Latest technology for superior performance

Since its launch 20 years ago, Amadeus has used the latest technology to build its Global Distribution System and IT solutions for airlines. It has also always continued to invest to retain cutting edge technology, which boasts the following attributes:

• New generation hardware. High performance systems based on Linux. Very limited and decreasing usage of TPF system
• Open standards. New generation protocols (IP)
• Modern architecture. Efficient and modular system architecture; easy to change and expand
• Modern languages. C++; easy to maintain
• Modern network. Backbone of optical fibre; secured IP protocols

In particular, Amadeus is progressively decommissioning TPF systems to move to more open platforms and maintain more cost-effective processing power. In 2007, only 20% of the current Altéa Customer Management Solution was running under TPF license. By the end of 2012, Amadeus IT solutions will all work on open systems.

This technology strategy ensures that Amadeus can offer the lowest cost for processing units.

Using the latest technology also ensures superior performance (unlimited processing power), reliability (easy maintenance of hardware and software from the current generation) and smooth evolution (easy upgrade and extension of applications based around modular design).

Elimination of legacy technology constraints

Airlines that are still using systems designed in the 1970s generally face significant constraints:

• Difficult scalability. Increased business volume can only be accommodated by adding significant processing capacity, which generates considerable new costs and is a tough project
• Difficult addition of a new feature. Because it is not a modular approach, adding a new feature or service entails the full release of an application and is a complex project, leading to disproportionate costs
• Increased cost of maintenance. Developed in old generation languages, legacy systems need to be maintained by costly developers, as there are few developers trained in the older generation of languages, and maintaining these non-object oriented programs also requires more developer time
• Increasing operating IT costs. Designed to run on proprietary mainframes associated with costly licenses, legacy systems cannot offer the opportunity of decreasing processing unit cost by combining several open servers in the network
• Difficult change of business logic. Legacy applications are based around business concepts from the 1970s (flight-centric, management via agent, remote data reconciliation, legacy protocols), which make it very difficult - if not impossible - to implement critical new generation concepts (customer- centric, self service, real time processing, internet protocols, etc)

All airlines understand the fact that legacy systems are a dead end, and they all intend to renew their application technology. According to the latest Airline IT survey, 95% of the world's top 100 airlines will have adopted a new customer management solution based on new technology by 2010. It is just a question of time.

The early adopters will certainly benefit from a competitive advantage over the followers. And in the meantime, each investment in a current legacy environment unfortunately equates to a pure loss for an airline that will still soon have to migrate to the latest technology.