Aeroflot Russian Airlines announced that it has signed a contract with
Sabre Airline Solutions to help it exploit the predicted boom in the
Russian economy.  With industry experts projecting continuing healthy
growth in the business market and estimating that passenger numbers could
grow from 28 million in 2003 to over 100 million by 2015, the agreement
with Sabre Airline Solutions will help the airline streamline operations
whilst improving customer service.Sabre Airline Solutions will be providing an advanced technology solution
through its SabreSonic suite, which includes passenger reservations and a
web site that allows potential travelers to shop and book travel on
Aeroflot.  It also covers airport check-in and a number of other key
passenger services.  In addition the offering will provide Russian travel
agencies with full access to the world‰??s leading global distribution
system, allowing agencies to directly book travel outside of Russia for the
first time.

Industry studies indicate that the Russian marketplace is poised for growth
and the Russian travel industry will benefit from this growth.  Russia has
been experiencing economic growth of 4 percent to 8 percent in recent
years, with Russian airline travel expected to grow both regionally and
internationally.  While there were 28 million passengers boarded in 2003,
there have been estimates that this number could grow to over 100 million
by 2015.

 

“Aeroflot was determined to get the most advanced and effective
technologies in the industry,” said Eugene Bachurin, Commercial Director
for Aeroflot.  “It is for this reason we chose the Sabre Airline Solutions
technology package. Their solutions are the only ones that will provide
both flexibility for our clients? selling, booking and ticketing airline
travel, as well as maximizing productivity for agents.”

“We are extremely excited to be taking such an active role in advancing the
state of travel in Russia,” said Tom Klein, group president of Sabre
Airline Solutions.  “We recognize that Aeroflot is poised for significant
growth and we are looking forward to helping them leverage our new
generation technology solutions to accomplish and manage this growth.”

 

The comprehensive technology package that Sabre Airline Solutions will be
implementing at Aeroflot provides technology suites for reservations and
associated passenger services, GDS access and optimization solutions.

These three core technologies include:

- SabreSonic, the travel industry’s first new generation
reservations and passenger processing solution, built on open systems to
provide unmatched flexibility, integration and implementation of the
latest technologies in the market.

-  Access to the world?s leading global distribution system that
combined with the SabreSonic suite provides the most complete end-to-end
solution to shop, book, price and manage travel.
-  New operational technology solutions to enhance Aeroflot’s
frequent flyer program (Aeroflot Bonus), and to help the airline plan and
optimize air loads —which also helps save fuel costs, increasingly
important in current market conditions.

SabreSonic includes robust solutions for alliance support including
technology to support codeshare agreements with alliance members, frequent
flyer programs, shared electronic ticketing information and more.  This
capability will ensure smooth and seamless travel experience for passengers
connecting with partner airlines.

 

An additional phase of implementation of the Sabre Airline Solutions
Aeroflot technology suite will launch new customer-focused passenger
solution features made possible through SabreSonic, such as a powerful
web-based booking engine that will introduce online shopping functionality
for Aeroflot.  eCommerce and online booking for travel is growing
exponentially worldwide, and this product suite introduction from Sabre
Airline Solutions will provide a new paradigm in the Russian marketplace.

In fact, SabreSonic provides Aeroflot with the most versatile check-in
options in the industry.
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