Nok Air partners with Sabre and Radixx to support new business model

In a new development to end the week on a good note, Thai airline Nok Air has announced two strategic new long-term agreements. First is with Sabre Corporation, a leading software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, and the second deal is with its subsidiary company, Radixx, to support the evolution of the carrier’s new business strategy.

Nok Air has selected an extensive suite of products from Sabre and Radixx to expand distribution and revenue generation opportunities. The agreements support the carrier’s repositioning to serve its growing customer base of premium travellers and value-based customer segments. The Sabre and Radixx products will power future business model evolution as Nok Air expands its international operation, develops new airline partnerships and explore further technical capabilities and innovations beyond today.

Radixx will provide a fully integrated passenger service system for Nok Air that spans reservations, inventory, pricing, e-commerce, agency distribution, departure control, load control, loyalty and other related capabilities. In parallel, under a new Sabre distribution deal, Nok Air will distribute its airline content across Sabre’s global travel marketplace, opening the door to new international markets and growing its Thailand home market on the Sabre Global Distribution System (GDS).

“We have ambitious business expansion plans, including launching new domestic and international routes, restructuring our fleet and adding new jets as we transition selected segments to a premium service to reflect our quality service,” said Wutthiphum Jurangkool, Chief Executive Officer of Nok Air. “So, it was imperative to us that we chose the right technology partner to support us in all of our goals to streamline our operations, improve efficiencies and open new revenue opportunities and new markets while improving the experience for our travellers.”

The carrier, which operates out of Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport, will utilise the following Sabre and Radixx products as Thailand re-opens to vaccinated international travellers:

Radixx Res – Radixx’s core passenger system will enable Nok Air to manage all passenger operations and sales channels in order to expand distribution channels and partnerships.

Radixx Go and Radixx Go Touch – new digital capabilities to evolve Nok Air’s check-in operation at airports, enhance customer service and enable additional ancillary revenue-generation opportunities across airport touchpoints. Radixx Go Touch enables airline employees to transact full airport departure control capabilities from a mobile device, allowing some flexibility from the constraints of physical airport desks and counters.

Radixx ezyCommerce – an integrated e-commerce and mobile solution to power Nok Air’s business-to-consumer for passengers and business-to-business channels for travel agents and corporates.

Radixx Loyalty – new capabilities will enable Nok Air to strengthen the offering of its Nok Air Fan Club, including enhanced online servicing, automation and redemption options for members.

Radixx Insight – valuable business data and analytics to enable better decision-making, while powering the airline’s internal back-office systems.

Sabre’s Global Distribution System – to enable expansion into new global markets, ensuring its fares have the widest possible distribution.

Chris Collins, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Radixx, said: “We’re delighted to further expand our footprint in APAC while opening up access to new global markets and segments for Nok Air as well as providing new digital capabilities for the carrier, creating additional revenue-generation opportunities and, ultimately, enabling Nok to create improved experiences for travelers at all touchpoints.”

“At Sabre, we are laying out our strategic plans to create our own catalysts for growth, so we are thrilled to be able to support Nok Air on its own transformational journey,” added Rakesh Narayanan, Vice President, Regional General Manager, Asia Pacific, Travel Solutions Airline Sales, Sabre. “Our new dual-deal alliance with Nok Air, incorporating both PSS and GDS solutions, is the perfect example of how Sabre and Radixx are able to combine synergistic technological offerings to create effective, innovative end-to-end solutions for airlines of all sizes and cost models.”