2013-04-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Powerful combination of Amadeus’ R&D strength and Hitit Loyalty’s track record in loyalty will deliver innovative new product developments and enhancements across Airline IT
Madrid, Spain, 8 April 2013: Amadeus, a leading technology partner for the global travel industry, today announces that it has acquired the CRM and loyalty solutions division of Turkey-based Hitit Computer Services. Hitit Loyalty is the market leader in the airline loyalty space, in terms of customers.
The acquisition will result in Hitit Loyalty’s operations becoming fully integrated into Amadeus’ Airline IT business. At present more than half of Hitit Loyalty’s existing customers are also Altéa users.
The acquisition underlines Amadeus’ continuing investment in its growing Airline IT business. It will allow Amadeus to expand and diversify its existing IT solution portfolio, while addressing airlines’ key business objectives related to the growth and performance of their customer loyalty programs as well as their broader customer–centric and personalization strategies.
Amadeus intends to use the acquisition to drive a new IT revenue stream by adding and enhancing loyalty capability to optimise the attraction and retention of loyal airline customers throughout the airline value chain and through all stages and interactions of customers’ journeys. This diversification will span airlines’ frequent flyer, corporate, partnership and alliance management needs.
Amadeus will in 2013 integrate Hitit Loyalty’s system with its Altéa suite. This integrated offer will be further enhanced by 2015 to deliver even richer business benefits for airlines and their customers. Hitit Loyalty products will be available both as an add-on module to Amadeus Altéa as well as a stand-alone product, which will help expand the company’s business with non-Altéa airlines. Hitit Loyalty has a strong management and R&D team which will stay in Turkey, joining the existing Amadeus local team of developers and commercial support staff.
Apart from the Loyalty Division’s acquisition by Amadeus, Hitit Computer Services, will remain unchanged and will continue to operate with the previous shareholder structure, offering core airline solutions as before.
Under the leadership of its current CEO, Hakan Unlu, the acquired Hitit Loyalty will now be renamed as Amadeus IT Services, Turkey.
Julia Sattel, SVP, Airline IT, Amadeus said: “This is an important milestone for both Amadeus and our Airline IT division in particular. Loyalty is one of the key drivers connected to the core passenger servicing business of any successful airline, and being able to offer this service allows us to not only increase the value of our Altéa proposition but also to broaden our IT portfolio to better serve existing and future customers.
Hakan Unlu, CEO of Amadeus IT Services, Turkey commented: “We are very excited to join the Amadeus family. We are convinced that becoming part of Amadeus – one of the largest investors in technology for the travel industry -, is the best way to continue delivering first class technology solutions for airlines and growing our business.”
Nur Gokman, Founder & CEO, Hitit Computer Services said: “I am proud to see one of our divisions excelling at its domain to be the choice of the world’s leading travel technology providers. I am certain that the Loyalty Division will prosper under the Amadeus leadership and we will be looking forward to their success, watching them with pride”.
Notes to the editors:
Amadeus is a leading provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel industry. Customer groups include travel providers (e.g. airlines, hotels, rail and ferry operators, etc.), travel sellers (travel agencies and websites), and travel buyers (corporations and travel management companies).
The Amadeus group employs around 10,000 people worldwide, across central sites in Madrid (corporate headquarters), Nice (development) and Erding (operations), as well as 73 local Amadeus Commercial Organisations globally.
The group operates a transaction-based business model. For the year ended December 31, 2012 the company reported revenues of €2,910.3million and EBITDA of €1,107.7 million.
Amadeus is listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange under the symbol “AMS.MC” and is a component of the IBEX 35 index.
To find out more about Amadeus please visit www.amadeus.com
Contact details:
Amadeus
Corporate Communication
Telephone: +34 91 582 0160
Fax: +34 91 582 0188
Email: mediarelations@amadeus.com