Austrian Airlines has become the world’s first carrier to launch a new mobile solution, eFlight Manager, developed by Sabre Corporation, a global travel technology provider.

The new solution will enable real-time NOTAM, weather and flightplan updates throughout the lifecycle of the airline’s flights if air-to-ground communication is available in the cockpit.

Austrian Airlines, a long-term customer of Sabre’s AirCentre Flight Plan Manager, worked with Sabre to develop the solution’s new mobile extension. The industry-leading technology enables airlines, which operate with the most mobile workforces in the world, to access digital flight planning information anytime, anywhere.  This will help to further improve the safety of flights, by providing pilots with the necessary information to track and avoid bad weather.  Airlines will also be able to adjust fuel calculations based on this data.

Since the launch of the beta phase at the start of November, a small test group at Austrian Airlines has been using the solution inflight on tablet devices.  Through integrated systems and real-time downloads of the latest flight data, Austrian Airlines has been able to achieve a common view between pilots and dispatchers, enabling greater efficiency in flight planning.  The solution will also help the airline improve post-flight analysis and planning by synchronising aircraft and ground-based data. 

“Austrian Airlines is dedicated to using the latest technology across its operations,” said Dino Gelmetti, vice president EMEA, Airline Solutions, Sabre. “Our new solution leverages the latest in mobile technology and was created in response to the growing need for more connected airline operations that ‘talk’ to each other for improved efficiency.   As the first airline to pioneer our mobile flight planning technology, Austrian Airlines will be able to drive greater efficiency and cost savings as well as provide a more seamless and efficient service to its passengers.”

Following a successful trial, the airline will roll out the new technology to its entire flight staff of 950 in the coming months, and will start using the mobile recalculation capabilities to realise additional fuel savings and operational efficiencies. 

“Sabre’s innovative and industry-leading technology is most in line with our goals of being an airline that is at the forefront of mobile technology in-flight.”  said Captain Dr Philipp Haller, A320-Pilot and EFB-Administrator at Austrian Airlines. “Austrian Airlines has been using Electronic Flight Bags for more than 10 years and eFlight Manager enables us to establish a complete paper-free briefing process including continuous inflight optimisation. We are proud to be the launch partner of Sabre’s eFlight Manager technology as it supports our vision to be one of the world’s most forward-thinking airlines." – TradeArabia News Service