Datalex Airline Credentials Grow with Successful Launch of Web Booking Site for Emirates

Joint development of major airline project opens up wealth of opportunities for Datalex and global IT services company, Mercator

The launch of a new Web booking site for Emirates Airline demonstrates the growing demand by the world’s major carriers for the highly evolved Internet booking technology supplied by global technology solutions provider, Datalex (ISE: DLE; OTC: DLEXY).

Announcing an increase in profits of 94% for its airline operations for financial year ending 31 March 2003, Dubai-based Emirates is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, carrying total of 8.5m passengers during the reporting period. To support the growth of its online sales, Emirates has invested in the most advanced Internet booking platform from Datalex to replace its existing Web-site technology.

“Our reputation for quality and innovation in assisting airlines to reduce costs and maximize revenues is growing and we pride ourselves on having strong case histories with many of the world’s leading airlines. It is an honor to add such a prestigious airline as Emirates to our growing list of clients in this sector,” said Aidan Brogan, SVP, Global Sales and Marketing, Datalex. “The Internet has become an essential sales channel for airlines and it is strategically important for them to provide an international online presence to extend the scope of their distribution, particularly in the uncertain political and economic climates in which they operate.”

BookIt! Consumer(TM), which supports multiple languages, including Arabic, and global currencies, will give the airline the necessary scalability to cope with an ever growing demand for online bookings worldwide. Of key importance to Emirates is the flexibility that BookIt! Consumer will provide, including greater internationalization, integration with its Skywards Loyalty program, check-in facilities and other customer service systems. BookIt! Matrix(TM), the core integration platform that provides back-end connectivity for the booking engine, will connect directly to the airline’s own reservation system, MARS, and its profile information system, CRIS, providing better access to Emirates’ products and services and lowering its distribution costs.

In addition to the delivery of BookIt! Consumer to Emirates, Datalex has also signed a co-marketing agreement with Mercator, the technology arm of the Emirates Group. This agreement will enable Datalex to sell its travel technology solutions through Mercator to other airlines in the region that are hosted on the MARS system.

About Datalex
Datalex provides technology to leading global travel industry suppliers and distributors that enable them to aggregate and package a broad range of travel components for distribution across multiple sales channels.

Datalex’s customers include Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Amadeus, American Express, American Trans Air, Amtrak, Best Western International, California State Automobile Association, Delta Air Lines, Disney Cruise Lines, FAR&WIDE, Galileo, GoHop.ie, KLM, LasVegas.com, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Page & Moy, Siemens Canada and Germany, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, SNCF, South African Airways, Thomas Cook, Trailfinders, TravelBag, Travelcare, T-Systems, Vail Resorts Inc., Unisys, WEXAS and Worldspan.

Founded in 1985, the company is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, and maintains offices across Europe, the USA and Asia-Pacific. Datalex is a publicly held company traded on the Irish Stock Exchange (symbol: DLE, and also OTC: DLEXY).

For more information, please visit the company’s Web site at www.datalex.com.

About Emirates
Since Dubai-based Emirates Airline was established in 1985, it has received more than 250 international awards. In 2003 alone it has been voted Runner-Up Airline of the Year, Best Economy and Best Airline to the Middle East from Skytrax Research, and Passenger Service Airline of the Year from Air Transport World, USA, among others.

Emirates announced the largest order in aviation history at the recent Paris Air Show, placing orders for an additional 71 new Airbus and Boeing aircraft worth US$19 billion to join its fast-growing fleet. It is now the main launch customer for two innovative ultra-modern aircraft – A340-600 HGW and A380 double-decker mega-liners seating up to 653 people.

The airline’s current 53-strong fleet is a combination of Airbus A330-200s, Boeing 777-300s, 777-200s and 747-200/400Fs, with an average age of three years, one of the youngest in the skies. In 2006 Emirates will receive the first of 45 A380 double-deckers it has on order, and over the next decade expects to more than double its fleet size to 125 aircraft by 2012.

Financially independent, Emirates is among the world’s fastest-growing airlines. It is also one of the world’s five most profitable and 20 largest international airlines. It offers services to 67 cities in 47 countries in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Indian Sub-Continent and Asia-Pacific. It plans to launch services to Auckland, Brisbane and Lagos over the coming months, and non-stop flights to North America in April 2004.

Besides the airline, the Emirates Group includes Arabian Adventures, Al Maha Desert Resort, Dnata, Emirates Holidays, Emirates SkyCargo, Galileo, Mercator and Transguard.

About Mercator
Mercator provides a full range of IT services and products for the Emirates Group and total support service packages including consultancy, training, telephone support, engineering and on-site technical support for other international airlines. It employs over 450 staff in Dubai, with more in India and Sri Lanka, and offers IT solutions for value-added revenue accounting, airline reservations, air cargo, check-in and departure control and online booking and customer loyalty schemes.

http://www.datalex.com