Case Study: Airbus achieves eight-figure annual cost savings and rapid ROI with KDS online booking solution

Airbus Travel Reservation Solution optimized with KDS

Airbus, which manages roughly €200 million in annual global travel spend, faced fragmented and inconsistent booking behavior that drove up transaction fees and average ticket prices. The company needed a way to enforce travel policy, steer employees to cost-effective options (including charter services, low-cost carriers and rail), and improve supplier management across its international operations.

Airbus implemented KDS Corporate (branded internally as u.go), a 24/7 intranet booking platform integrated with its expense system and supported by a full change-management program. The system centralized bookings, enforced policy through configurable rules and missed‑savings prompts, and drove users to preferred suppliers; adoption surpassed targets (70% overall, 80% on top routes) and increased charter usage. Airbus reports roughly €50 saved per intra‑European segment, estimates annual savings in the eight figures, achieved ROI within a year, and subsequently expanded the platform to an additional 49,000 employees.

Airbus

James Westgarth

Head of Travel Technology