ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia and SOUTHLAKE, Texas– 11 October 2021– Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), the leading software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, and Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopia’s flag carrier and the largest airline in Africa, have renewed their long-term strategic partnership for another seven year with minimum commitment of USD 110 million.
Under the agreement, Ethiopian airlines will continue to use Sabre’s passenger service system, SabreSonic, enabling it to automate sales and service, helping it to maximize revenue opportunities and create efficient airport experiences for travelers. Furthermore, Sabre’s Intelligence Exchange will help enhance the airline’s passenger experience through providing intelligent real-time insights to help make more informed business decisions.
“Despite the effects of the pandemic, Ethiopian Airlines continues to be one of aviation’s greatest success stories,” said Dino Gelmetti, Vice President EMEA, Sabre Travel Solutions. “COVID-19 has accelerated airline competitive pressure and the need for digital transformation, and as Africa’s strongest carrier, Ethiopian Airlines was able to quickly adapt to the changing landscape, further strengthening its position as recovery gains momentum.”
The expanded agreement will also include Sabre’s Dynamic Availability– which will help Ethiopian airlines earn incremental revenue by enabling proactive response to ever-changing travel conditions with optimized pricing – and Sabre’s Group Optimizer, which will help the carrier optimize the processes for managing group reservations, an area difficult for many airlines to streamline today. These solutions will provide the airline with competitive advantage by providing intelligent recommendations based on market demand and competition.
“At Ethiopian, having robust and cutting-edge technology in place plays a key role in our success story,” said Mr. Tewolde Gebremariam, Group CEO, Ethiopian Airlines. “The pandemic created many unknowns in the travel industry, and Sabre’s intelligent technology will help us quickly understand and adapt to the new landscape. As travel starts to recover, it’s crucial that we remain laser focused on driving profitability and growth. Our extended technology partnership with Sabre will support us moving toward a more flexible and modern environment, while driving operational efficiencies.”
Sabre’s robust travel platform and secure solutions provide the technology on which airlines, agencies and hoteliers rely. The company is committed to continue to accelerate innovation in the travel industry. Its multi-year tech transformation will provide the agility, scalability and stability needed to modernize the travel experience, another step toward Sabre’s vision to create a new marketplace for personalized travel.
About Sabre Corporation
Sabre Corporation is a leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry, serving a wide range of travel companies including airlines, hoteliers, travel agencies and other suppliers. The company provides retailing, distribution and fulfillment solutions that help its customers operate more efficiently, drive revenue and offer personalized traveler experiences. Through its leading travel marketplace, Sabre connects travel suppliers with buyers from around the globe. Sabre’s technology platform manages more than $260B worth of global travel spend annually. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world.
About Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is the fastest growing Airline in Africa. In its seventy-five years of operation, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success. Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the Pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 130 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents. Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as Airbus A350, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter, Bombardier Q-400 double cabin with an average fleet age of five years. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft. Ethiopian is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan called Vision 2025 that will see it become the leading aviation group in Africa with Seven business units: Ethiopian International Services; Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services; Ethiopian MRO Services; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian ADD Hub Ground Services, Ethiopian Airports Services and Ethiopian Express Services (Domestic). Ethiopian is a multi-award-winning airline registering an average growth of 25% in the past seven years.
