Etihad Airways begins latest Sabre software tranche implementation

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has started implementing its latest tranche of Sabre software following the billion-dollar technology agreement signed by the two companies last year.
As part of Etihad Airways' ongoing drive to create the world's most efficient airline technology infrastructure, it has adopted Sabre's codeshare, network and fleet management software to enhance planning and scheduling operations.
These new capabilities complement the Sabre technology already selected - including passenger reservations software - primarily because the seamless flow of data between the systems will augment efficiencies in areas such as scheduling, slot planning, route optimization and passenger connectivity.
Etihad Airways is also Sabre's launch partner for the network manager software, a program that allows airlines to make intelligent schedule adjustments to improve connectivity through hubs.
These latest migrations mean Sabre is now Etihad Airways' sole technology provider for planning and scheduling, and is committed to helping the airline achieve its international network expansion and revenue targets.
Kevin Knight, Etihad Airways' chief strategy and planning officer, said: "Etihad Airways is growing rapidly and Sabre's technology helps us manage network complexity while finding the most profitable approaches to network and fleet allocation.
"The software simplifies what is a complex process, as it combines operational information with passenger behavior data and creates potential schedule adjustment options that will allow us to maximize profitability."
Sabre Airline Solutions' Vice President Commercial Planning Solutions Darren Rickey said: "In early benchmark studies we found that the network management software typically generated profitability improvements of between 1 percent and 2.5 percent. But the broader relationship, and Sabre's role as Etihad Airways' single technology provider means that we will be continuing to work with our colleagues in the airline on a daily basis to ensure that our software is improving efficiency and creating the widest possible profit margins."