Sabre buys airline retail platform Radixx for $110M

Sabre is expanding its airline tech provision with a $110 million deal to acquire Radixx, an airline retailing vendor specalizing in services for low-cost carriers.

Radixx is forecasting it will make around $20 million in revenue this year.

The deal is being positioned as a mechanism to get more low-cost carriers into the Sabre fold, with Radixx's core platforms being a passenger service system and internet booking engine.

Radixx will operate as an standalone brand within Sabre's Airlines Solutions unit.

The brand's portfolio of services include the main ezyCommerce retail system, Radixx Res (reservation system), Radixx Go (PSS) and Radixx Insight (business intel).

The company was formed in 1993 by Roni Peri. John Elieson is the current CEO of the business.

It has concentrated mostly on the low-cost carrier segment on the airline world, with its customer roster including the likes of Air Iceland Connect, JAL, FlyEgypt, Air Transat, Sunwing Airlines and Cambodia Airways.

Sean Menke, CEO at Sabre, says: "By combining Radixx technology and expansive LCC customer base with Sabre’s expertise, scale and global service capabilities, this acquisition will result in a better alternative for low cost carriers that might have otherwise felt their PSS and other technology options were limited.

"This acquisition also allows Sabre to quickly expand its footprint both geographically and in terms of scope of service with an important and rapidly growing segment of the airline industry.”

Sabre's acquisition strategy for its airline services has concentrated for a number of years on expanding it capabilities beyond pure-play distribution and hosting (PSS).

It announced a plan to acquire NDC-champion Farelogix for $360 million in November 2018 at The Phocuswright Conference.

The deal has since then found itself to the courts following a decision by the U.S. Department of Justice to file an antitrust lawsuit in August this year.

* At the World Aviation Festival 2019 in London, PhocusWire discussed some of the retailing trends with Rodrigo Celis, senior vice president, product management for Sabre Airline Solutions.