A reduction in transaction costs and a broader distribution channel in order to offer Sterling’s fares to more of Europe seemed like an impossible task, but this was Sterling’s objective when the company contacted Amadeus to discuss the possibility of Sterling becoming an Amadeus partner.

The merger of Maersk and Sterling led to the combining of two different distribution systems and two different business models. Sterling had a genuine low-cost distribution solution, whereas Maersk Air had a full-grown GDS distribution system. The “new” Sterling operates as a low-cost carrier, but has taken advantage of one of Amadeus’s innovative solutions for low-cost carriers – Amadeus Ticketless Access – enabling them to run their business with the same “reach” as the traditional airlines in Amadeus.

Innovation and adoption
“I contacted Amadeus and said that we wanted to use Amadeus’s powerful reach in the market, but at the same time to distribute our fares to the market without a complex GDS solution,” says Michael T. Hansen, VP, Business Development & IT for Sterling.