCOW and SOUTHLAKE, Texas, April 30 /PRNewswire/ — Aeroflot Russian
Airlines announced that it has signed a contract with Sabre Airline Solutions
for a state-of-the-art technology portfolio. The core of this advanced
technology solution is the SabreSonic suite, which includes passenger
reservations, a web site that allows potential travelers to shop and book
travel on Aeroflot, and airport check-in along with a number of other key
passenger service modules. The comprehensive offering also will provide
Russian travel agencies with full access to the world’s leading global
distribution system, providing the first ability to directly book travel
worldwide including airlines, car rental agencies, cruises, tour operators and
rail outside of Russia.
Industry studies indicate that the Russian marketplace is poised for
growth and the Russian travel industry will benefit from this growth. In a
world of contracting economies, Russia has been experiencing economic growth
of 4 percent to 8 percent in recent years and inflation also is on the
decrease. Russian airline travel is expected to also grow both regionally and
internationally. Forecasted growth in the airline traffic ranges from 60
percent to 100 percent comparing 2002 to 2010. While there were 28 million
passengers boarded in 2003, there have been estimates that this number could
grow to over 100 million by 2015.
The announcement between Aeroflot and Sabre Airline Solutions helps to
position the carrier for this growth and follows several years of successful
business between the two companies that began when Aeroflot began leveraging
software from Sabre Airline Solutions to automate and streamline its
operations in 1997.
“Aeroflot was determined to get the most advanced and effective
technologies in the industry,” said Eugene Bachurin, Commercial Director for
Aeroflot. “It is for this reason we chose the Sabre Airline Solutions
technology package. Their solutions are the only ones that will provide both
flexibility for our clients’ selling, booking and ticketing airline travel, as
well as maximizing productivity for agents. In addition, the new technology
will provide many new features both for Aeroflot and travel agents as well as
our passengers.”
“We are extremely excited to be taking such an active role in advancing
the state of travel in Russia,” said Tom Klein, group president of Sabre
Airline Solutions. “We recognize that Aeroflot is poised for significant
growth and we are looking forward to helping them leverage our new generation
technology solutions to accomplish and manage this growth.”
The comprehensive technology package that Sabre Airline Solutions will be
implementing at Aeroflot provides technology suites for reservations and
associated passenger services, GDS access and optimization solutions. These
three core technologies include:
-- SabreSonic, the travel industry's first new generation reservations
and passenger processing solution, built on open systems to provide
unmatched flexibility, integration and implementation of the latest
technologies in the market.
-- Access to the world's leading global distribution system that
combined with the SabreSonic suite provides the most complete end-to-
end solution to shop, book, price and manage travel.
-- New operational technology solutions to enhance Aeroflot's frequent
flyer program (Aeroflot Bonus), and to help the airline plan and
optimize air loads -- which also helps save fuel costs, increasingly
important in current market conditions.
The agreement with Aeroflot will open an entire new offering for travel
agencies that currently book Aeroflot flights. These agencies, that
previously only had access to Aeroflot’s inventory, now also will have access
to the Sabre global distribution system (GDS), the world’s largest and most
advanced distribution system, for booking Aeroflot flights.
SabreSonic includes robust solutions for alliance support — including
technology to support codeshare agreements with alliance members, frequent
flyer programs, shared electronic ticketing information and more. This
capability will ensure smooth and seamless travel experience for passengers
connecting with partner airlines.
“The breadth of the offering from Sabre Airline Solutions provides an
integrated solution across all of our operations. In fact, we believe the
technology solution they have packaged for Aeroflot offers benefits that are
unmatched in the industry,” said Sergey Kiryushin, Aeroflot’s chief
information officer. “This smart technology means improvements to our
operations and that means better results to our bottom line and improved
service to our customers.”
An additional phase of implementation of the Sabre Airline Solutions
Aeroflot technology suite will launch new customer-focused passenger solution
features made possible through SabreSonic, such as a powerful web-based
booking engine that will introduce online shopping functionality for Aeroflot.
eCommerce and online booking for travel is growing exponentially worldwide,
and this product suite introduction from Sabre Airline Solutions will provide
a new paradigm in the Russian marketplace. In fact, SabreSonic provides
Aeroflot with the most versatile check-in options in the industry.
“In short, with SabreSonic, Aeroflot can provide a whole new level of
service to Aeroflot’s passengers,” Klein added. “We have made sure that we
developed a passenger solution that is focused on passengers. And we made
sure we had the right technology to allow for a very adaptable system that can
keep pace with changes in the way people travel.”
According to Bachurin at Aeroflot, “The most exciting part about this new
technology package is that it will help advance the travel industry in
Russia.”
About Aeroflot Russian Airlines
Aeroflot Russian Airlines (RTS: AFLT) makes regular flights to 88 points
of 42 countries, including six CIS countries (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia,
Kirghizia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan). In addition, 33 joint flights are made
under code-sharing agreements with 20 Aeroflot airline partners. Aeroflot has
the largest booking and flight control centers in Eastern Europe. The entire
flight management process is automated in real-time. Aeroflot flight safety
is around 99.95% that corresponds to the highest international level. The
company employs 14,200 workers, including 2,200 aircraft pilots. Flexible
fare schemes (family fare, youth fare, pensioner fare, etc.) and “Aeroflot
Bonus” frequent-flyer incentive program are applied for all Aeroflot flights.
Aeroflot routes and flight schedules are highly intensive and provide
maximally optimized connections. Aeroflot mission is to create routes meeting
the demand for air transportation and providing the development of domestic
and international lines, convenience and comfort for the passengers. The
upcoming summer season as well as the last winter period is distinguished by
making regular and charter flights in the circumstances of a large-scale air
fleet replacement program.
About Sabre Airline Solutions
Sabre Airline Solutions, a Sabre Holdings company, is the world’s largest
provider of software products, reservations and 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 100 airlines worldwide
rely on Sabre Airline Solutions for passenger management solutions, with 15
new carriers added and nine carrier renewals for SabreSonic Res advanced
reservations in 2003. In addition, more than 100 clients worldwide have
turned to Sabre Airline Solutions consulting group for strategic, commercial
and operational consulting. More than 500 contracts worldwide were signed in
2003 within Sabre Airline Solutions.
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,
Sabre AirOps, Sabre Traverse, Sabre AirMax are trademarks and/or service marks
of an affiliate of Sabre Holdings Corporation. All other trademarks, service
marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE Sabre Airline Solutions
-0- 04/30/2004
/CONTACT: Kathryn Hayden of Sabre Airline Solutions, +1-682-605-2252, or
kathryn.hayden@sabre-holdings.com ; or Elena Semenowa of Aeroflot Russian
Airlines, +7095-151-9869, or esemenowa@aeroflot.ru /
/Web site: http://www.sabre-holdings.com /
(TSG)
CO: Sabre Airline Solutions; Aeroflot Russian Airlines; Sabre Holdings
Corporation
ST: Texas, Russia
IN: CPR MLM TRA LEI AIR
SU: CON
CT-CD
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0793 04/30/2004 07:30 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com