Air Berlin underpins its pioneering business model using Amadeus' customer management IT platform

Madrid, Spain, 03 May, 2007: Today, Amadeus, a global leader in technology for the travel and tourism industry, announced that Air Berlin, Germany’s second-largest airline and Europe’s third-largest low fare carrier, is now managing its sales, reservations, inventory and route network worldwide, using the Amadeus Altéa Customer Management Solution (CMS).

As one of Europe’s fastest growing and most innovative carriers, Air Berlin will benefit from the increased flexibility and functionality offered by Altéa CMS to support its dynamic commercial strategy. Following successful transition from charter airline to new generation carrier, Air Berlin needed a scaleable solution able to support sales and growth opportunities across all distribution channels, including tour operator sales, and using a central repository for customer information. Furthermore, Altéa CMS allows the airline to strengthen its innovative business model by providing easy integration with partner airlines as well as crucial internal systems such as contract management.

Thorsten Scherzer, Air Berlin’s Head of Distribution, commented: "From a technology perspective, it is our priority to maximise our revenues by using our customer information intelligently in a way that allows us to better meet their needs." He continued: "With Altéa CMS we are able to enhance interaction with our partner airlines, provide more consistent customer information and streamline our business processes. With almost 20 million customers, having complete confidence in our IT systems, which Altéa gives us, is essential."

Frédéric Spagnou, Amadeus’ Vice President, Airline Business Group, said: "Airlines pursuing innovative growth models require agility from their IT systems in order to respond to the rapidly changing market environment. Amadeus is committed to supporting these airlines as they evolve. Air Berlin, which has a number of complex business requirements stemming from its successful low fare model and leisure airline background, will benefit from the flexibility that Altéa CMS offers."

Air Berlin is using Amadeus Altéa CMS to manage inventory, make schedule changes, re-accommodate passengers, process special service requests and run revenue management functions. The airline is also able to offer its customers improved servicing capabilities in areas such as chargeable special service requests, which will allow Air Berlin to generate additional revenue opportunities.

Air Berlin is one of 35 airlines across the globe, that have selected Amadeus Altéa CMS, the industry’s only next generation IT platform for customer management. Currently, Altéa Reservation is used by some 150 airlines to power their sales and reservation functions.

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Notes to the editors

About Air Berlin
Air Berlin is Germany’s second largest airline and the third largest low-fare carrier in Europe. The airline was founded in 1978 and has been enjoying steady growth ever since. Air Berlin has set new standards and offers customers through all available distribution channels a dense route network with access to every leading European city and holiday destination. The attractive price-performance ratio appeals equally to those travelling on business and for leisure. Air Berlin has over 4,000 employees. The fleet currently consists of 93 aircraft and is one of the most modern in Europe. In 2006 the airline achieved a revenue of 1.575 billion euros and carried 19.7 million passengers.

About Amadeus
A world-leading technology and distribution solutions provider, Amadeus delivers unparalleled expertise to the travel and tourism industry, including leading-edge solutions that cover airlines’ unique business needs, independent of their size, business model or market reach.

Amadeus’ pioneering new-generation Customer Management Solution (CMS) portfolio, Amadeus Altéa CMS, serves network and regional carriers. The Altéa portfolio, based on a pioneering community platform concept, enables improved operational efficiency and increases revenue. The portfolio consists of the Altéa Reservation, Altéa Inventory and Altéa Departure Control solutions.

Low cost carriers also have a specific CMS for LCCs - based on adaptive technology and already used by carriers in Europe and the USA, that provides robust options that easily adjust to their evolving operational requirements.

Further complementing these integrated IT solutions is the Amadeus e-Travel Airline Suite. Over 70 of the world’s leading airlines use the Amadeus e-Travel Airline Suite to power over 250 websites in more than 80 markets.

Other standalone IT solutions include amongst others: Amadeus Revenue Integrity solution, Amadeus Ticket Changer, an automatic ticket reissue tool, and a full range of ticketing solutions; including e-ticket interlining and ground-handling management technology services.

More information about Amadeus’ solutions for airlines is available at: www.amadeus.com/airlines.

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