Gulf Air and Amadeus, a leading travel technology partner, have renewed their distribution agreement and expanded its scope to provide full content access for travel agents worldwide using Amadeus’ global distribution system (GDS) platform.

The three-year agreement will enable all Amadeus GDS users to access the Bahrain-based carrier’s entire range of schedules, inventory and the most up-to-date routes and fares, including its web fares, a statement from the airline company said.  

Gulf Air serves 48 destinations worldwide and has become a major player connecting the Middle East and other regions. In the first half of 2012, the airline saw a 13 per cent increase in passenger numbers compared to the same period last year.

Under the agreement both players ensure that all travel agencies connected to the Amadeus system can access, book and sell Gulf Air flights at the most competitive rates.

“The renewed agreement with Amadeus to provide full content access to travel agents aligns perfectly well with our distribution strategy. Now travel agents have greater and wider accessibility to Gulf Air’s full range of published fares and inventory, which means customers have better choices and confidence while planning their travel with Gulf Air,” said Karim Makhlouf, chief commercial officer, Gulf Air.

“Working with leading GDS partners such as Amadeus helps us increase our share and presence in the market. The partnership has also come at a time when we are set to resume operations to eight destinations in Iran and Iraq. The agreement is a step forward in boosting our relationship with Amadeus and having a competitive distribution channel worldwide.”

“Amadeus is pleased to secure a long-term full content partnership with one of the most well-established airlines in the Middle East region. The new agreement strengthens Amadeus’ commitment to support its travel agency customers maintain a competitive edge, through granting them direct access to the most relevant and competitive air content,” said Antoine Medawar, vice president, Mena, Amadeus.

Amadeus is a leading content aggregator in the travel industry, providing access to bookable content from more than 420 airlines worldwide.

Presently, more than 70 per cent of the top 20 airlines booked in the Middle East and North Africa, including Gulf Air, have signed full content agreements with Amadeus. – TradeArabia News Service