Etihad Airways signs up for Amadeus’ Altéa Customer Management Solution

Amadeus and Etihad Airways have signed an agreement by which the airline will implement the complete Amadeus Altéa Customer Management suite (CMS).

As part of the deal, Etihad, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, will use all three components of the Amadeus Altéa CMS comprising Altéa Reservation - including e-ticketing, Altéa Inventory and Altéa Departure Control System. The full suite, based on a next generation “community” IT platform, aims to provide Etihad with complete control over its distribution channels, inventory and seat planning, and the airport check-in process. This will enable the airline to maximise yield on every seat as well as identify the value of its “guests” at all stages of the travelling process, ensuring that service is targeted accordingly.

Etihad’s growth strategy is aggressive. Since its inauguration in 2003, the airline has added 34 destinations to its network and aims to extend its current fleet from 16 to 50 by 2008. In Asia, the airline flies to airports in India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Ian Ferguson-Brown, Head of Communications, Etihad Airways, said, “As a growing, new airline in a highly competitive market, differentiation is key and getting the right technology in place is an important part of this strategy. Altéa CMS’ customer-centric features are an excellent fit to our “Guest Recognition” Program. By using a technology platform that is based around the needs of our “guests”, we are able to deliver the targeted, seamless service that they expect. Further, Altéa underpins our strategy for timely deployment of e-ticketing, to align us with the global industry and offer what is today a key point of differentiation in the Middle East region.”

He continued: “The commercial benefits of joining a community platform for us are clear. We are able to take advantage of proven IT systems that are flexible and agile and we also benefit from ongoing product developments at lower than average costs.”

Complete implementation of the Altéa suite is planned by the end of this year. Etihad went live with e-ticketing on its own flights in June 2006.

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