Mercator, the Dubai-based Business Technology Provider, has scored its third recent win in North America by securing a contract with WestJet for RAPID, its airline passenger interline revenue accounting solution.

WestJet, Canada's leading high-value low-cost airline, has signed up for Mercator’s RAPID Bureau Interline Solution hosted in Dubai. Some of the benefits of outsourced revenue accounting services for passenger coupons and cargo airway bills are that it saves money and smoothens the impact of production spikes on cash reserves. A single transaction fee per coupon processed by the Bureau, Mercator’s Outsource Centre, makes it easy for the airline in its financial planning.

The advantages for WestJet will include the swift determination of revenue, boosted productivity and efficiency, slashed accounting costs and refined processes. The carrier’s executives will also be armed with incisive management reports, giving them the confidence to make informed tactical decisions and winning long-term strategies.

Janice Paget, Vice President of Finance Projects at WestJet, said: "We are extremely excited about our new partnership with Mercator.  They demonstrate the same core values we hold and have provided us with a timely, efficient solution to a complex issue whilst maintaining strong internal controls and providing excellent customer service. This solution has provided a valuable part of the foundation for our growth relating to our interline strategy".

WestJet operates a modern fleet of 75 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft, serving more than 45 destinations throughout North American and the Caribbean.

Duncan Alexander, Vice President Mercator, said: “We are delighted that WestJet have placed their confidence in our Business Technology Solution to enhance their interline revenue accounting.  Our industry cost base had been re-defined with the surge in fuel price and it is critical that airlines are able to accurately account for their revenue, resolve discrepancies and collect cash as fast and as accurately as possible.  Our staff and technologies provide that capability.

Airlines already benefiting from the RAPID family of products include: Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, Air Algerie, Air Malawi, Air Niugini, Air Zimbabwe, Air Tahiti, Air Tanzania,  Avianca, BA World Cargo, Cyprus Airways, Emirates Airline, Etihad Airways, Express Jet, Garuda, Gulf Air, Jat Airways, Jet Airways, Jet light, Kenya Airways, Libyan Arab Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Oman Air, Olympic, Philippine Airlines, Qantas, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Brunei, Singapore Airlines, SriLankan, Syrian Arab Airlines, TACA, TAROM, Varig, West Jet, Yemenia.

About Mercator:
Mercator is a global provider of business technology solutions, delivering business transformation, process improvement and return on investment to more than 100 customers in five continents. Mercator’s solutions and services include financial management, cargo and logistics, passenger and airport solutions, process outsourcing, CRM and loyalty, hotel sales distribution, IT consulting and systems integration. From its Dubai base, Mercator also provides the Emirates Group with the full range of demanding business technology that it requires.

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Virgin Atlantic, the multi award winning airline has become the latest customer for SkyChain, a comprehensive end-to-end IT cargo management system developed by Mercator, the Dubai-based Business Technology Provider, which is part of the Emirates Group.

Mercator plans to complete implementation by the end of April 2009. The solution will be implemented in Virgin Atlantic Cargo headquarters in Crawley, England and will be used by their staff and appointed partners globally.

Duncan Alexander, Vice President, Mercator, said:  “The team at Virgin Atlantic put our team and our solution through an extremely rigorous selection process.  We are delighted to now be their provider and look forward to implementing a business transforming solution.”

The British carrier becomes the 5th of an impressive client list of major carriers for Mercator's SkyChain solution, including Emirates Airline, Swiss WorldCargo, Midex Airlines, and SriLankan proving SkyChain to be one of the industry’s key future cargo solutions.

John Lloyd, Director of Cargo, Virgin Atlantic said: “We're absolutely delighted that we will now have cutting-edge systems capabilities to support our award-winning service and staff.  Our current systems have served us well, however it is time for us to move up a gear and provide our customers with the levels of connectivity they require, along with streamlined business processes and the ability to stay ahead in what is an increasingly competitive and dynamic industry”.

SkyChain, a centralised cargo reservation and business management solution, offers a number of advantages over existing systems. Benefits include compatibility with the wide host customer systems, capacity to accommodate upgrades and changes through Java architecture, and real-time access and updates, all designed to address the current needs of today's cargo customer.

From its launch in April 2004, SkyChain was built in less than two-and-a-half years and was successfully implemented in August 2006. Built by a team of over 150 IT and Cargo professionals in Dubai, an overall effort of about 300 person years has contributed to creating the system, making it the largest single software development project in the aviation industry in recent times.

SkyChain, built for the air cargo business of today and that of the future is expected to make a significant difference to the air cargo industry.

About Mercator:
Mercator is a Dubai based leading Business Technology Provider providing business transformation, process improvement and return on investment for its customers. Through Mercator's vast experience in serving the IT requirements of this major organisation, it has developed an extensive portfolio of products encompassing financial solutions, cargo and logistics solutions, passenger and airport solutions, process outsourcing and airline business consultancy. The company also meets and satisfies the full range of the demanding IT needs of the main constituent parts of the Emirates Group.

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SriLankan Airlines has signed up for SkyChain, the end to end cargo reservation and business management solution offered by Mercator, the Dubai-based business technology provider, which is part of the Emirates Group.

Patrick Naef, Head of Mercator said: “The timing of this partnership is significant – coming as it does when skyrocketing fuel prices are having a tremendous economic impact on the airline industry. This partnership clearly demonstrates that major players have confidence in our IT solutions to reduce costs and increase revenue.

He added: “SkyChain has been built for the air cargo business of today and the changing dynamics of the foreseeable future. We are confident SkyChain will have a significant and positive impact on our customers’ financial bottom line and make waves in the air cargo industry.”

Mercator plans to complete implementation by the second quarter of 2009. The solution will be hosted out of Mercator’s data centres in Dubai and used by authorised SriLankan cargo users out of Colombo and other outstation cargo offices globally.

The solution, wholly developed by Mercator in Dubai, has been designed to manage every aspect of an airline’s cargo business. Using the latest Java technology, it transforms information into a powerful asset with data fully utilised to maximise performance, raise service quality and optimise resources. Processes are streamlined and enhanced and the latest industry developments, such as IATA’s e-freight initiative, are fully supported.

Johann Wijesinghe, Head of Worldwide Cargo, SriLankan Airlines, said: "SriLankan Cargo is recognised today as one of the most energetic, technologically-advanced and cost efficient freight operators in South Asia. In our business, timing is everything. This is why we are working with Mercator, which has a proven track record for development, implementation and innovation, to fulfill an ever-increasing list of customer demands.”

He added: ‘SriLankan SkyChain’, which is our fully automated cargo logistic management system, will provide an integrated network of information and support services enabling our customers, no matter where they are, to always have a world of cargo services literally at their fingertips.”

Other customers for Mercator’s SkyChain include Swiss World Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo and Midex.

SriLankan Airlines is the national flag carrier of Sri Lanka and flies to over 30 international destinations.

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