Passengers And Airlines To Benefit From Sita’s New E-commerce Platform

July 27, 2012 - PRLog -- ATLANTA – 27 July 2012 – In a move to improve passengers’ ability to shop, book and manage their journey and enhance airlines’ direct relationship with their passengers, air transport IT specialist, SITA, announced a partnership with Datalex (DLE:I), the provider of  travel distribution software and solutions. The two companies co-operated to launch SITA’s new Horizon E-Commerce platform, which provides a sophisticated airline sales and service portal. This technology allows airlines to drive their direct distribution strategies by enabling them to offer new shopping and merchandising features directly online.

Passengers are increasingly taking control of managing their journey and demand always-on, anywhere access to  search, reserve and manage their travel including flights, optional services, checking-in, making car hire and hotel reservations as well as altering their bookings if required. According to the 2012 SITA/Airline Business Airline IT Trends Survey, almost all airlines now sell tickets through their web sites and over 70% also sell ancillary services. Within three years this is forecast to increase to over 90%.  

Horizon E-Commerce is used by more than 30 airlines worldwide and with the newly updated sales and service portal they can now meet changing passenger demands. The updated portal works in real time to provide flexible searching and suggests relevant offers to passengers by continually monitoring their input into an airline’s website. Passengers will be able to see the right fare at the right time and are able to purchase all their travel requirements in one place. They will be able to shop not only by origin and destination but also by calendar, their desired experience, travel budget, or by using a map. In addition, they can purchase all their travel requirements, including car hire, insurance and hotel reservation in one transaction. Horizon E-Commerce provides highly intuitive shopping, promotions and reservations features using the ecommerce platform supplied by Datalex.

Allison O’Neill, Vice President Passenger Solutions, SITA, said: “Airlines must continually adapt to meet the changing demands of the tech-savvy consumer and need cutting-edge direct sales and services solutions. Horizon E-Commerce enables airlines to meet this demand and it will become the preferred internet direct distribution technology for airlines using SITA’s Horizon portfolio for passenger management.”

“Airlines will enhance their relationship with their passengers who will be able to book directly with the airline rather than through travel agents or Global Distribution Systems (GDSs). In addition, airlines will be able to increase revenues through sales of optional services such as baggage, seat assignments and also through ancillary services such as car hire, hotels and insurance. Horizon E-Commerce enables airlines to offer more services to customers, more channels to deliver their business, more intelligence to understand their business, greater efficiency and lower cost.”

– ENDS –

Follow SITA online:
                   

For further information (not for publication) contact:

SITA  
Quentin Browell
Director Corporate Communications
Tel: +41 22 747 6220
Email: Quentin.Browell@sita.aero
   
Leidar
Charlie Pryor
Director
Tel : +44 20 7031 8270
Email : charlie.pryor@leidar.com
Skype: LEIDAR_Charlie

   
Notes to Editors:
About SITA
SITA is the world's leading specialist in air transport communications and IT solutions. SITA delivers and manages business solutions for airline, airport, GDS, government and other customers over the world’s most extensive network, which forms the communications backbone of the global air transport industry.

SITA’s portfolio includes managed global communications, infrastructure and outsourcing services, as well as services for airline commercial management and passenger operations, flight operations, aircraft operations and air-to-ground communications, airport management and operations, baggage operations, transportation security and border management, cargo operations and more.

With a customer service team of over 2,000 staff around the world, SITA invests significantly in achieving best-in-class customer service, providing integrated local and global support for both its communications and IT application services.

SITA has two main subsidiaries: OnAir, which is the leading provider of in-flight connectivity, and CHAMP Cargosystems, the world's only IT company dedicated solely to air cargo. SITA also operates two joint ventures providing services to the air transport community: Aviareto for aircraft asset management and CertiPath for secure electronic identity management.

SITA is one of the world's most international companies. Its global reach is based on local presence, with services for over 500 air transport industry members and 2,700 customers in over 200 countries and territories. Set up in 1949 with 11 member airlines, SITA today employs people of more than 140 nationalities, speaking over 70 different languages. SITA had consolidated revenues of US$1.517 billion (€1.09 billion) in 2011.

For further information go to www.sita.aero

About Datalex
With multiple industry awards, Datalex is a respected, proven and agile provider of travel retail solutions to major suppliers and distributors worldwide who lead the industry with innovative, progressive and pioneering merchandizing and retail strategies.

Our customers include: Air China, Aer Lingus, Air Malta, Affinion Group, Copa Airlines, Continental Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Philippine Airlines, South African Airways, STA Travel, Trailfinders and United Airlines.

The Datalex Travel Distribution Platform is a comprehensive multi CRS/GDS