SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Nov 30, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Sabre Airline Solutions, the industry leader in airline operations technology, announced today the successful implementation of interline electronic ticketing between Alaska Airlines and Korean Air. Sabre Airline Solutions was able to provide the interline e-ticketing capability at significantly reduced costs in a short timeframe by leveraging its “e-ticketing hub” for efficient connectivity between participating airlines.
The e-ticketing hub is part of SabreSonic Ticket, a state-of-the-art e-ticketing module for airlines that eliminates the need for carriers to build costly systems for electronic ticket distribution and database maintenance. The e-ticketing hub significantly simplifies the process for enabling interline electronic ticketing between two carriers. This capability comes at a time when there is a growing interest in e-ticketing, especially for itineraries that include travel on different carriers.
In the past, a carrier had to create a separate bilateral communication link each time it wanted to enable interline e-ticketing capability with another carrier. Establishing interline message communication on a bilateral basis between two carriers is a costly and time-intensive exercise that then needs to be replicated carrier by carrier. With the e-ticketing hub, Sabre Airline Solutions has streamlined the communication protocols between carriers. Now a carrier establishes a single connection to the e-ticketing hub to enable interline electronic ticketing with other participating airlines. Currently, there are 38 carriers participating in the SabreSonic Ticket Interline Electronic Ticket Hub, including American Airlines, US Airways, British Airways, Qantas, Airways Iberia, Cathay Pacific Airways, and Japan Airlines.
“It is important for us to maintain the level of service our customers expect while keeping costs low,” said Karen Broghammer, manager CRC and Technology Development at Alaska Airlines. “Sabre Airline Solutions’ new-generation technology and ease of implementation enables us to do just that with electronic ticketing and positions us for future growth.”
In addition to the rapid delivery and reduced costs for interline electronic connections, Sabre Airline Solutions provides unique processing tools. The diagnostic tools, including e-mail alert functionality and access to individual ticketing messages, provides airline employees with the resources to quickly diagnose and solve message errors. Availability of such enhancements comes as a benefit of the product’s development in an open-system environment.
Sabre Airline Solutions’ e-ticketing program supports the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Simplifying the Business initiative, which calls for 100 percent e-ticketing by the end of 2007. Carriers that have implemented the SabreSonic Ticket IET hub have realized savings of up to 50 percent compared to bilateral methods.
Many carriers worldwide had begun introducing e-ticketing prior to the IATA initiative since it provides both a cost advantage and an additional customer-centric offering. Using e-tickets, airlines can reduce costs associated with the production of paper tickets and the manpower needed to facilitate their use while offering more convenient and easier to execute transfers.
The implementation between Korean Airways and Alaska Airlines demonstrates the flexibility of the SabreSonic Ticket e-ticketing hub – any airline can participate regardless of the reservations system. While Alaska Airlines is enhancing its SabreSonic Res system with its connection to the e-ticketing hub, Korean Airways is a SkyTeam member and uses its own in-house systems to manage reservations.
“By delivering to our customers the latest, most advanced offerings spanning the breadth of airline operations, and by responding to their feedback, we are able to address our customers’ needs – such as preparation for 100 percent e-ticketing – with an agility and time to market unequalled in the marketplace,” said Gianni Marostica, president of Airline Passenger Solutions at Sabre Airline Solutions.
About Sabre Airline Solutions
Sabre Airline Solutions, a Sabre Holdings company, is the world’s largest provider of products to help airlines market, sell, serve and operate from planning to execution.
More than 200 airlines use its broad portfolio of decision-support tools to increase revenues and improve operations. More than 100 airlines rely on Sabre Airline Solutions for passenger management solutions, while a similar number have turned to the company’s consulting group for strategic, commercial and operational advice. More than 500 contracts worldwide were signed in 2004 for Sabre Airline Solutions’ leading technology solutions.
Sabre Holdings (NYSE:TSG) connects people with the world’s greatest travel possibilities by 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 Corporation. All other trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE: Sabre Airline Solutions
Sabre Airline Solutions, Southlake Media Contact Kathryn Hayden, 682-605-2252 kathryn.hayden@sabre-holdings.com
