Air Canada and Amadeus Partner to Distribute the Airline’s Full Content

Air Canada and Amadeus today announced they have reached a new multi-year distribution agreement through which all Amadeus travel agency customers, both offline and online, will have access to all fares and seat availability. Air Canada will take advantage of Amadeus Fare Families and Amadeus Ancillary Services, providing travel agency customers with access to the airline’s complete range of merchandising content. The companies will also work together to leverage existing features of the Amadeus point-of-sale retailing platform, as well as new cutting-edge features under development, to offer Amadeus subscribers access to rich content related to Air Canada fare products.

“We are very pleased at having achieved this win-win agreement with Amadeus that allows both parties to evolve their distribution strategies while it delivers the technology solutions to grow our business globally,” said Duncan Bureau, Vice President Global Sales, Air Canada. “The agreement broadens Air Canada’s distribution capabilities around the globe to meet our international growth objectives and aligns our distribution strategy of providing the right content in the right channel under the right economics. We are well positioned with our Amadeus partnership to deliver the world-class experience our customers have come to expect of Air Canada.”

This agreement will also allow Air Canada to respond to the evolving marketplace in areas of commercial interest. Amadeus subscribers will be able to book Air Canada’s full range of content and best fares, including those available through the carrier’s internal reservations system and its consumer and third-party Web sites.

“The renewed partnership between Air Canada and Amadeus is great news for the industry and comes at an exciting time given Air Canada’s ambitious growth plans. We are very pleased to support Air Canada’s multi-channel distribution strategy and pioneering approach to merchandising, ensuring that travelers will be able to shop for the airline’s innovative products and services through the channel of their choice,” said Holger Taubmann, Senior Vice President of Distribution at Amadeus.

Scott Gutz, President and CEO of Amadeus North America added, “Amadeus has a commitment to shaping the future of travel, so extending and strengthening our long-term partnership with a forward-thinking, merchandising pioneer like Air Canada is especially gratifying. This new partnership further proves the value Amadeus delivers as a global distribution and technology partner to both airlines and travel professionals alike.”

Amadeus will bring its leading merchandising capabilities and connect to Air Canada’s interface via XML, enabling complete access to the airline’s products. Through seamless integration, Amadeus subscribers will continue to benefit from efficiency and transparency offered by the GDS. This global agreement will allow the partners to pursue their business objectives, evolve the distribution landscape, and support international network expansion, all while allowing customers to make well-informed air-purchase decisions.

Along with the implementation of Amadeus Fare Families and Amadeus Ancillary Services, Air Canada will enjoy the full versatility of Amadeus technology to deploy its pioneering merchandising strategy in the indirect channel. Amadeus’ technology will also ensure that Air Canada’s products and services reflect the uniqueness of its brand while guaranteeing efficient processes for travel agents and the traveler’s need for transparency, comparability, and choice. Amadeus and Air Canada are delivering solutions that benefit all stakeholders.