Comments on: Working at ITA Software http://danweinreb.org/blog/16 Software and Innovation Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:08:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Dan Weinreb http://danweinreb.org/blog/16/comment-page-1#comment-35905 Dan Weinreb Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:32:11 +0000 http://dlweinreb.wordpress.com/2007/12/24/16/#comment-35905 @Grant: That's not quite right. ITA is doing a lot of new work for Air Canada. If what you're saying is that the work referred to in that press release isn't the new airline reservation system, that's correct. I don't want to comment further on this because I am not a company spokesman. The blog entry here is just a statement about working at ITA. If you want to know about ITA's business arrangements with any particular customer, you should talk to ITA directly. @Grant: That’s not quite right. ITA is doing a lot of new work for Air Canada. If what you’re saying is that the work referred to in that press release isn’t the new airline reservation system, that’s correct. I don’t want to comment further on this because I am not a company spokesman. The blog entry here is just a statement about working at ITA. If you want to know about ITA’s business arrangements with any particular customer, you should talk to ITA directly.

]]> By: Grant Fengstad http://danweinreb.org/blog/16/comment-page-1#comment-35336 Grant Fengstad Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:26:57 +0000 http://dlweinreb.wordpress.com/2007/12/24/16/#comment-35336 This press release is also not that surprising to me Dan. ITA's business prior to Air Canada even being a customer was primarily in the Fares and GDS / GDS Bypass business, which included web based pricing, shopping and channel support. All this announcement is formalizing is that Air Canada will use functionality from ITA that has existed for years. The issue and challenge was with new functionality - DCS (Airport Customer Service), Load Management and other more "operational" aspects of the airline business. This press release is also not that surprising to me Dan. ITA’s business prior to Air Canada even being a customer was primarily in the Fares and GDS / GDS Bypass business, which included web based pricing, shopping and channel support.

All this announcement is formalizing is that Air Canada will use functionality from ITA that has existed for years. The issue and challenge was with new functionality – DCS (Airport Customer Service), Load Management and other more “operational” aspects of the airline business.

]]> By: Dan Weinreb http://danweinreb.org/blog/16/comment-page-1#comment-34643 Dan Weinreb Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:39:13 +0000 http://dlweinreb.wordpress.com/2007/12/24/16/#comment-34643 Here's a press release from ITA Software, dated Oct 13, 2009. The first paragraph is: "ITA Software, Inc., the leader in developing innovative solutions for the travel industry, today announced that Air Canada is moving forward with the implementation of ITA’s faring and web technology. Air Canada will deploy ITA’s pricing, shopping and web front end modules across multiple online channels, including the airline’s consumer web site and travel agency website." http://itasoftware.com/pdf/PR%2013.10.09%20-Air%20Canada%20Implements%20ITA%20Faring%20and%20Web%20Technology.pdf Here’s a press release from ITA Software, dated Oct 13, 2009. The first paragraph is: “ITA Software, Inc., the leader in developing innovative solutions for the travel industry, today announced that Air Canada is moving forward with the implementation of ITA’s faring and web technology. Air Canada will deploy ITA’s pricing, shopping and web front end modules across multiple online channels, including the airline’s consumer web site and travel agency website.”

http://itasoftware.com/pdf/PR%2013.10.09%20-Air%20Canada%20Implements%20ITA%20Faring%20and%20Web%20Technology.pdf

]]> By: Dan Weinreb http://danweinreb.org/blog/16/comment-page-1#comment-32559 Dan Weinreb Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:47:00 +0000 http://dlweinreb.wordpress.com/2007/12/24/16/#comment-32559 @Grant: Yes, it has taken longer than the designers had originally thought. But there's no "were" about it. The reservation system is in great shape. Air Canada has postponed launching it, but it's not by any means dead or canceled. We are still working closely with Air Canada; more will come out about this soon. @Grant: Yes, it has taken longer than the designers had originally thought. But there’s no “were” about it. The reservation system is in great shape. Air Canada has postponed launching it, but it’s not by any means dead or canceled. We are still working closely with Air Canada; more will come out about this soon.

]]> By: Grant Fengstad http://danweinreb.org/blog/16/comment-page-1#comment-32535 Grant Fengstad Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:32:18 +0000 http://dlweinreb.wordpress.com/2007/12/24/16/#comment-32535 The situation at Air Canada is not at all surprising to me. I was Air Canada's IT Chief Architect from 2000 to 2008 and was very heavily involved in the early stages of Polaris during the discovery and due diligence phases. The biggest issue in building an airline reservation and DCS system is that it is an incredibly huge undertaking - one that can not be taken lightly. One must understand that it takes years to get it right and architecturally, given the performance characteristics of TPF, the processing characteristics pose a tremendous challenge. I was much more realistic in my views and thinking and was internally communicating the complexity of the project would take 3 to 5 years to realize fruition. All I can say is that there were others that believed it could be done in a year... guess history has proven who was correct. The sad part is that AC and ITA were really on to something unique here. The situation at Air Canada is not at all surprising to me. I was Air Canada’s IT Chief Architect from 2000 to 2008 and was very heavily involved in the early stages of Polaris during the discovery and due diligence phases.

The biggest issue in building an airline reservation and DCS system is that it is an incredibly huge undertaking – one that can not be taken lightly. One must understand that it takes years to get it right and architecturally, given the performance characteristics of TPF, the processing characteristics pose a tremendous challenge. I was much more realistic in my views and thinking and was internally communicating the complexity of the project would take 3 to 5 years to realize fruition. All I can say is that there were others that believed it could be done in a year… guess history has proven who was correct.

The sad part is that AC and ITA were really on to something unique here.

]]> By: Dan Weinreb http://danweinreb.org/blog/16/comment-page-1#comment-32289 Dan Weinreb Sun, 23 Aug 2009 08:47:39 +0000 http://dlweinreb.wordpress.com/2007/12/24/16/#comment-32289 No, Air Canada has not abandoned the Polaris reservation system project. They have "suspended" it, and they will decide where to go with it when things improve for them financially. (They just posted an operating loss of C$113M for the second quarter.) In fact, they are going ahead with phase 1 of the project right now. The Polaris reservation system project has not been canceled. IBM isn't developing any stage of the Polaris reservation system. Air Canada currently uses a reservation system that runs on an IBM platform and is managed by IBM. Since they are going to stay on the IBM platform longer than they had originally anticipated, they are having IBM do some updates that would not have been worth doing had they been moving to the new system now. I found <a href="http://micro.newswire.ca/release.cgi?rkey=1708073418&view=13213-0&Start=0" rel="nofollow"> some information about Air Canada's current financial situation</a> that you can examine to see what's going on with them. Meanwhile, development of the reservation system software at ITA continues to go very well. Here is the official word from ITA Software: Cara Kretz, ITA Software's vice president of corporate communications, said the reservations systems can be used for any other airline. "There are nuances and specific features designed for Air Canada, but we're not building a one-size-fits-all system," she said. "It's completely flexible and configurable, and you can make changes as you go." Kretz said ITA is talking to other airlines about using the system. "We are actively engaged with them and providing live demos," she said. The company is not planning any shift in focus, she said. "We have a clear strategy, and Air Canada's announcement doesn't change that at all," she said. Kretz added that ITA is not planning any headcount reduction. "We are well capitalized, and we will continue to hire as planned," she said. No, Air Canada has not abandoned the Polaris reservation system project. They have “suspended” it, and they will decide where to go with it when things improve for them financially. (They just posted an operating loss of C$113M for the second quarter.) In fact, they are going ahead with phase 1 of the project right now. The Polaris reservation system project has not been canceled.

IBM isn’t developing any stage of the Polaris reservation system. Air Canada currently uses a reservation system that runs on an IBM platform and is managed by IBM. Since they are going to stay on the IBM platform longer than they had originally anticipated, they are having IBM do some updates that would not have been worth doing had they been moving to the new system now.

I found some information about Air Canada’s current financial situation that you can examine to see what’s going on with them.

Meanwhile, development of the reservation system software at ITA continues to go very well.

Here is the official word from ITA Software:

Cara Kretz, ITA Software’s vice president of corporate communications, said the reservations systems can be used for any other airline. “There are nuances and specific features designed for Air Canada, but we’re not building a one-size-fits-all system,” she said. “It’s completely flexible and configurable, and you can make changes as you go.”

Kretz said ITA is talking to other airlines about using the system. “We are actively engaged with them and providing live demos,” she said. The company is not planning any shift in focus, she said. “We have a clear strategy, and Air Canada’s announcement doesn’t change that at all,” she said.

Kretz added that ITA is not planning any headcount reduction. “We are well capitalized, and we will continue to hire as planned,” she said.

]]> By: Mac Daddy http://danweinreb.org/blog/16/comment-page-1#comment-31870 Mac Daddy Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:55:38 +0000 http://dlweinreb.wordpress.com/2007/12/24/16/#comment-31870 It is true Air Canada has abandoned the Polaris project with ITA. IBM will be developing the next stage of the reservation system. Will ITA still look to develop Polaris for possible future use by Airlines? It is true Air Canada has abandoned the Polaris project with ITA. IBM will be developing the next stage of the reservation system.

Will ITA still look to develop Polaris for possible future use by Airlines?

]]> By: Daniel Weinreb http://danweinreb.org/blog/16/comment-page-1#comment-31385 Daniel Weinreb Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:02:34 +0000 http://dlweinreb.wordpress.com/2007/12/24/16/#comment-31385 @VG: No, that's not all accurate. Various things are in flux. I will post an update here when there's solid info I can relate. @VG: No, that’s not all accurate. Various things are in flux. I will post an update here when there’s solid info I can relate.

]]> By: TPFer http://danweinreb.org/blog/16/comment-page-1#comment-30764 TPFer Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:56:30 +0000 http://dlweinreb.wordpress.com/2007/12/24/16/#comment-30764 Heard a rumor this week that Air Canada has completely pulled the plug on the Polaris project and is dismantling all their test environments related to it. Is this true? Any comment on the current state of the Polaris project? Is it still a go? Will you keep building it even if Air Canada abandons it? Heard a rumor this week that Air Canada has completely pulled the plug on the Polaris project and is dismantling all their test environments related to it.

Is this true? Any comment on the current state of the Polaris project? Is it still a go? Will you keep building it even if Air Canada abandons it?

]]> By: josh http://danweinreb.org/blog/16/comment-page-1#comment-2888 josh Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:02:11 +0000 http://dlweinreb.wordpress.com/2007/12/24/16/#comment-2888 Great blog! Interesting to read how others are building the next generation airline reservation systems. We too face similar challenges replacing legacy IBM TPF systems with farms of mainly GNU/Linux machines and Oracle as the RDBMS.This includes many different airline functions such as Reservations,Low fare search, Departure control etc.. Most of our applications are all built using C++ and communicate using EDIFACT/XML via an in house middleware framework also built in C++. ITA does have an advantage as it is starting fresh with the latest technologies and we are still sllllowly migrating from legacy systems. Keep up the great work ! Josh @ amadeus Great blog! Interesting to read how others are building the next generation airline reservation systems. We too face similar challenges replacing legacy IBM TPF systems with farms of mainly GNU/Linux machines and Oracle as the RDBMS.This includes many different airline functions such as Reservations,Low fare search, Departure control etc.. Most of our applications are all built using C++ and communicate using EDIFACT/XML via an in house middleware framework also built in C++. ITA does have an advantage as it is starting fresh with the latest technologies and we are still sllllowly migrating from legacy systems.
Keep up the great work !

Josh @ amadeus

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