Software-as-a-service catering software to save carrier $5 million each year and transform guest experience
London – May 31, 2012 – Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has started rolling out Sabre software, following the billion dollar technology agreement signed by the two companies last year.
The implementation of Sabre’s catering software kicks off the largest technology project in the airline’s history, as it migrates all business operations to Sabre software, including rolling out Sabre’s passenger reservations software.
Lee Shave, Etihad Airways’ vice president for guest experience, said: “This allows us to better manage, audit and analyse important processes such as meal forecasting and equipment demand. The enhanced control means we should make savings in excess of $5 million per annum, while continuing to provide a world-class and award-winning guest experience onboard.”
Maher Koubaa, Sabre Airline Solutions’ vice president in the Middle East and Africa, said: “We have a significant partnership with Etihad Airways and it’s great to see the project start. Every year we invest hundreds of millions of dollars in technology to help airlines like Etihad enhance their operations, improve customer service and ultimately drive more revenue, and we will be working with them closely over the coming years to help them grow.”
Sabre’s in-flight catering software is the industry’s only integrated solution that will allow Etihad Airways to manage all meal and catering services from a single platform.
Using the software, the airline can more accurately cater for in-flight meals, special requests, and centrally control the onboard product requirements to improve consistency across the network. Etihad Airways will also make savings by reducing meal wastage through improved forecasting, and by better auditing of caterer invoices.
The technology brings together what is currently a multi-layered manual process into a fully automated single platform for the entire in-flight service supply chain. This helps to streamline operations and reduce operational complexity.
The technology was implemented using Sabre’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) hosted infrastructure and followed an intense customer consultation.
Mr Shave said Etihad Airways picked the Sabre SaaS model because of the speed to market and the cost benefits.
ENDS
Sabre Airline Solutions provides technology to the aviation industry. It operates the industry’s largest Software-as-a-Solutions (SaaS) business, with its reservations system, commercial planning and operations software used by more than 300 airlines and over 100 airports around the world. More than 450 million passengers are put on airplanes every year using Sabre technology. Sabre Airline Solutions is part of Sabre Holdings, a global travel technology company serving the world’s largest industry- travel and tourism. For more information please visit: www.sabreairlinesolutions.com.
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, began operations in 2003, and in 2011 carried 8.3 million passengers. From its hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad Airways serves 86 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, with a fleet of 66 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and 100 aircraft on order, including 10 Airbus A380s, the world’s largest passenger aircraft. Etihad Airways also owns nearly 30 per cent of airberlin, Europe’s sixth largest airline, and 40 per cent of Air Seychelles. For more information, please visit: www.etihad.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
Martin Ferguson
Sabre Holdings
Tel: +44 20 8538 8576
Mob: +44 7740 409 440
martin.ferguson@sabre.com
Tom Clarke
Etihad Airway Corporate Communications
Tel: +971 2 511 1036
Mob: +971 50 812 5796
tclarke@etihad.ae
