SOUTHLAKE, Texas & HONOLULU–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct. 26, 2004–Sabre Airline Solutions, the industry leader in airline operations technology, announced today a multi-year agreement with Hawaiian Airlines to renew and strengthen the carrier’s commitment to the SabreSonic suite of new generation passenger management solutions. The agreement ranks among the largest renewals to date for the new generation technology.
Hawaiian Airlines — the nation’s #1 on-time carrier for the past 10 months — has employed SabreSonic’s open systems technology to power its reservations, ticketing and check-in functions since 1994. The carrier has renewed those features and now is adding additional customer care features available in the suite in order to promote a customer-centric environment. These include two CRM offerings — Customer Insight and Customer Data Delivery.
“The open systems technology of Sabre Airline Solutions has been a key component of our success in establishing Hawaiian Airlines as the industry leader with customer service,” said Gordon Locke, senior vice president of marketing and sales at Hawaiian Airlines. “The flexibility and adaptability of the SabreSonic suite will enhance our customer service even more by providing clean, easy-to-use data before and after each sale.”
Customer Insight, the industry’s first true operational customer care program, provides the first continuous flow of passenger information throughout a carrier’s disparate operational systems. Customer Insight can be accessed through web services, which will enable any authorized Hawaiian Airlines employee to easily create, retrieve and modify the customer information at any customer touch point. For travelers on Hawaiian Airlines, this integrated customer view means they can get quicker service and up-to-date, consistent information.
The second SabreSonic customer care option that Hawaiian Airlines is adding to its portfolio is Customer Data Delivery, which provides detailed travel pattern information through passenger trip data in both real time and scheduled timeframes. The data includes advance booking information on all active bookings made by the airline as well as bookings made by travel agencies and other airlines, and delivers only data elements relevant to the carrier’s business needs and at a frequency determined by the airline. The customized delivery of travel patterns and behavior information can be used to improve customer service, optimize revenues and provide the foundation for additional marketing opportunities.
The customer care options for SabreSonic provide a holistic view of the customer to aid the airline in fulfilling its commitment to customer service. As an example, Customer Insight can store complete information about customers, including destination, service, and seat preferences as well as historical customer experience data. This information is available at all customer service points, enabling staff to better serve and understand customers as well as respond to service experiences. This customer-centric approach allows airlines to shift focus from merely processing passengers to providing travelers with personalized customer service throughout their journey.
“Hawaiian Airlines has an extraordinary focus on customer service, as evidenced by its recent number-one ranking for on-time service, baggage handling and fewest cancellations. The addition of these SabreSonic features will continue this tradition of service,” said Gianni Marostica, president, Airline Passenger Solutions at Sabre Airline Solutions. “The newly adopted technology easily integrates with the airline’s existing systems and components from Sabre Airline Solutions, minimizing time and costs involved in assuring a higher level of dedication to customers.”
Along with the additions of Customer Insight and Customer Data Delivery to its portfolio of advanced technology from Sabre Airline Solutions, Hawaiian Airlines renewed commitments to:
SabreSonic Res — Advanced reservations management capabilities that enable airlines to efficiently grow revenue and manage every channel of distribution. SabreSonic Res includes the industry’s leading online booking engine as well as shopping, ticketing and codeshare capabilities.
SabreSonic Ticket — State-of-the-art e-ticketing functionality that eliminates the need to build costly systems for electronic ticket distribution and database maintenance. Using this component, an airline can connect to a universal electronic ticketing hub for cost-effective, efficient connectivity to e-ticketing partner airlines.
SabreSonic Check-in — Leading departure control capabilities that facilitate efficient passenger processing both on and off airport grounds, streamlining operations and enhancing the customer travel experience. Its capabilities include check in, re-accommodation and automated fee collection capabilities all managed from a single, easy-to-use GUI.
The customer care package delivered by Sabre Airline Solutions augments Hawaiian Airlines’ ongoing customer service plan that includes BaggageDirect, an exclusive, TSA-certified service providing complete passenger and baggage check-in from home, office, or hotel including delivery of boarding passes and baggage claim receipts.
Since its launch in January 2004, the SabreSonic suite has been widely accepted by carriers large and small around the globe. The suite is now in use by more than 100 airlines in 39 countries.
About Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines, the nation’s number one on-time carrier, is recognized as one of the best airlines in America. Business travelers recently surveyed by Conde Nast Traveler rated Hawaiian Airlines as having the best in-flight service and meals of any U.S. carrier. In addition, Hawaiian is ranked as the nation’s fifth best airline overall by Travel + Leisure, ahead of every other carrier flying to Hawaii.
Celebrating its 75th year of continuous service, Hawaiian Airlines is Hawaii’s biggest and longest-serving airline, and the second largest provider of passenger air service between Hawaii and the mainland U.S. Hawaiian offers nonstop service to Hawaii from more mainland U.S. gateways than any other airline. Hawaiian also provides approximately 100 daily jet flights among the Hawaiian Islands, as well as service to Australia, American Samoa and Tahiti.
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., is a subsidiary of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (AMEX:HA)(PCX:HA). Since the appointment of a bankruptcy trustee in May 2003, Hawaiian Holdings has had no involvement in the management of Hawaiian Airlines and has had limited access to information concerning the airline. Additional information is available at www.HawaiianAir.com.
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 and departure control systems 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 and nearly 400 have been signed in the first half of 2004.
Sabre Holdings Corp. (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 Corporation. All other trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners. (C) 2004 Sabre Inc. All rights reserved.
CONTACT: Sabre Airline Solutions, Southlake
Kathryn Hayden, 682-605-2252
kathryn.hayden@sabre-holdings.com
or
Hawaiian Airlines, Honolulu
Keoni Wagner, 808-838-6778
wagner@hawaiian
SOURCE: Sabre Airline Solutions
