Even though its four big airline users came together to create the IBM-based Amadeus consortium for shared reservation systems, Unisys Corp was hopeful that all four consortium members would continue to use their 1100 systems for their in-house operational systems. But already Scandinavian Airlines System has decided to convert to IBM altogether and says it plans to invest $41m replacing its in-house Univac reservation system with a new IBM system. The new reservation system, expected to be operational by 1991, will be financed through in-house and credit-market borrowing. It will handle new types of travel documentation such as combined ticket and boarding passes, self service, increased airport security and SAS says it will encourage flexible pricing and co-operation among carriers. The Scandinavian airline has invested almost $66m in the last two years in a number of computerised distribution systems including Smart, the network linking Scandinavian travel agencies for information and distribution of travel service accounts. Meanwhile the company is also investing nearly $50m in the Amadeus which it owns along with Air France, Lufthansa and Iberia.
