Seattle-Based Kenmore Air Expands Ticket Sales with AviNet eXchange^TM

Annapolis, Maryland—ARINC Incorporated today announced that the largest seaplane operator in the United States, Seattle-based Kenmore Air, has applied ARINC’s exclusive AviNet eXchange^TM technology to expand its market reach with ticket sales through Global Distribution System (GDS) channels.

AviNet eXchange is ARINC’s business-class messaging service designed as an “any-to-any” interface for travel-related businesses. Newly enhanced user tools and protocol handling in AviNet eXchange enabled Kenmore’s IT department to eliminate most of the costs and delay of custom software development normally needed for GDS connectivity. 

“The growth of e-ticketing and APIS (Advance Passenger Information System) requirements has been a challenge for many mid-size operators and travel-related businesses,” said Thaddeus Baringer, ARINC Business Development Director. “AviNet eXchange allows users to communicate easily with most of the travel industry’s legacy systems and GDS providers.”

“When we found out that interfacing to the GDS required industry-proprietary messaging protocols, and determined the cost to develop this in-house, we asked ARINC for help,” said Dan Audette, Revenue Director of Kenmore Air. “AviNet eXchange allowed us to use modern development tools, XML message formats, and Web Services to achieve simple integration with GDS e-ticketing systems—without any need to retrofit legacy protocols. This compatibility with airline and GDS hosts is already helping us expand our market”

For Kenmore, AviNet eXchange handles legacy MATIP and Type A Host-To-Host protocols transparently. It intercepts messages, modifies them to include industry-proprietary messaging header data, and sends them forward, resulting in successful message transactions.

Yun Chong, Vice President of ARINC Aviation Network Solutions, said, “Our enhanced AviNet eXchange service represents ARINC’s continued commitment to the airline industry. By facilitating effective and efficient communications among industry partners and enabling them to achieve true ‘any-to-any’ communication, we help businesses like Kenmore achieve significant improvements while reducing their costs.”

Kenmore Air has provided safe, reliable, convenient air transportation throughout western Washington and British Columbia since 1946. The largest seaplane operator in the United States, Kenmore operates on both a scheduled and a charter basis. The Kenmore Air fleet consists of more than 20 seaplanes and six-wheeled planes, which together fly more than 125,000 passengers annually. For more information, visit the web site at www.kenmoreair.com.

ARINC Incorporated, a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, provides communications, engineering and integration solutions for commercial, defense and government customers worldwide. Headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland with regional headquarters in London and Singapore, ARINC is ISO 9001:2008 certified. 

Release: 09-050

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