Amadeus Kuwait Newsletter Issue 26> June 2008

Travel Agents Newsletter ( Inside this Issue ...... Amadeus Strikes Travel: Exclusive Can Technology Distribution Agreement with 12 Members Airline of the Arab Air. . . .2

BA and Amadeus Renew Technology Agreement with 10 years Contract. . . .3

Amadeus Continues to Register Record Uptake of its Automated Ticket Change Solution. . . .3

Princess Cruises. . . 4

Mobile Technology Revolutionize Corporate Travel . . . . . 4

Amadeus Kuwait Assisting You. . . . . 5

Quick Entries. . . . . 5

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Amadeus Strikes Exclusive Distribution “The selection of Amadeus by 12 of our member air- lines is a recognition of the synergy that these airlines, Agreement With 12 Members Airlines in partnership with Amadeus, will bring to the travel Of the Arab Air Carriers Organization agents in our part of the world. Amadeus solutions will equip our member airlines with excellent tools to bring customer-oriented distribution technology to the travel agents, who continue to be very important and long-term partners in the travel value chain. Six member airlines,” added Abdul Wahab Teffaha, “who have for the past seven years had a suc- cessful partnership with Amadeus, will now be joined by six additional member airlines, once their current distribution partnership expires at the end of 2008.” David Jones, Amadeus’ Executive Vice President, Com- mercial, explained: “These agreements endorse our strategy to bring the most relevant airline content to travel agencies and also to provide the agents’ desk- tops with the latest technology. In addition, our infrastructure and continued invest- ment in the region ensures we continue delivering the best on site support, to sustain the travel industry’s growth in the Middle-East, - one of the fastest growing regions of the world. Amadeus global distribution reach • Six airlines renew partnership with Amadeus as part of and expertise paired with our comprehensive e- 10-year distribution agreement. Six additional carriers commerce and IT solutions offering were key to the join the deal success of our agreement with AACO. Furthermore, our Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution continued investment in technology and our partner- solutions for the travel and tourism industry, has been se- ship approach to business were a perfect fit for the air- lected by Air Algérie, , Egypt Air, Etihad lines. The recent inauguration of our regional operation Airways, , Libyan Airlines, , centre in Dubai is a reflection of our commitment to Saudi Arabian Airlines, , Syrian Arab Air- these markets and partners,” he added. lines, air and Yemen Airways - from the Arab Air Car- Amadeus is a leading technology provider to the travel riers Organisation (AACO) - as their exclusive distribution industry with over 94,100 travel agency locations and partner in their respective home markets. Following the more than 32,500 airline sales offices using Amadeus signing, the 12 airlines will each establish 10-year distribu- to run their reservations and sales function. In addi- tion agreements with Amadeus, which will be effective on tion, Amadeus’ new-generation Customer Management 1st January, 2009. Solution (CMS) portfolio, Amadeus Althea CMS, serves These 12 leading airlines in the and North of network and regional carriers. The Althea portfolio, Africa (MENA) account for 66 per cent of reservations based on a community platform concept, enables im- made by travel agencies in the region. proved operational efficiency and increases revenue. Abdul Wahab Teffaha, Secretary General of Arab Air Carri- The portfolio consists of the Althea Reservation, Althea ers Organisation, commented: Inventory and Althea Departure Control solutions. The “This agreement crowns almost 18 months of intensive Amadeus Althea CMS suite is currently being used by negotiations with leading Global Distribution Systems five airlines in the region - Egypt Air, , (GDSs). AACO’s strategy is to achieve the best possible Libyan Airlines, , and Qatar Airways cost and value structure for the airline members partner- - to manage sales, reservations, inventory and depar- ing with a leading-edge technology provider who has a ture control functions. strong global presence. This is the fourth contract of its kind in the past 17 years but by far the largest in terms of the number of AACO airlines involved and it delivers greater value for the signing carriers.”

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BA And Amadeus Renew Technology Amadeus Continues To Register Agreement With 10 Years Contract Record Uptake of Its Automated British Airways and Amadeus today announced they were Ticket Change Solution extending their existing relationship for another 10 years Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribu- until 2017.The new agreement covers the entire IT Services tion solutions for the travel and tourism industry, is registering a record uptake of Amadeus Ticket relationship between British Airways and Amadeus, and is Changer (ATC). In the past 15 months, 30 airlines have the continuation of the strategic arrangement which started signed up for the solution in order to fully automate in 2000 between the two companies, designed to provide their ticket change and re-issue processes, accurately British Airways with a ‘new generation’ technology platform collect associated additional revenues and improve the for the management of passenger services. As a result, productivity of their customer service agents. The lat- Amadeus, with British Airways as a launch customer, devel- est airlines to deploy ATC at their sales offices are Air oped the Altea Customer Management Solution comprising Berlin, Conviasa, Iberia, Iceland air, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and LTU. Amadeus Ticket Changer completely three fully integrated modules: Althea Reservation for dis- automates the time-consuming and complicated ticket tribution through British Airways’ sales outlets, Althea In- change process and can help save as much as 80% of ventory for global inventory management and Althea De- the time required to change a ticket. It can be used to parture Control for passenger check-in and flight departure re-issue any type of ticket, domestic or international. It management. Today, British Airways uses the Althea Reser- immediately calculates the price difference and rele- vation and Inventory systems which work in conjunction vant information in the currency required, enabling with British Airways’ own website ba.com and Revenue sales agents to instantly issue the new ticket in an effi- cient and secure manner. By processing fares, taxes Management systems. The new agreement with Amadeus and penalty fees in an end-to-end automated process, sets out the terms under which British Airways would move airlines ensure an accurate process to collect expected to the newly developed Althea Departure Control - Cus- revenues. Amadeus is set to roll out ATC to more air- tomer Management system for passenger check-in, thereby lines, as well as travel agencies, in 2008, in countries completing the Althea suite. Further, British Airways has across and Latin America, accompanied by an now also finalized the evaluation of Althea Departure Con- aggressive product evolution. “Amadeus Ticket Changer confirms our commitment to providing effec- trol - Flight Management for flight departure operations, in tive technology solutions to the airline industry, help- open competition with other competing products and se- ing companies to improve processes and offer better lected the Amadeus solution. British Airways and Amadeus customer service, said Frederic Spagnou, Vice- are now jointly engaging to scope and plan implementation President, Airline Business Group, Amadeus. “We are of the Althea Departure Control systems. Paul Coby CIO of very pleased with the substantial uptake in recent British Airways said: “I am delighted that we have been able months, and the plans we have for 2008 demonstrate to extend our strategic relationship with Amadeus which our belief in the valuable role this solution can play in the industry.”According to Thorsten Scherzer, Vice started in 2000. The Altea Reservation and Inventory sys- President Distribution, for Europe’s fourth largest air- tems have been great support for our drive to develop our line, Air Berlin: “ATC will enable us to offer an en- sales and services to customers.”British Airways plans to hanced service to our customers, providing them with complete migration to the full Althea suite in 2012. British flexibility and a wider variety of options when rebook- Airways also currently uses Amadeus e-Ticket Server to ing their travel. One out of every ten tickets we issue manage its e-ticketing operations and Amadeus Flex Pricer are subject to a ticket change, so this is an important to enhance the experience of booking connecting flight service issue. ATC will allow us to transform what used to be a complicated and cumbersome technical proce- itineraries through www.ba.com. dure into what is now a very quick and efficient sales and service process”.

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Coming up Soon Via Amadeus The findings show that mobile technology will revolu- tionize business travel, allowing travelers to book and Princess Cruises amend flights, make hotel reservations, as well as to complete expense forms while on the road, and in do- ing so, increase their flexibility, welfare and productiv- ity. Mobile travel technology can also provide travelers with other time saving features, such as flight check- in, virtual room “keys”, as well as electronic boarding passes sent directly to their mobile device. As a result, employees will need to spend less time on travel- related tasks in the office, instead performing them while travelling. Implemented across the entire busi- ness, these functions will deliver substantial cost sav- ings for companies through increased productivity and efficiency. Upwardly Mobile also found that mobile Considered one of the most recognized cruise lines in the technology will help the corporate travel manager world, Princess Cruises was catapulted to stardom in 1977 meet travel policy requirements, delivering improve- ments in employee security during business trips - when Pacific Princess was cast in a starring role on a new 100% of respondents said ‘tracking and communica- television show called "The Love Boat." The weekly series, tion of travelers for security purposes’ was a major which introduced millions of viewers to the still-new con- benefit of mobile technology. Up-to-the-minute secu- cept of a sea-going vacation, was an instant hit and both rity alerts or advice about delays or disasters that the company name and its sea witch logo have remained might affect corporate travelers can be automatically synonymous with cruising ever since. From its modest be- sent via simple, timely SMS text message and travel ginnings in 1965 with a single ship cruising to Mexico, managers meanwhile will be able to track employees using GPS systems enabling them to account for all of Princess has grown to become one of the premiere cruise their staff in the event of an emergency. Mobile tech- lines in the world. Today, its fleet of 17 modern ships car- nology will also help travel managers to promote pol- ries more than a million passengers each year to more icy compliance while on the road, the report found. In worldwide destinations than any other major line. Princess the case of a cancelled flight, employees will be able to Cruises have restructured their Middle East representation instantly access approved supplier lists, ensuring that and will be available to book via Amadeus very soon. For they follow company policy rather than choosing costly alternatives, further reducing company costs. The re- more information visit www.princesscruises.ae or send an port highlights the importance for travel managers to email to [email protected] to register your interest. begin consulting with the IT and HR departments within their company, in order to implement a mobile strategy into their travel management programme and Mobile Technology to Revolutionize take advantage of current and future offerings. Corporate Travel Upwardly Mobile shows however, that while travel managers are aware of these benefits, they have so far A report by Amadeus and the Association of Corporate made little progress in implementing changes. Some Travel Executives (ACTE) has found that mobile technology 80% acknowledged the role of mobile phones with en- is set to transform the entire travel experience for business hanced features to improve corporate travel but de- travelers by improving access to information and services spite this, very few have integrated these services into to ease their trip and by enabling corporate travel manag- their travel programmes. Commenting, Frank Pala pies, ers to increase travel policy compliance. The ‘Upwardly mo- Corporations Head of Department of Amadeus said, bile’ report, unveiled at the ACTE Global Education Confer- “The Upwardly Mobile report shows conclusively that ence in Washington, saw 72 corporate travel managers the benefits of mobile technology are significant, from from across the globe surveyed on their views of how mo- increases in productivity of travelers, to improvements bile technology is impacting business travel. In addition, in safety and tracking of staff. more than 30 interviews with both corporate travel manag- ers and technology experts were conducted.

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Amadeus Kuwait assisting you… Quick Entries

Where you can reach us……. LM/BA902/10JUN HUNTING LINE: ………..2454836 To List All PNRS For a Flight On a Specific Date, Office ext. Mobile Enter The Date After The Flight Number. Customer Support SM8 Allen Morais:……………………. ext:27 Abdol Amir:……………………. ext:30 9247167 Display Seat Map For PNR Flight Segment. Anil Kumar :……………………. ext:23 9264286 SBY6 Training Re Booking Class In One Segment. Farah Tahzeeb :……………. ext:29 9247273 DSLD/K/KW/KWIKT1234

Technical Support To Check The E ticket Document Bank For The Office. Omar Balouch…………………… ext:24 9228873 Ahmed Saleem………………… ext:25 9271219 GG WEA PAR

Checking Weather For City. Sales

Rahul Krishnan…………………. ext:28 9231295

Newsletter Contact: Ahmed saleem Hunt line: +965 2454836 ext: 25 Fax no: +965 2454837 Email : [email protected]

www.amadeus.com