Three More Airlines Use Routesonline to Launch RFP to Airports

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MANCHESTER, England, Aug. 10 /PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

    Route Exchange, the online platform for air service development, is

delighted to announce three new Request for Proposals (RFPs) from airlines

looking at using the facility to support their network growth.

    Details of the RFPs are outlined below, all due to commence between August

20th and September 3rd.

    SAUDIA

    Recently re-branded Saudia, now part of the Skyteam Alliance, will launch

its Request for Proposal from September 3rd. Looking at designated markets from

Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudia has a number of long-range aircraft entering the

fleet which will be used for new route development. This is a significant

opportunity for airports on a global basis.

    MINOAN AIR

    Minoan Air is looking to fly unserved routes within the EU with its fleet

of Fokker 50 aircraft. Minoan will be very interested to speak with airports

that can prove market potential from their airports.

    RAF-AVIA

    RAF-Avia today announced their interest in the European and Nordic markets

via the Route Exchange. From the 20th August, airports registered with the

Route Exchange will have access to the Formal Request for Proposal document,

detailing RAF-Avia's desire to develop their network in these markets.

    Jelena Rigere, Commercial Director from RAF-Avia, explains: "I have chosen

to announce our interest in the European and Nordic markets via the Route

Exchange and to request proposals via the online Request for Proposals platform

because of the reach of airports Routes has access to. Being able to compare

the proposals airports submit on a like-for-like basis helps us to determine

the operational and commercial viability of operating at each airport. This is

paramount to the success of our commercial planning and key to developing our

customer proposition."

    In a further development, US low-cost carrier JetBlue Airways became the

latest carrier to agree to launch an RFP via the Route Exchange platform,

details of which are to be released shortly.

    Declan Maguire, Business Development Manager for Route Exchange, stated:

"We are delighted to welcome a further three airlines into the Route Exchange

RFP process. Saudia, Minoan and RAF-Avia all have a clear focus on who they

wish to target and Route Exchange will allow them to gather crucial information

and data from their target airports in order to make key decisions about their

future planning. They join CEBU Pacific, Aer Lingus, Scoot, IndiGo and Air Asia

X as airlines who have successfully used this unique platform and we plan to

announce many more in the near future."

    Once airports have met the terms of the Prequalifying Questionnaire (PQQ),

they will be sent the formal RFP where they can complete a pre-defined data

requirements and a proposal document. The airlines will then analyse the

submissions before scheduling meetings with potential new airport partners at

World Routes, 29th September - 2nd October this year in Abu Dhabi, United Arab

Emirates.

    Notes to Editors

    About Routes

    - Routes organises world-renowned airline and airport networking events

through its regional and global Route Development Forums. Each year, there is

one global event and one regional event in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas

and CIS respectively. http://www.routesonline.com

    - These events are supported by an online route development forum hosted on

our website, Routesonline. The site provides airports with the ability to

promote their market opportunities and acts as the airline industry's central

source of market data and route development information.

    - Integrated into Routesonline is the Route Exchange area which is the

online platform for air service development. Airlines can actively campaign

their target airports through this unique platform.

    - Previous RFPs through the Route Exchange have included Air Asia X, Scoot,

IndiGo, Aer Lingus and Cebu Pacific.

    - Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the Manchester UK-based ASM Ltd., a

consultancy specialising in the field of route development for airports.

http://www.asm-global.com

    - Routes and ASM were acquired by UBM Aviation Worldwide Ltd in August

2010. Routes is a UBM Live brand.

    Follow us on Twitter:

    @Routesonline

    @TheHUBRoutes

    @VictoriaRoutes

Source: UBM Aviation Routes Ltd