Cendant Travel Distribution Services
(TDS) and IBS Software Services today announced the formation of a business alliance to jointly market “iRes”. “iRes” is IBS’s innovative new technology designed to replace less flexible, more expensive “legacy” Passenger Services Systems and dramatically improve airlines’ efficiencies, profitability, service quality, and ability to respond more quickly to market changes.Ê

Under the agreement, IBS will have primary responsibility for product development and support, and Cendant TDS will have primary responsibility for product management, sales, marketing, and customer relationships.Ê

“iRes” is an innovative integrated system utilizing a new generation of technology developed by IBS, which efficiently and comprehensively addresses the full range of business functions that airlines typically manage through Passenger Service System technology - including passenger reservations, check-in, baggage control, inventory control, fares, ticketing, and flight control.Ê The open architecture platform of this new technology is easy to customize and has the flexibility to support the business models of all sizes of carriers, from low-fare carriers to full-service airlines. The technology enables airlines to integrate their distribution channel with other travel services such as car rentals and hotels.ÊÊ

“iRes” can also enhance an airline’s revenue-earning potential by providing sophisticated inventory and yield-management capabilities.Ê The multi-hosting capabilities of the technology effectively support ASP operations as well as stand-alone, in-house operations.Ê Unlike legacy applications, “iRes” enables airlines to easily make changes and provides flexibility to quickly respond to changing market conditions. In addition, it is substantially less expensive to own, operate and maintain, allowing the savings to go to the bottom line.

Flo Lugli, senior vice president, Airline Solutions, for TDS said, “The airline industry has long needed a new Passenger Services System that more effectively supports rapidly changing business processes and evolving business models that can give airlines the ability to innovate. ‘iRes’ meets these needs superbly.”

According to Lugli, the legacy applications developed over the last 40 years are expensive to operate and maintain, as well as difficult and time consuming to alter. In addition, even cIn adurrent providers of hosting solutions to low-fare carriers are struggling with legacy architecture issues.Ê
V. K. Mathews, chairman and managing director of IBS, said:Ê “Our vision is to make ‘iRes’ the Passenger Services System of the future for airlines.”

“iRes” is being developed and released in stages through three major product releases- with the first release already available to the market.Ê TDS is already in discussions with several of the industry’s leading low-fare carriers to become the launch customer for “iRes.”Ê

Lugli added, “We believe that hosting remains a viable component of the travel distribution business and we will continue to explore ways to present a strong value proposition to airlines.Ê Through our longstanding partnership with United Airlines, we have extensive experience in hosting and are pursuing a strategic path of investment and expansion that will enable us to provide solutions to carriers of all sizes, from traditional full-service airlines to the growing class of low-fare carriers.”Ê
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