IBM has formed an alliance to develop an integration infrastructure that will allow previously separate airline software systems to work together.
Under the "ConnectEdge for Airlines" banner, IBM will work with Intentia International, Mercury Systems, Siebel Systems and other partners yet to be announced, to market an integrated set of airline applications.
The initial applications will include electronic ticketing, the internet auction of surplus inventory, crew scheduling and "day of operation crew recovery" following schedule interruptions. The applications can be either outsourced to an IBM-hosted facility or licensed to run in the airline's own data centre.
The suite will be linked together, as well as to the airline's existing legacy systems, by a common "software bus". This will make it a lot easier to add new applications, says IBM.
Amadeus Travel Distribution has announced it will make its passenger service applications compatible with ConnectEdge.
Source: Flight International
