NetLine News 05/2008

Volare S.p.A. (Volareweb.com and AirEurope) relies on Lufthansa Systems’ integrated NetLine systems for its operations control and crew management. Following the recent implementation of NetLine/Ops and NetLine/Crew, the Italian airline now expands the successful cooperation with Lufthansa Systems. Both partners have signed a five-year contract for the use of the NetLine/Crew CrewLink module and SkyConnect, Lufthansa Systems’ managed WAN solution.

NetLine/Crew CrewLink is an Internet-based solution that provides a convenient and direct link to the crew members thus taking over the task previously performed by the traditional crew contact unit. Volare S.p.A. already uses the crew management solution NetLine/Crew and optimizes its operations control processes with NetLine/Ops and NetLine/Ops MaintenanceControl. The seamless interaction of the different NetLine products ensures a fast exchange of information between all departments involved.

With NetLine AirSP, the dedicated application service provision for NetLine, Volare S.p.A. uses the shared hosted environment within Lufthansa Systems' data center and thus gains big savings. SkyConnect provides Volare S.p.A. with a global multi-provider network to transfer data quickly and securely between the data center and the airline’s headquarters. The multi-provider network is composed of the best available sub-networks of various regions and local providers.

Volare S.p.A. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alitalia. Volareweb.com is the brand name of Volare S.p.A. dealing with low-cost domestic and international air travel departing from Milan with highly competitive fares. Volareweb offers 20 destinations from Milan Malpensa. AirEurope is the brand name of Volare S.p.A. which handles intercontinental services and charter flights. Over the years, AirEurope has worked closely with leading Italian tour operators. In addition to charter flights, AirEurope now offers many scheduled services on intercontinental routes.

EgyptAir and Lufthansa Systems recently signed a contract covering the implementation of the codeshare management solution SchedConnect. The system was introduced at the Cairo-based airline in July.

EgyptAir officially joined Star Alliance on July 11, 2008. With the implementation of SchedConnect, the carrier makes an essential step towards fulfilling Star Alliance membership requirements. The solution harmonizes schedules from different alliance partners to increase the travel comfort for customers.

SchedConnect generates a schedule with optimized departure and arrival times to ensure convenient transfer times. It optimizes codeshare relationships in real time, accelerates the synchronization of codeshare flights and enables the simulation of new codeshare agreements for a target-oriented expansion of existing networks. It is one of the most sophisticated codeshare management solutions in the industry.

Established in 1932, EgyptAir is one of the world’s longest operating airlines. It operates more than 555 weekly flights from Cairo and ten other Egyptian cities to more than 60 destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. The airline has been recognized as one of the leading airlines in Africa and the Middle East. The contract marks the continuation of a successful partnership between the two companies: In 2007, the carrier decided to introduce Lufthansa Systems’ proven revenue accounting solution, Sirax.

Turkish Airlines has extended the contract for the use of the Advance Market information Suite for another three years. The system analyzes Market Information Data Tapes (MIDT) data, thereby enabling the airline to identify trends and market opportunities and to make its network management strategy more efficient.
Historical data from airline reservations systems are an important base for network planning and network strategy of international airlines. Booking data of MIDT combined with other data sources offer a wide range of information. The MIDT Advance Suite processes this information and enables the user to make complex and economic relevant decisions for distribution, network structure, and capacity planning.

Turkish Airlines, which is now celebrating its 75th anniversary, is the largest Turkish airline. Turkey's flag-carrier is headquartered in Istanbul and offers approximately 175,000 flights to Europe, Asia, Africa, the United States, and the Near East per year.

From September 8-10, 2008, users of Lufthansa Systems’ products NetLine, SchedConnect, ProfitLine, and FrequentLine radiated a very special spirit around the lakeside Kongresshotel am Templiner See near Potsdam: 480 delegates from 70 airlines all over the world exchanged their product ideas and requirements at this year’s Lufthansa Systems Airline Forum, thereby doing justice to the event's motto - The spirit of integration.

Integrated solutions are the key to improved efficiency. Even though integration has been a buzzword for some time now, the issue is more pressing today than ever before. "Our integrated platform solutions offer the customer significant added value. By integrating standalone applications into a coherent platform with a standard user interface, we have reduced complexity and increased transparency. Platform-based applications allow airlines to speed up and slim down their processes – and so reduce costs. Not only that, but these innovative solutions equip their businesses for the future challenges in the industry," said Dr. Gunter Küchler, Member of the Executive Board, in his opening address.

This year, the “market place” in the hotel lobby was the central information and communication area for delegates. The 22 Lufthansa Systems product islands together with user group meeting points provided our customers with an excellent opportunity to watch product demonstrations, to talk shop with our specialists, and to meet and exchange views with other users. Delegates were also able to discover more about methods for maximizing market opportunities and to actively contribute to product development by participating in a lively “open space” session.

The spirit of integration floated above the whole event, particularly the warm welcome offered to our new customers. All participants were invited to enjoy a virtual round the world trip, with new members boarding the flight during stopovers in Italy, Denmark, Estonia, Russia, Egypt, and Brazil.
We are already looking forward to seeing our customers again next year – in Frankfurt, Germany.