Amadeus scoops 'Aviation Technology Provider of the Year' award

Madrid, Spain, November 27, 2008: Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry, won the prestigious ‘Aviation Technology Provider of the Year’ Award at the 2nd Aviation Business Awards Middle East 2008 ceremony held in Abu Dhabi.

Amadeus was chosen as the clear winner among other global industry players for its demonstrated commitment in helping airlines, airports and travel agencies increase their efficiencies and effectiveness with its technology solutions.

The award highlights Amadeus’ continued service to the travel industry through its ongoing innovation and investment in technology solutions for the travel and tourism sector.

“Winning this award is an honour for us and confirms Amadeus’ position as the technology partner of choice for the travel industry in the Middle East”, said Fernando Cuesta, Executive Director for Amadeus, Middle East and Africa. “Our team has worked very hard to deliver leading-edge technology, services and extensive travel content to help our customers manage their businesses more efficiently. Being recognized as the ‘Aviation Technology Provider of the year’ reflects our commitment to delivering innovative end-to-end solutions to the industry. We owe this award to our partners and customers who have supported us and acknowledged our efforts.”

At the awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi, Ahmed Youssef, Head of Special Projects, Amadeus, collected the award on behalf of Amadeus.

Some of the achievements that Amadeus received credit for include its recent deal with the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (AACO), wherein Amadeus entered into a 10-year exclusive distribution agreements with 13 leading airlines from the AACO.

The 13 airlines - Air Algérie, Afriqiyah Airways, EgyptAir, Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways, Libyan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Sudan Airways, Syrian Arab Airlines, Tunisair Yemen Airways and Royal Air Maroc, account for 68 per cent of reservations made by travel agencies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Amadeus was also chosen for its track record of success in the region :
• Airlines in the Middle East that are currently using Amadeus e-commerce solutions include Etihad, Royal Air Maroc, Middle East Airlines, EgyptAir, Tunisair and Qatar Airways. Amadeus is the leading online booking solution provider in the world powering more than 250 websites for over 80 airlines in more than 110 markets.

• Etihad Airways, EgyptAir, Libyan Airways, Middle East Airlines and Qatar Airways, all use the Amadeus Altéa Customer Management Solution (CMS) to manage their customer services from reservation to check-in. This new generation technology suite of community-based solutions helps carriers unburden themselves of their legacy systems, pooling their IT costs. 140 different airlines around the world have deployed at least one component of Altéa CMS.

Recently, Amadeus also launched a revolutionary platform that combines the best of both the direct and indirect airline distribution channels, allowing airlines to act more like retailers when selling through the GDS. Developed in collaboration with major carriers across the globe, the Airline Retailing Platform combines the traditional strengths of the GDS – global reach and higher value sales – with the efficiency, target marketing and brand differentiation opportunities offered by the airlines’ online sales channels.

The annual Aviation Business Awards honours excellence in the travel industry and are voted by an independent panel of judges. The award recognises industry players that stand out in the market place, and excel in terms of innovation and industry contribution.


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Note to the editors

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 217 markets.

The company is owned by WAM Acquisition, whose shareholders are BC Partners, Cinven, Air France, Iberia and Lufthansa. Amadeus employs over 8,600 employees worldwide, representing 105 nationalities.

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

Contact details

Amadeus
Media Relations / Corporate Marketing
tel : +34 91 177 1809
fax : +34 91 582 0188
email :mediarelations@amadeus.com

Sameh Hamtini/ Priscilla Stanley
ASDA'A Public Relations
P O Box 28063
Dubai, UAE
Tel : (971 4) 3344550
E-mail: s.hamtini@asdaa.com / p.stanley@asdaa.com