Amadeus maintains position as the number one e-ticketing technology partner for airlines

In the countdown to the IATA deadline, Amadeus is providing e-ticketing solutions also for low cost carriers

• 74 airlines are hosted on Amadeus e-Ticket Server
• Amadeus has enabled e-ticketing for 268 airlines and in 154 markets world-wide
• Amadeus has put in place over 1400 interlining agreements for airlines

Madrid, Spain, 28 April: Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry, is playing an exceptional role helping airlines to meet the IATA e-ticket deadline of the end of May 2008.

Amadeus has completed over 1400 interline agreements for airlines, meaning their passengers can purchase a single e-ticket for the entirety of a journey with multiple, pre-designated airlines. The number of interline implementations is still growing at a pace of 100 new agreements per month.

Further, now that more and more airlines are already prepared for the IATA initiative of 100% e-ticketing, Amadeus is also helping low cost carriers with their needs for interline electronic ticketing (IET). WestJet and Virgin Blue have already contracted the Amadeus e-ticketing solution to prepare for their interlining agreements with full service carriers and their subsequent need for IET.

“Amadeus is making strides to ensure the industry is on track to meet the extended e-ticketing deadline. Over 91% of the tickets issued through our system are now electronic,” commented Frédéric Spagnou, Vice-President, Airline Business Group, Amadeus. “As a preferred IATA e-ticketing supplier, we recognise the significant improvements to the customer experience that can be achieved through e-ticketing, as well as the considerable efficiency savings and revenue opportunities it opens up for airlines.”

Amadeus, as the world leader in e-ticket distribution and technology, has to date enabled e-ticketing for 268 airlines across 154 markets. These figures exceed those of any other single supplier.

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Notes to the editors:

Benefits of e-ticketing
The benefits of e-ticketing are considerable. E-tickets are cheaper to issue, harder to counterfeit and better facilitate self service kiosks at airports. In addition to increasing the security and speed of ticket data they provide a basis for distribution analysis with real-time information on tickets, fares, customers and the sales channels. Their flexibility, combined with to-the-minute accountability, opens up new possibilities for revenue management and last minute sales. IATA estimates that full e-ticketing will generate industry savings of USD 3 billion per year.

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 have an alternative Customer Management Solution, Amadeus Pioneer CMS,based on adaptive technology that provides a robust option that easily adjusts to their evolving operational requirements.

Further complementing these integrated IT solutions is the Amadeus e-Travel Airline Suite that includes the Amadeus e-Retail Engine, which powers more than 250 websites of over 75 airlines.

Other standalone IT solutions include revenue integrity and automatic ticket reissue tools, in addition to full e-ticket interlining and ground-handling management technology services.

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

Press Contacts:

Amadeus Media Relations
Corporate & Marketing Communication
Tel : +34 91 582 0160
E-mail: mediarelations@amadeus.com