Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad has started using a new raft of Sabre's airline management software, following a billion-dollar deal signed with the technology company last year.
The airline is using codesharing and fleet management tools, and is the launch partner for Sabre's network manager programme. Sabre said this tool enabled airlines to "fine tune" schedules to optimise connectivity through hubs and maximise revenue from connecting traffic.
The programme shares data with Sabre's passenger reservations system, which is already in place with Etihad.
Kevin Knight, the airline's chief strategy & planning officer, said: "The software simplifies what is a complex process, as it combines operational information with passenger behaviour data to create potential schedule adjustments that will allow us to maximise profitability."
Sabre Airline Solutions’ vice-president Darren Rickey added: "In benchmark studies we found network management software typically generated improvements of between one and 2.5 per cent [in profits]."
Sabre Holdings vice-president Shane Batt, talking to journalists at the firm's development HQ in Krakow, said key trends for airlines were further consolidation, and equity partnerships - buying smaller stakes in other airlines to avoid foreign direct investment (FDI) restrictions. He added that the other dominant trend would be the continuing pain of volatile and expensive fuel prices.
Batt said Sabre's airline management tools could help mitigate the impact in various ways including: last-minute changing of aircraft types on a flight depending on passenger numbers, as well as long-term fleet planning, and accurate calculating of future regional fuel requirements to assist fuel price hedging.