Amadeus sees rise in global market share

Amadeus saw its global market share of bookings rise by a single percentage point last year to help drive up the company’s profit by more than 20%.

Amadeus saw its global market share of bookings rise by a single percentage point last year to help drive up the company’s profit by more than 20%.

Adjusted profit rose to €487.2 million on the back of a 5.8% rise in revenue to €2,712 million.

Total bookings, including both air travel agency and non air bookings, went up by 5% from 441.6 million to 463.8 million.

Total travel transactions processed were up by 11.5% to total 948 million.

Adjusted profit for the fourth quarter of 2011 increased by 27%, up from €68.2 million to €86.6 million with like-for-like revenues up by 6.6% from to €647.6 million.

The company’s financial structure was strengthened through €719.5 million of debt reduction during the year.

Travel agencies will be able to book easyJet’s allocated seating in the Amadeus GDS when the airline introduces the new service this spring.

Amadeus has been selected by Expedia as its global distribution partner in Thailand, with a target launch date for early this year.

Content agreements with eight airlines were signed during the fourth quarter, including United Airlines and American Airlines. The multi-year agreement with United guarantees Amadeus’s travel agencies access to the full range of content offered by United and Continental Airlines into 2013.

Former subsidiary Opodo and Amadeus launched an online cruise partnership with a customised cruise business-to-consumer application on Opodo.co.uk in the final quarter of last year.

The joint initiative will target the rapid growth of cruise sales in the UK by providing Opodo with direct access and distribution to cruise inventory from major global cruise lines via the Amadeus system.

Reviewing the annual results, president and CEO Luis Maroto said: “In distribution our global market share of travel agency air bookings increased by 1 percentage point and overall total bookings increased 5%; and in IT Solutions the passengers boarded total grew by 17.9% and further key airline contract signings for Altéa lifted our projected passengers boarded figure for 2014 to 735 million.

”Throughout this year we will be working hard to further consolidate our position as a global leader and to continue to deliver despite the economic uncertainties we are facing.

“We have a proven business model and we look forward to 2012 with cautious optimism.

“Revenue in both our business lines will continue to grow, and we will further de-leverage our balance sheet, based on our cash flow generation.”