Sabre acquires airline management service Airpas Aviation

Sabre has made its first acquisition of 2016 with the purchase of Airpas Aviation, a technology provider that helps airlines manage their route networks and costs.

No terms regarding the acquisition were released in the announcement.

Sabre will place the Germany-based company within its Airline Solutions portfolio of tools and services.

Airpas has a number of tools and products that allow airlines to analyse and optimise their flights, by monitoring of elements including fuel costs, airport and navigation charges, ground operations, catering and crew expenses.

The company counts the likes of Malayasia Airlines, TuFly, AirBerlin and Sunwings on its customer base and claims it is processing around 1.8 million flights per year through its systems.

Airpas was previously 25% owned by German transport logistics company Softship.

The company’s leadership structure will remain intact, Sabre says, with Reinhold Renger overseeing operations as its CEO and managing director.

In a statement, Sabre says:

“With the integration of Airpas Aviation’s solutions into the Sabre portfolio, airline customers will benefit from the efficiency of a cohesive commercial planning solution and working with one provider that fully understands and helps meet their commercial planning needs.

“In addition, the acquisition will open the Airpas solutions to Sabre’s global customer base.”

Sabre was also in a buying mood during 2015, snapping up Trust International in November for $154 million and the remaining shares of Asia-Pacific focused GDS Abacus for $411 million in the summer.