Deccan ties up with Abacus for Global Distribution System

Mumbai, Dec 14 (UNI) Low-cost carrier (LCC) Deccan has entered into a Global Distribution System (GDS) partnership with Abacus International, a Singapore-based travel facilitator company, which allows passengers to book their travel on Deccan through Abacus-connected travel agents.

As a result of this partnership, Deccan will now be available via more than 15,000 Abacus travel agency gateway locations across 24 markets world over.

''The adoption of the GDS model also allows the airline to significantly expand and distribute their capabilities while keeping costs associated with it low,'' Ramki Sundaram, officiating CEO, Deccan said in the statement.

''The Deccan-Abacus tie up marks the first GDS adoption by an airline in the India's LCC market space. Distribution channels are overarching to our growth strategy. We have consistently focused on exploring innovative and effective distribution channels,'' he added.

''With LCCs expected to double their share in the Indian market from their current 35 per cent of the market to 70 per cent by 2010, this is definitely a market we wish to lead in. We are excited by the prospects of working with Deccan to escalate their growth within Asia's vibrant travel industry,'' Kenneth Low, Vice President, South Asia, Abacus International said in a statement.

Last year an Abacus survey of more than 1,500 travel agents across Asia had identified the growing LCC market in Asia as travel agents' second largest concern for the future because of the potential of the LCCs to bypass travel agents.

''This pioneer partnership provides an ideal launch pad to enable Abacus-connected travel agencies to share in India's LCC fuelled growth,'' Low said.

Abacus is owned by Sabre and a consortium of Asia's leading airlines including All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, EVA Airways, Garuda Indonesia, Dragonair, Philippine Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, SilkAir and Singapore Airlines.

Sabre is the global leader in the electronic distribution of travel and travel related services. Abacus is the first GDS to move into the thriving low-cost carrier market in India. It was the first GDS to distribute fares for the then Indian Airlines and private carrier Kingfisher Airlines.

UNI