Air Astana, the national carrier of Kazakhstan, has successfully gone live with IBS’ iCargoNet, the ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS) based offering of IBS’ next generation cargo management system iCargo. Hosted out of IBS’ state-of-the-art data centre in Trivandrum, iCargoNet has provided Air Astana with automation of all its cargo business processes globally.
As the national carrier of the biggest CIS (Commonwealth of Independent states) country after Russia, Air Astana plays an important role in connecting the country’s growing economy to international markets. iCargoNet will now help the airline ensure high quality and reliable cargo movement by providing an integrated, enterprise-wide automation solution for managing the cargo business functions as well as the cargo revenue accounting functions. iCargoNet, in effect enables the airline to use all the functionalities of a proven integrated next generation cargo management system at a much lower total cost of ownership.
Commenting on the successful introduction of iCargoNet Gerry Mitchell, IT Director, Air Astana, said, “Air Astana selected iCargoNet after a thorough evaluation of the available cargo management systems on the market. IBS worked hard to understand our business requirements, to make sure iCargoNet met our functional and commercial needs. I am delighted to say that IBS, once again rose to the challenge, demonstrating professionalism and commitment to us as a customer, by delivering our iCargoNet implementation on time and within budget. IBS have proven themselves to be a worthy and trusted vendor, and Air Astana have committed to them as a long-term strategic and value-added business partner.”
Reflecting on the go-live at Air Astana Akshay Shrivastava, Senior Vice President and Global Head of IBS’ Cargo Line of Business, said – “We are very pleased with the smooth cut over of iCargoNet at Air Astana. It further strengthens our track record of successful on-time implementations of our solutions. We are confident that iCargoNet will be a big enabler for Air Astana in staying ahead in an increasingly competitive and dynamic industry by making their cargo business processes efficient and cost effective.”
“CIS countries and Russia play a key role in our business plans. With this success at Air Astana we believe many more similar opportunities will become a reality for us in that region.” - he further added.
iCargoNet provides Air Astana with the scalability to support new initiatives for efficient cargo services and offers them the flexibility to adapt to rapidly evolving business needs. The system enables the airline to optimize the inventory of its flights and monitor capacity utilization as well as track the revenue generated by each flight. iCargoNet facilitates transaction-based pricing, enabling the airlines cargo operations to remain cost-effective with lower per unit IT cost.
Chairman & CEO, IBS Software, V K Mathews said, “Air Astana’s selection of iCargoNet as the solution to operate its core cargo operations underlines the value proposition offered by IBS’ Cargo Management System. With the industry facing difficult times, it is extremely critical for airlines to optimize operations cost and improve efficiency. We believe this successful implementation of our business transforming solution, iCargo, will help Air Astana strengthen its status as Central Asia's leading international carrier.”
About iCargoNet
iCargoNet is a Software as a Service (SaaS) based hosted offering of IBS Software’s next generation cargo management system, iCargo, that uses the power of the internet to deliver all the functionalities of iCargo, while lowering the total cost of ownership. Powered by state-of-the-art data centres, world-class 24x7 helpdesk, network managed services and post production support, iCargoNet is a robust, reliable solution that meets the needs of any carrier, no matter the size or transaction volumes.
iCargoNet is scalable, secure and highly cost-effective single solution for meeting the automation needs of a cargo carrier or an airport in the areas of cargo reservations, sales & planning; cargo ground handling and cargo terminal operations; mail handling; ULD Management; AWB rating & cargo Revenue Accounting; and cargo revenue management.
iCargo’s current global customer list includes a number of major air cargo operators, such as Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Austrian Airlines, Avient Cargo, CargoJet, Kingfisher Airlines, Nippon Cargo Airlines, and Tokyo International Air Cargo Terminal (TIACT)
About Air Astana
Air Astana is the national carrier of Kazakhstan and is a joint venture between the Government of Kazakhstan and BAE Systems. Air Astana began flight operations in May 2002.
Today the airline operates a fleet of 21 western aircraft with an average age of 5 years, over more than 50 domestic and international routes. Its 2.3 million passengers are served by a staff of over 2000 highly-trained men and women, the majority of whom are from Kazakhstan, supplemented by experienced foreign personnel.
Air Astana recently placed an order for new Airbus 320 family and Boeing 787 aircraft to grow its fleet to 34 aircraft by 2014, and to 63 aircraft by 2022. The airline is now recognized as a clear leader in the CIS region, as it continues to compliment its modern fleet with a large number of technical and service innovations designed to ensure that air travel to, from and within Kazakhstan is as reliable and convenient as possible.
About IBS
IBS Software is a leading global provider of new-generation IT solutions to the Travel, Transportation and Logistics (TTL) industry. A specialist in the domain, IBS offers a range of products and services that manage mission-critical operations of major airlines, airports, oil and gas companies, seaports, cruise lines and tour operators world-wide. IBS services include technology consulting, testing, usability engineering, business intelligence & data warehousing, application development, re-engineering, and maintenance. SEI CMMI Level-5 and PCMM Level 5 assessed, ISO 9001:2000, TickIT and ISO 27001:2005 certified, IBS operates software development centers in Bangalore, Boston, Cochin, London, Trivandrum and Atlanta, Washington DC. IBS operates out of fourteen business centers in the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. More information about IBS is available at http://www.ibsplc.com
