Amadeus enters airline customer loyalty arena with acquisition of Hitit Loyalty

April 7, 2013

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Amadeus today announces that it has acquired the CRM and loyalty solutions division of Turkey-based Hitit Computer Services. Hitit Loyalty is the market leader in the airline loyalty space, in terms of customers.

Powerful combination of Amadeus’ R&D strength and Hitit Loyalty’s track record in loyalty will deliver innovative new product developments and enhancements across Airline IT

Madrid, Spain, 8 April 2013: Amadeus, a leading technology partner for the global travel industry, today announces that it has acquired the CRM and loyalty solutions division of Turkey-based Hitit Computer Services. Hitit Loyalty is the market leader in the airline loyalty space, in terms of customers.

The acquisition will result in Hitit Loyalty’s operations becoming fully integrated into Amadeus’ Airline IT business. At present more than half of Hitit Loyalty’s existing customers are also Alt a users.

The acquisition underlines Amadeus’ continuing investment in its growing Airline IT business. It will allow Amadeus to expand and diversify its existing IT solution portfolio, while addressing airlines’ key business objectives related to the growth and performance of their customer loyalty programs as well as their broader customer–centric and personalization strategies.

Amadeus intends to use the acquisition to drive a new IT revenue stream by adding and enhancing loyalty capability to optimise the attraction and retention of loyal airline customers throughout the airline value chain and through all stages and interactions of customers’ journeys. This diversification will span airlines’ frequent flyer, corporate, partnership and alliance management needs.

Amadeus will in 2013 integrate Hitit Loyalty’s system with its Alt a suite. This integrated offer will be further enhanced by 2015 to deliver even richer business benefits for airlines and their customers. Hitit Loyalty products will be available both as an add-on module to Amadeus Alt a as well as a stand-alone product, which will help expand the company’s business with non-Alt a airlines. Hitit Loyalty has a strong management and R&D team which will stay in Turkey, joining the existing Amadeus local team of developers and commercial support staff.

Apart from the Loyalty Division’s acquisition by Amadeus, Hitit Computer Services, will remain unchanged and will continue to operate with the previous shareholder structure, offering core airline solutions as before.

Under the leadership of its current CEO, Hakan Unlu, the acquired Hitit Loyalty will now be renamed as Amadeus IT Services, Turkey.

Julia Sattel, SVP, Airline IT, Amadeus said: “This is an important milestone for both Amadeus and our Airline IT division in particular. Loyalty is one of the key drivers connected to the core passenger servicing business of any successful airline, and being able to offer this service allows us to not only increase the value of our Alt a proposition but also to broaden our IT portfolio to better serve existing and future customers.

Hakan Unlu, CEO of Amadeus IT Services, Turkey commented: “We are very excited to join the Amadeus family. We are convinced that becoming part of Amadeus - one of the largest investors in technology for the travel industry -, is the best way to continue delivering first class technology solutions for airlines and growing our business.”

Nur Gokman, Founder & CEO, Hitit Computer Services said: “I am proud to see one of our divisions excelling at its domain to be the choice of the world’s leading travel technology providers. I am certain that the Loyalty Division will prosper under the Amadeus leadership and we will be looking forward to their success, watching them with pride”.

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