Sabre Airline Solutions is showcasing its airline alliance services and technology following the announcement by SkyTeam that Aeroflot has become a member of that group. The airline technology provider helped the Russian flag-carrier meet the stringent technical requirements of SkyTeam membership.

The business is liaising with aspiring alliance candidates wishing to enter the three main global airline alliances - oneworld, SkyTeam and Star - to highlight its alliance capabilities. It says there are substantial similarities in the technical entry requirements for the three large groupings, and that it can offer a completely integrated reservation, inventory and check-in solution for each. This enhances recognition of premium customers across all the alliance members, and virtually eliminates the risk of not providing the customer benefits that frequent travellers earn and expect.

Sabre’s alliance technology enabled Aeroflot integrate with SkyTeam partner airline Frequent Flyer programmes and redeem Frequent Flyer awards among all partner airlines. It allows Sabre Connected travel agents to view schedules and availability for Aeroflot and all SkyTeam members in a single entry, and exchange reservations data interactively with other alliance members.

In preparation for the project Sabre Airline Solutions delivered online booking, CTO automated booking, e-ticketing capability, self-service airport check-in, and intra-airline CRM. It also provided new technology and services for passenger departure control at Aeroflot’s home airport, Sheremeteyvo in Moscow. During this phase all Aeroflot’s reservation records were switched from its previous technology to the SabreSonic Passenger Solutions suite of next-generation traveller management technology. More than 300,000 passenger records were moved successfully in 31 minutes; over 10,000 records a minute.

Gianni Marostica, Sabre Airline Solutions’ president of airline passenger solutions, points to the “complete success” of the Aeroflot technology project as proof of SabreSonic’s alliance capabilities.

“Our integrated reservation, inventory and check-in capability proved once again that we were the right partner for Aeroflot on the SkyTeam entry project,” Marostica said.

Aeroflot worked closely on its SkyTeam entry with its sponsor Air France, who helped to validate the Russian carrier’s entry criteria compliance during an audit in March.

SabreSonic is at the heart of Sabre Airline Solutions’ alliance technology proposition. This group of products is used by over 100 airlines and covers reservations, inventory management, all aspects of automated and manual check-in, ticketing and interline e-ticketing, Web sales and revenue integrity.

“This modular, scalable and integrated alliance capability gives airlines more flexibility and choice than other, more rigid ‘common alliance platforms’,” said Marostica. “In the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of airline technology, SabreSonic accommodates changes in business strategy and forces questions about why an airline would be required to migrate to an inflexible, common platform.”

Marostica said the components of the SabreSonic product suite address all the technical and technology requirements of any alliance, while offering airlines the flexibility to maintain their brand identity, differentiate themselves from competition, and accommodate changing business strategies.

Sabre Airline Solutions has the industry’s widest range of products aimed at carriers of every size – from large network carriers to small regional airlines - designed to help airlines market themselves, sell their products, serve their customers and operate more effectively. This portfolio of more than 100 integrated products ranges from alliance-enabling tools, hosting services, integrated reservations and check-in products, and an interline e-ticketing hub that is helping carriers meet the IATA 2007 e-ticketing mandate, through to crew and aircraft scheduling tools, and products that maximise in-flight catering efficiencies.