MOSCOW - 24 June 2011 - mercator, the IT solutions provider of the Emirates Group and a global leader in business technology solutions for the airline and transportation industry, has today completed an agreement with Sirena-Travel, the leading distribution system and technology provider for the air transportation and tourism industry in Russia.  With this partnership, Sirena-Travel will act as mercator's exclusive sales and marketing agent to provide sales support for mercator's products in Russia.

Sirena-Travel will offer the Russian market mercator's full suite of aviation business solutions related to Passenger, Cargo & Logistics, Customer Relationship Management & Loyalty, Financial Management, and Safety. In response to the local market demands, Sirena-Travel will focus initially on promoting and selling Avantik, mercator's flexible and cost-effective passenger service and distribution solution for hybrid, regional, low-cost, and start-up airlines.

Avantik integrates key functionality to efficiently manage airline passenger services. This includes applications for inventory management, multi-channel reservations, yield and revenue management, departure control, weight and balance, electronic ticketing, revenue accounting, code-share, interlining, crew management, and real-time reporting to monitor business operations. It has been specifically designed to suit hybrid environments, and can be deployed much easier and faster than legacy passenger service solutions. Hybrid functionality refers to an increasing sector of the airline market that is transitioning from a pure low-cost model to one with limited distribution through global distribution systems (GDS), interline partnership agreements with other airlines, and the use of industry ticketing standards defined by the airline trade body IATA.

Duncan Alexander, Vice President, mercator stated:  "Avantik is better, smarter, faster and more efficient than anything on the market. It is perfect for the Russian market, and we are pleased to partner with Sirena-Travel. Avantik will help carriers save money through minimising inventory costs and increased efficiency. The solution offers enticing rewards for cutting costs and improving long-term economic efficiencies and overall net profits."

"This partnership with mercator is a great opportunity to combine their international experience with our expertise in the Russian market. As a result of the partnership, Sirena-Travel has essentially expanded the number of product offerings and we are ready to provide this absolutely new, hi-tech product to the Russia market," says Marina Volodina, Commercial Director, Sirena-Travel. "Avantik is the perfect solution for all kinds of complex problems facing carriers with its' seamless technologies. Through Sirena-Travel, mercator's high quality solutions will be accessible to airlines under the most favourable prices, in conjunction with round-the-clock support in Russian."

Sirena-Travel's extensive local operational experience will help drive mercator's entry into this growing market. This partnership is a result of the Russian market's requirements, and a commitment by both mercator and Sirena-Travel to offer a full spectrum of high-quality solutions and services aimed at increasing customers' profitability.

mercator will showcase Avantik at the Aviation IT Forum in Moscow, Russia on May 24 and 25, 2011.

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