Dubai, UAE, June 25, 2007: Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry, today announced it continues to register a strong demand for e-ticketing technology from the airline industry, a direct result of IATA's Simplifying the Business campaign.

Aimed at reducing cost and making effective use of existing technology, IATA's Simplifying the Business campaign will see the global airline industry migrate to 100% e-ticketing, the deadline for which though originally set for December 31, 2007, has now been extended to May 31, 2008.  

In addition to saving the aviation industry up to US$ 3 billion annually,  this move will also save cost and increase efficiency for travellers and travels agents across the globe.

According to an Air Traffic Forecast Advisory by Airports Council International (ACI) the annual average increase in people leaving and coming through UAE's airports is estimated at 6.7 per cent from 2006 to 2025.

Similarly, a long-term forecast by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) predict that earnings from inbound visitors to UAE will grow by 7.2 per cent annually till 2015, a feat made possible largely due to UAE's fast growing profile as a sought-after MICE and holiday destination.

With the rise in travellers moving in and through the UAE and need to effectively meet IATA's requirements, it is crucial that all airlines put in place a system that will allow them to make the most of the benefits gained through e-ticketing. 

Factors such as, a need for faster  implementation of a complete ticketing platform and a simplified access to the industry's largest e-ticket interlining community will be the key drivers that will enable airlines to meet the deadline.

As a preferred IATA partner, Amadeus provides the airlines industry with solutions from its leading ticketing portfolio designed to help carriers comply with the Simplifying the Business initiative.

In the region, leading airlines such as, Kuwait Airways, Etihad Airlines, Egypt Air, Qatar Airways, have migrated to the Amadeus Ticketing Platform (ATP) inorder to meet IATA's deadline of 100 per cent e-ticketing.

Faris Azzee, Director Sales for Dubai and Northern Emirates at Amadeus Gulf, commented: "The strength of our technology, the extent of our interlining community and the ability of our teams to implement solutions quickly and seamlessly, has been key to our continued success in this area. We are committed to ensuring that all airlines, irrespective of their size and geography, are able to meet the deadline by May 2008".

With 198 carriers and 142 markets, more than 70% of tickets issued through Amadeus are now electronic making Amadeus the industry leader in the number of e-ticketing solutions implemented and deployed globally. By the end of 2006, Amadeus had enabled e-ticketing for 198 airlines, including Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Egypt Air, Tunis air, Royal Air Maroc, MEA, Oman Air and Gulf Air.

Regionally, Amadeus currently provides e-ticketing in the following countries: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Egypt, Pakistan, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and Kuwait.

-Ends-

About  Amadeus Ticketing portfolio
It comprises 3 main solutions:

  • Amadeus Ticketing Platform: a hosted solution which provides full ticketing functionality, that allows airlines to issue, cancel, exchange, refund and revalidate any type of tickets - paper and electronic- together with full financial reporting.

  • Amadeus e-Ticket Server: an outsourced platform that provides full management of e-ticketing activity including ticket issuance and follow-up transactions, interface to check-in systems, interline e-ticketing and ground-handling.

  • Amadeus e-Ticket Gateway: provides outsourced, interline e-ticketing connectivity between interline partners that use their own e-ticket database.

About Amadeus
Amadeus is the chosen technology partner for providers, sellers, and buyers of travel. The company provides distribution, IT and point-of-sale solutions to help its customers adapt, grow and succeed in the fast changing travel industry. Customer groups include travel providers (airlines, hotels, car rental companies, railway companies, ferry lines, cruise lines, insurance companies and tour operators), travel sellers (travel agencies) and travel buyers (corporations and travellers). Solutions are grouped in four solution categories - Distribution & Content, Sales & e-Commerce, Business Management and Services & Consulting.

Amadeus has central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters & marketing), Nice (development) and Erding (operations - data processing centre) and regional offices in Miami, Buenos Aires and Bangkok. At market level, Amadeus maintains customer operations in 76 countries covering more than 215 markets.

The company is owned by WAM Acquisition, whose shareholders are BC Partners, Cinven, Air France, Iberia and Lufthansa. Amadeus employs some 7,600 employees worldwide, representing 95 nationalities.

More information about Amadeus is available at: www.amadeus.com

Contact details
Sameh Hamtini / Priscilla Stanley
Asda'a Public Relations
Exclusive Affiliate of Edelman PR Worldwide in Middle East and North Africa
Tel: +9714 3344550
Fax: +9714 3344556
Email: s.hamtini@asdaa.com/ p.stanley@asdaa.com

© Press Release 2007