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
