our annual report 2009

Annual Report 2009
AERTiCKET AG
Zossener Straße 55 · 10961 Berlin
Phone +49 (0)30-69 80 21 80
Fax
+49 (0)30-69 80 21 78
eMail
info@aer.de
Internet www.aerticket.de
Board of Directors:
Rainer Klee (Chairman),
Roland Kreling-Behmenburg, Uwe Zobel
Chairman of Supervisory Board:
Gerd Maßheimer
HRG Amtsgericht Berlin Charlottenburg, HRB 82 693
■ We have a solid financial basis. We have
been managing the company with a focus
on sustainability for years now and we
pursue a consistent policy of building
reserves, which clearly paid off in the crisis
year 2009.
Dear Reader,
I would like to warmly thank all business
The grave global economic crisis meant that
the past business year 2009 was also a rather
challenging year for AERTiCKET AG.
partners, suppliers and customers who have
accompanied our development so far. Your
support and, above all, the loyalty of almost all
However, with a certain degree of pride, we
our customers in these difficult times is a
can claim that our company has survived
source of great motivation to us in our work.
pretty much unscathed. Although the second
half of the year in particular was characterized
by uncertainties on the market and a decrease
in the number of air traffic passengers, AER-
I would also like to thank the Supervisory
Board
and
the
shareholders
for
their
cooperation, which was as constructive and
trustful as always.
TiCKET AG achieved sales revenues amounting to 29 million euro and closed with a po-
Finally, I would like to stress that our success
sitive result.
would not be possible without the personal
commitment of our employees. I am very
We are in a good strategic, operational and
financial position:
proud of their commitment and flexibility,
because it is they who made it possible for our
■ Our strategic alignment is paying off. We are
focusing on maintaining our core business,
the wholesale of flight tickets, while at the
same time expanding in the ethnic travel
company to come through the crisis year 2009
intact.
My colleagues and I hope that you enjoy
reading the following report.
field of business.
■ In addition to the organization and integration of our acquisitions in the consolidator
and
tour
operator
business
realized in 2008, we focused on the
preparation and operationalization of a new
automation technology.
Rainer Klee
Chairman of the Management Board
Contents
Dear Reader
1
Business Activities 2009
3
Report by the Chairman of the Supervisory Board
5
Independence and Financial Solidity:
AERTiCKET’s Shareholders
6
And Again – It is all about Content
7
Picasso Travel
11
Explorer Fernreisen
12
airtuerk Service GmbH
13
Personnel Policy and Corporate Culture
14
Contributing to a Human World
19
Balance Sheet 2009
20
Business Activities 2009
The air ticket wholesaler AERTiCKET AG is
the largest independent company in the travel
sector in Germany. We provide services and
technologies for travel agencies and Internet
portals. A total of more than 25 subsidiaries
and associated companies belong to our
company.
In 2009, AERTiCKET AG’s business activities
In the technology field of business AER-
focused on expanding the consolidator busi-
TiCKET AG has successfully worked on
ness, internationalization and product diver-
developing innovative and technical solutions
sification.
for the variety of requirements in the travel
AERTiCKET AG succeeded in not only
market and on extending its range of service
maintaining but extending its market lea-
tools for its customers. In addition to new
dership in the core business of air ticket
functions in the Fare Wizard and the order
wholesaling in Germany. Independent travel
assistant programs, a sales tool was provided
agencies, chains and co-operations as well as
together with, among others, our partner
a growing number of Internet portals purchase
LUTE, which enables sellers to book Luft-
their flight tickets from AERTiCKET AG at net
hansa at preferential prices with the usual
and nego fares, thus benefitting from the
AMADEUS entries without investing in further
favorable purchase prices which we have
training and technology.
been able to negotiate with the airlines for our
customers. AERTiCKET AG has been firmly
In the fulfilment field of business, via its
anchored for years in the crisis-proof and
subsidiary FlightOne Reiseservice GmbH,
therefore increasingly important ethnic travel
AERTiCKET AG provides professional tele-
field
in
phone customer service by trained travel
achieving a considerable increase in sales in
agents, as well as fulfilment services such as
2009.
email processing, ticketing & invoicing, etc.
of
business,
which
succeeded
Both the out-of-hours service and the optional
24 hours service are supplemented by the
active sale of additional services such as
hotels, rental cars and insurance, as well as
charter and package bookings through our
own tourist travel department.
In order to extend the value creation chain –
and in order to be able to offer more than “just”
flights to its travel agency customers –
AERTiCKET AG began three years ago to
develop the hotel consolidator field of
business. Our independently developed hotel
IBE AERHoTELS provides accommodation in
more than 230,000 hotels worldwide at the
current
daily
price
and
also
facilitates
combinations of individual hotel and flight
3
services as part of a shopping cart system. A
tributing considerably to the positive result of
great advantage is the reduction in processing
the AERTiCKET Group.
costs thanks to innovative technologies. With
Thanks to careful management, targeted
these services we have been able to win over
controlling and comprehensive cost saving
an increasing number of travel agencies and
measures as well as a high degree of
Internet portals in 2009. AERHoTELS was
automation and productivity, we succeeded in
able to win a good third more customers and
getting
achieved an increase in sales of 35 % in 2009.
through
the
year
2009
without
dismissals and temporary unemployment or
In September 2008 we successfully secured
comparable drastic measures. In this past
our entrance into the travel operator field of
crisis year in particular, AERTiCKET managed
business through an investment in Explorer
to maintain a comparably good position: the
Fernreisen GmbH & Co.KG. Against the
company achieved sales revenues amounting
market trend, Explorer Fernreisen achieved a
to 29 million euro and closed with a positive
very good annual result in 2009, thus con-
result.
4
Report by the Chairman of
the Supervisory Board
operationalization of a new automation technology continued to be the focus of entrepreneurial activities.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At this point I would like to emphasize, that for
The year 2009 was a year of huge challenges
many years now, AERTiCKET AG has also
and important developments for AERTiCKET
been making available the tour operator fares
AG – and a business year which the company
of the airlines in the company’s product
concluded successfully despite the generally
portfolio to smaller tour operators. Because of
difficult economic situation.
our independence as a consolidator –
AERTiCKET AG is the only consolidator on
In comparison to the overall development of
German
flight
sales,
which
the German market that is independent of tour
decreased
operators – this service offers a significant
throughout the industry by 14.9%, AER-
added value, especially for the in-house
TICKET AG was, however, also able to main-
products of many travel agencies.
tain its position in 2009 with a decrease in
mediated sales of only 12.6%. The company
The Supervisory Board thanks the Mana-
was able to close the year 2009 again with a
gement Board, and especially all members of
positive result because of the cost reduction
staff, for their great commitment in the past
measures which were introduced in time, a
business year. This was an essential pre-
targeted control of distribution and a high
requisite for the successful development of the
degree in automation and productivity.
company.
The work of employees and management in
2009
focused
on
the
extension
and
Berlin, September 2010
maintenance of the core wholesale business
sector with flight tickets as well as the
internationalization of the business transactions initiated in 2008 with the purchase of
Picasso Travel and entry onto the US market.
AERTiCKET AG also remained faithful to its
technologically pioneering role in the industry
Gerd Maßheimer
in 2009. This meant that the preparation and
Chairman of the Supervisory Board
5
Independence and
Financal Solidity:
Air Travel Reiseservice GmbH is a mediumsized, owner-managed, Berlin-based travel
agency with eleven branches in Germany,
AERTiCKET AG’s Shareholders
nine of them in Berlin.
Travel agencies, chains and portal operators
STA Travel GmbH is the largest provider of
are competitors on the market. However, as
youth and student travel worldwide.
shareholders of AERTiCKET AG they are
united by the common interest of being part of
Otto Freizeit und Touristik GmbH is re-
a well-positioned consolidator which is able to
presented in offline sales with around 370
provide an attractive range of services, a good
travel agencies under the name “Reiseland“
price/performance ratio and a competent
and is, together with the travel portals flug.de,
service. In addition, each travel agency has
travel-overland.de
the opportunity of being an indirect co-
among the leading German online travel
shareholder of AERTiCKET AG by becoming
agencies.
and
travelchannel.de,
a member in AER e.V.
Raiffeisen-Volksbank is one of the largest GerDue to the balanced distribution of shares in
man cooperative banks. In 2008, Volksbank-
AERTiCKET AG, any dominance of a sole
Raiffeisenbank Altötting-Mühldorf eG, with
provider / shareholder can be excluded –
which AERTiCKET AG’s business has been
which is an important prerequisite for the
closely linked for years, acquired a share of
company’s independence.
20.70 % in our company via a subsidiary.
Who are our shareholders?
The management shares have been held for
years by the three members of the manage-
AER Reisebüro Kooperation Verwaltungs
ment board, Roland Kreling-Behmenburg,
GmbH – briefly: AER Verwaltungs GmbH – is
Uwe Zobel and Rainer Klee and by Annette
the commercial branch of the AER co-
Brandes who is, among other things, res-
operation (AER e. V.), a cooperation of about
ponsible for company strategy and invest-
720 travel agencies.
ments at AERTiCKET AG.
6
And Again It is all about Content
After having established a new central team
which
is
responsible
for
the
shopping,
automation and fulfillment tools in 2008,
AERTiCKET has made a lot of decisions in
2009 in the organizational and technical area
which set the position of points for the future.
Although we were in good shape in terms of
technology and productivity, we knew that we
would reach limits in terms of volume and
functionality, especially for our joint ventures
and subsidiaries which only cover parts of
■ Expand international (e.g. in the US)
consolidation (e.g. Visit Friends and Relatives
Fares) or for new overseas members of the
■ Add other product lines to our portfolio (e.g.
group (e.g. Picasso Travel). The time had
hotel)
come to design a future technology environment which includes internal and external
These measures had a huge impact on our
changes like Travel Industry evolution and its
technology environment. First of all, the bigger
impact on current business models.
scale in volume was a challenge, but more
important – other markets and products have
At a very early stage we realized that the
entire
project
touches
the
heart
different requirements independent of the
of
stage of the whole lifecycle of a product and it
AERTiCKET and we tried to integrate as many
was quite difficult to add these additional
different views (commercial, functional and
requirements to our existing environment.
technical) and opinions as possible.
At the same time, we made some changes in
Since AERTiCKET started business in 1993,
the value chain of travel product. Suppliers
many people have told us that the conso-
going direct are the most obvious example, but
lidation model is dead or at least will suffer
we also saw changes in how they are going to
from remarkable losses in sales. Up till now
manage their products. Flight products will be
this has not become reality. On the contrary,
unbundled in various other products like seat
we were able to expand our business year for
assignment, lounge access, free baggage,
year. However this is not to be regarded as a
etc. The no-frills airlines showed how this can
matter of course – AERTiCKET has always
work. Other major carriers have adapted this
provided best-in-class products to its cus-
model to their own needs and have enhanced
tomers supported by easy-to-use sales and
it with loyalty programs – Air Canada is a good
handling tools.
example of this. A revenue stream slowly but
However, this does not mean that we just relax
surely became essential. Unfortunately these
and do not think about future opportunities
products are only available on airline websites
and product lines. Since 2007 we have
or at point of service. The further frag-
therefore
mentation of products and services with
been
implementing
two
main
different models coming from different airlines
strategies:
7
is not only inevitable but will appear very soon.
And the relationship between carrier and
The disintegration of the GDS ‘one-size fits
distribution channel has to be intensified:
everything model’ is evidenced in not only the
Customized products and reduced time to
products and technology-based solutions but
market can be achieved much more easily
in the commercial models. The different
within a direct relationship which not only
compensation models form airlines and GDSs
includes
are almost impossible to track. AERTicket
technology and workflows.
commercial
models
but
also
must have its own ability to define its
relationship with its suppliers. The GDSs only
Two major changes in the market have
get in the way of that relationship. Once the
recently signaled a radical change in the
compensation model falls away or the cost of
distribution
doing business increases then its value falls
acquisition of ITA Software and the launch of
dramatically. Today we stand in very real
the airlines’ Open Axis (XML Standards)
danger of having to build our own customized
group.
GDS.
of
airline
products. Google’s
How will future travel technology evolve? Will
How shall we overcome this challenge? Two
we be able to develop these changes with our
major requirements will support us: Future
traditional partners be it a GDS or a travel
technology environments must reduce dis-
technology software provider? As a matter of
tribution costs certainly not just for carriers.
fact they are facing some challenges: appli-
8
we have found a partner who is very strong in
interface development, we are still looking for
a fare database solution, but we are not far
from a decision.
Every improvement on fare handling &
distribution will not help, if we do not have an
influence on the shopping tools. It is true that
both shopping tools provided by AMADEUS
and SABRE are great tools for fare search and
cations and infrastructure must be renewed
display for a wide range of customers.
with reduced maintenance costs and software
However, they are rooted in the old model and
design must be open for data exchange in all
we want, no need, more – we want to have an
directions. Nobody will be able to deliver
influence on the fares displayed, we want to
everything and we will select experts for single
display best fares in the market and of course
parts within the distribution process. In
we want to provide best suitable fares for our
addition, we will not accept insufficient transfer
customers’ businesses. Fares which usually
files like STADAF anymore. In many cases we
are only found by agents should be provided
are seeing huge resistance among current
within a shopping tool as well. From this point
players to fulfilling these requirements, but
of view it absolutely makes sense to use
other companies with profound expertise in
Everbread’s Haystack shopping tool. The best
single areas have started knocking at the door
fare management environment needs the best
and we have begun to listen to them.
controllable shopping tool.
In the beginning of this redesign project we
LUTE plays a very important role in this
divided our entire software landscape into
strategy, because their technology supports
three main areas:
direct access to carriers’ inventories. In
addition, LUTE is able to aggregate content
■ Fare Handling & Distribution
from direct assessed carriers. Some people
■ Access to supplier inventories
might say that this is not an added value, but
we do not want to maintain multiple links to
■ Fulfillment technology
different carriers with different functionalities.
Fare Handling & Distribution is probably the
most complex area, because we want to keep
our flexibility in future, but we have to reduce
costs for loading and automation. Our focus
therefore covers the evaluation of fare entry
tools which have to be very productive; the
fare database itself has to be very flexible and,
last but not least, we have to integrate several
interfaces
for
uploads
into
distribution
channels (e.g. Nego Fares or MyFares) or
downloads from our partners overseas. Whilst
9
This would boost our and the carriers’
process chart and we are well on the way to
connectivity costs and makes absolutely no
achieving our goals.
sense.
If you will, LUTE is a system aggregator,
because
they
support
AERTiCKET
With all these projects and plans AERTiCKET
in
has placed itself at the forefront of European
combining many fare sources and inventories
technology for Airline products. From a purely
with the right level of entry points into that
technical point of view – we have started to
world. The whole technology is designed for
work closely with our partners and suppliers to
open access according to the needs of the
improve the quality of the access to fares and
function.
inventory in 2009. LUTE, Everbread and
Last but not least, our fulfillment technology
Rekult are building important corner stones of
has to access all these different tools and has
our new world. We will not use them
to be designed for international usage. Multi-
exclusively, but they will provide a remarkable
currency is just a key word, in reality we have
added value for parts of our business. As one
to integrate different payment providers,
of the largest suppliers of Air Travel products in
different payment methods, different tax rules
Europe, we must maintain our commercial and
and different back-office applications. Even
technical edge in a fiercely competitive
the BSP world is not homogenous. We have
market. We are very excited to be the first user
also started to implement this part of the
of this brand new technology environment.
10
Picasso Travel
supported by all employees, have also formed
the basis for the successful expansion of the
Air Ticket Wholesaler International
company to become the leading American
consolidator.
With the takeover of shares in the USAmerican consolidator Picasso Travel in 2008,
Open-minded and cosmopolitan behavior is a
AERTiCKET AG has taken an important step
matter of course in a company where the
towards the internationalization of its busi-
employees come from all over the world and
ness. The organization and integration of the
speak more than 30 different languages – and
US business serves to expand our core
it is easily underestimated in this context that
business – as a consolidator – and helps
Picasso Travel provides intercultural transfer
secure the vital position of AERTiCKET AG on
services on a daily basis. It is a tribute to the
the world-wide ‘ethnic travel’ market.
flexibility, the identification with the company
and the high level of motivation of the
Every step towards internationalization offers
colleagues at Picasso Travel that they saw the
considerable growth and sales opportunities,
changes and innovations initiated in 2009 as
but is of course connected with challenges
an opportunity from the start and made them
and – especially for a medium-sized company
their own business.
like ours – far-reaching changes. Comprehensive,
cross-functional
far-reaching
The exchange of German and American
material changes are necessary for the
colleagues from Los Angeles, New York and
implementation of new strategies, structures,
Berlin to coordinate working processes,
systems, processes and forms of behavior in a
expertise transfer and training has therefore
company
two
been a complete success for both sides. We
continents. On both sides of the Atlantic we
jointly set up a new Internet presence offered
knew this would be the case right from the
by Picasso Travel, introduced a completely
beginning.
new intranet and, most importantly, began the
that
operates
and
offices
on
complex preparations which will lead to the
The Management Board and employees of
introduction of new booking and ticketing
AERTiCKET AG in Germany have addressed
technologies – just to mention a few of the new
this challenge together with their colleagues at
projects.
Picasso Travel in the USA. They initiated the
necessary processes of change and successfully began and implemented crucial
projects in 2009.
Germany can benefit for two reasons: on the
one hand, change is perceived at AERTiCKET
AG to be an integral part of the company
culture – please read more about this on
pages 14 to 18 and on the other hand, our
entrepreneurial thinking and practices have
focused on the optimization of internal processes and structures for several years now.
In the 30 years of Picasso Travel’s company
history, constant adjustments to the market
and the associated structural and organizational changes, which were and are
11
Explorer Fernreisen
Nepal, Bhutan” to take into account the
growing importance of these destinations. A
Successfully Underway in Faraway Places
cooperation project with Miller Reisen was
Also in 2009
established
Explorer Fernreisen GmbH & Co. KG has
Central and South America“ so that these
been a member of the AERTiCKET Group
products could be offered successfully in the
since September 2008. Only one year later,
short term. The North America program was
Explorer Fernreisen is making a considerable
added to by a skiing catalogue.
contribution to the Group’s result.
All new products could be launched on the
The company, founded in 1970, was able to
market very economically with the existing
continue its successful path in the business
product management.
year 2009. Explorer Fernreisen achieved a
The sales staff were trained extensively in the
very good annual result and exceeded the
past business year. The rather weaker booking
budget expectations despite the financial
times were filled with trips to the destination
crisis and against the market trend. The past
areas and training courses. An intensive
year’s highlights at the Düsseldorf tour ope-
training course was offered to all sales
rator, which already has nine branches in the
employees in March of last year. In addition to
most important German cities, included the
the extension of the product know-how, the
opening of a further office and the continued
focus here was also placed on intensive sales
extension of its product range; furthermore,
training. The primary goal was to increase the
the company placed an even stronger focus
share of the high-margin land programs. This
on the profitable excursions.
has proven to be successful, as current figures
At the end of 2009, the tenth Explorer office
show, and will also be continued in the new
was opened in a top inner-city location in
business year.
Mannheim. The office, with its team of
As far as marketing is concerned, a number of
experienced Explorer employees and new
new cooperation projects with tourist offices,
colleagues, has started successfully.
airlines and tourist service providers have
The Explorer product portfolio was extended
been established. The “unique visitors“ to the
according to schedule. With a total of seven
www.explorer.de website increased by around
catalogues
40 %. To further increase the recognition factor
and
almost
1,800
catalogue
the
for
the
regions
name ‘Explorer
„Caribbean,
pages, the world of long-distance travel can
of
Fernreisen’,
the
now be offered almost all over the globe.
sponsoring activities (perimeter advertising
Explorer Fernreisen has therefore become
among other things) at the BVB Dortmund
one of the most comprehensive long-distance
football club was extended for a further
travel providers in the German speaking area.
season.
Explorer Fernreisen GmbH & Co. KG has
developed into a successfully operating tour
operator with ten branches in Germany.
Customers at Explorer are offered competent
consultancy and individual travel options
which are planned exactly to match their
wishes and needs. The individual components
of a journey, such as flight, rental car and/or
Mauritius was included as new destination area in
camper or hotel can be combined to a nearly
the catalogue “Indian Ocean, Africa”. A separate
unlimited extent according to the modular
catalogue was created for the destinations “India,
design principle.
12
airtuerk Service GmbH
cessful negotiations, airtuerk has been able to
gain exclusive purchase prices from Luft-
Success in the Business
hansa, Turkish Airlines, Sun Express, Condor,
of Flights to Turkey
Germanwings and Swiss and can pass on
these advantages to its customers.
The plan to establish a Turkish consolidator
was devised early in 2004 by Güner Kizil and
The benefits of these “visit friends and rela-
Lars Holling thus the project „airtuerk“ came
tives“ tickets which are exclusively available to
into being. In October 2004 the project mana-
the Turkish community, are normally an
ger Ümit Tenekeci – one of the stockholders of
extended validity of the tickets, lower or
airtuerk Service GmbH today – started deve-
gratuitous re-booking fees, a higher baggage
lopping the operational side of the future
allowance amount and less fees – the
business.
conditions vary from airline to airline.
At the end of 2006, Güner Kizil and Ümit
airtuerk attaches great value to the direct
Tenekeci founded with the significant support
contact
of AERTiCKET AG the company airtuerk
Individual customer service by personal
Service GmbH. airtuerk was the first con-
contact partners and competent consultancy
solidator in Germany that specialized in the
in the Turkish and German language are a
trade with flights to Turkey from Germany and
matter of course for the flight ticket seller in
neighboring countries. Although more com-
Frankfurt.
petitors have emerged in the meantime,
airtuerk offers its customers, of course, IBE
airtuerk is still the clear market leader in
and CRS training for their employees. 312
Germany and plans to extend this good
employees from 236 agencies participated in
position in Europe.
the popular training course „we will make you
The company based in Frankfurt has grown
reservation-fit“ in 2009.
considerably in the past four years. airtuerk
Thanks to its cooperation with AERTiCKET,
meanwhile employs 22 members of staff,
airtuerk benefits from the company’s modern
supplies 1,100 travel agencies in Germany
and innovative technology and is able to offer
and in six neighboring countries with flight
its customers a clear additional value also in
tickets, and was able to achieve a consider-
this area.
able increase in sales in the difficult business
with
the
individual
customers.
In 2009, airtuerk started the ambitious project
year 2009.
“airbilet.de“, a new direct customer portal for
airtuerk‘s business model is based on being
the Turkish community in Germany. This
able to offer its customer flights to Turkey from
website is expected to turn into a cooperation
various airlines at favorable conditions. Thanks
among the Turkish travel agencies in Europe;
to the company’s good contacts and suc-
200 agencies have participated so far.
13
Personnel Policy and
Corporate Culture
level. Personnel policy measures, such as
temporary unemployment, could be avoided.
The number of employees in 2009 amounted
to 168, and the fluctuation rate continued to be
Employees
very low.
AERTiCKET AG is a service company. The
quality of the services rendered depends to a
Trainees
high degree on our employees, since their
work – which is oriented towards our cus-
For many years, AERTiCKET AG has placed a
tomers and services – guarantees the growth
great deal of attention on professional training
and success of our company.
in the area of travel, thus securing its need for
qualified junior staff. On average, eight young
Employee satisfaction, motivation and com-
people start their professional training every
mitment to the company are subjects that have
year in our company. In 2009, AERTiCKET AG
been the focus of AERTiCKET AG’s personnel
employed a total of 27 trainees, five of them
policy for many years. The crisis year 2009 has
were offered a permanent position in our
shown that our timely and sustainable
company.
concentration on these areas made it easier
for both the company and its employees to
In addition to the original training content, we
cope during the difficult period and to use it as
offer a large number of opportunities to obtain
an opportunity to make changes.
additional qualifications: our trainees can
participate in demanding projects and gain an
For some years now, AERTiCKET AG has
insight into all areas of our company.
used the services of external companies to
Additional in-company training has been a
carry out regular surveys of employee
matter of course in our company for years. Our
satisfaction. The result of one such inquiry in
trainees are excellently prepared for the final
2009 shows that our employees think that their
examination organized by the Chamber of
job is save despite the crisis and the working
Industry and Commerce as well as for their
atmosphere and team atmosphere have
future professional career. We also promote a
further improved; they also perceived their
combination of on-the-job training and study-
work was challenging in a positive sense, saw
ing at a university in different fields, by granting
their career opportunities as being good, and
financial support and by offering the students
regarded the opportunities for further training
the chance to work at our company as a
to be very positive. In short, the overall
working student.
employee satisfaction has maintained a very
This commitment has paid off: we were
high level.
represented in the examination and vocational
AERTiCKET AG started already at the end of
training
2008 to make the necessary adjustments as a
examination session 2009 – in general, all our
reasons. Thanks to this early reaction we have
number
of
top trainee among all candidates in the winter
was to avoid dismissals for operational
the
Chamber
in tourism in 2009. One of our trainees was the
reasonable personnel adjustments. The aim
maintain
the
the award as best vocational training company
the crisis, and began carrying out socially
to
of
Commerce and Industry in 2009, and received
reaction to the drop in sales expected during
managed
committee
examination candidates achieve results well
of
above the Berlin average.
employees as far as possible at a constant
14
Furthermore, AERTiCKET AG is the only
AERTiCKET AG is therefore in the happy
company
exchange
position of being able to send employees to
program with Finnish trainees. These positive
the USA or to invite the employees of our
results have reinforced our plans to continue
American
with above-average qualified training in our
become familiar with all work processes here
company.
in Germany. In addition to speaking skills, we
participating
in
an
partner
company
Picasso
to
provide training in intercultural communication
skills and give our employees the opportunity
Further training
to practice unfamiliar work processes on the
As a result of the internationalization of our
job.
company, the further training activities for our
Conflicts are a part of everyday working life, in
employees in 2009 focused on language
particular in times of economic difficulties,
courses. Some employees from various
accompanied
departments
receive
competition and the pressure to be efficient.
language and conversation training – above all
Conflicts should be dealt with and solved
in Business English.
where they arise: in teams, among colleagues
received
and
still
15
by
potentially
increasing
or between different departments. Mediation
the strategic and visionary practices of the
as a method for dealing with conflicts
company. A facilitator is a person who
efficiently provides helpful support to solve
introduces, supports and promotes changes in
problems before they become real conflicts. It
a company as a result of acting in an alert and
aims at re-establishing the ability to work in a
careful manner. In this respect, the company,
resource-saving manner and to support the
and above all the Chairman of the Manage-
persons involved in developing and imple-
ment Board Mr Rainer Klee, see change as an
menting pragmatic agreements. Therefore,
integral part of our corporate culture.
two colleagues among our employee re-
Corporate culture is considered by AER-
presentatives have started a longer-term
TiCKET AG as a culture of openness and the
training course as mediators. Moreover, all six
highest degree of transparency. This means, a
employee representatives undertook further
culture that not only allows but invites every
training on the subjects labor law and cor-
employee to bring new ideas into the
porate co-determination in 2009.
company. Corporate culture is not a skill or a
way of thinking that can be bought from
Since 2007, employees and managing staff
consultants. It is the sum of many pieces of a
have used the opportunity to be trained in the
mosaic that represents a company. And it is
area of coaching. In 2008, a number of
based to a great extent on bringing to light the
employees and management staff received
skills of the employees, which are not always
additional training to become facilitators.
fully utilized in the everyday work. Employees
‘Facilitating change’ means to create more far-
not only can but should be inquisitive,
reaching change processes out of the hidden
innovative and creative at their work places;
potential of the employees of a company, to
they should think from an entrepreneurial point
activate the existing conscious or unconscious
of view and take on responsibility.
resources of colleagues and to align these to
16
Corporate values
they have successfully participated in Berlin
In the course of the abovementioned facilitator
company runs on several occasions. Other
training, a group of employees dealt in depth
employees have organized evening team
with the subject “AERTiCKET AG’s corporate
events, joint screenings with subsequent
values” as part of a target definition workshop
discussions, regular language tables, joint
in 2009. They found out that communication,
cooking evenings or bike tours. Discussion and
transparency,
collegiality,
information events as well as joint visits to
community, tolerance and respect are target
cinemas and museums for all employees have
values that are important for both the company
been regularly on offer since then.
and the members of staff.
Inspired by the work of the ‘value group’, the
The project group asked the following question
employees of AERTiCKET AG have had the
during the value project based on the
opportunity since 2009 of visiting other
workshop: “What makes our working live
departments
meaningful, what makes it valuable and
company as part of an “internal educational
lively?”
for
leave” program. During these visits they were
opportunities where these corporate values
able to familiarize themselves with work
can be experienced in the company and thus
processes,
further improve corporate culture.
standing
In
diversification,
this
way,
they
looked
and
thus
of
branches
deepening
the
overall
within
their
the
under-
entrepreneurial
process.
In this process, a large variety of information
was gathered and communicated, activities
Furthermore, since 2009 the company has
and projects were planned and implemented,
been enriched by the in-house journal “Die
suggestions
new
WERTE” [the VALUES]. This company journal
processes were triggered off. In 2009, for
is published by permanent editorial staff and
example, a running club was formed by a
changing guest reporters – all of whom are
number of employees and, in the meantime,
employees
were
discussed
and
17
of
different
departments
of
AERTiCKET AG. The journal is published
considerable contribution to communication,
more or less four times a year, and meanwhile
transparency,
has a bilingual version. Subjects are, among
within AERTiCKET AG as a company.
collegiality
and
community
other things, the presentation of associated
companies and individual departments, the
These
numerous
different
description of work flows and processes and
activities bring about a marked improvement
information on planned common sports and
in the corporate climate and make the
cultural events. “Die WERTE” is a journal from
employees of AERTiCKET AG work together
employees for employees and makes a
better.
Our running club „AERRuNNER“ participated in the Berlin company run 2010
18
projects
and
Contributing to a Human
World
ration, founded in 1967, supports more than
450 aid projects for children in need in 29
countries of the world. To help the affected
Innovative entrepreneurial policy does not only
children, terre des hommes supports local
mean the pursuit of exclusively economic
initiatives that provide information and prac-
goals for AERTiCKET AG. We would like to
tical help for the young victims of natural
assume responsibility for and render our own
disasters, poverty or sexual exploitation.
contribution
to
improving
or
preventing
grievances. Therefore, under the present
Three years ago, this support transformed into
circumstances,
a
a partnership with terre des hommes. At that
necessity and a matter of fact for our company.
time, together with the child relief federation,
social
commitment
is
we set up the project „protecting children in
As a company operating in the travel business
holiday countries“. This project funds relief
we see our responsibility above all to the
projects in Thailand, Cambodia, India and
people who live in tourist areas. Regions such
Chile to provide new life perspectives to the
as South East Asia and Latin America are very
victims of sexual violence. But the projects
popular destinations because of the beauty
also address the public worldwide giving them
and diversity of their nature and culture.
a clear message to intervene and avoid
Unfortunately, the children of these countries
offences against children.
are very alluring for some of the tourists.
Therefore, it is sad to say that the risk of girls
and boys becoming victims of sexual violence
Donate with a mouse click – a feature that
is increasing along with the growing number of
is well accepted
journeys to these regions. We do not accept
Every customer can simply donate one euro to
that the beauty of their homeland can become
terre des hommes with a mouse click when
their downfall.
they book a flight via an integrated module on
Together with our shareholders and business
the websites of our partners. We add a further
partners
euro to each donated euro.
–
AER
Reisebüro
Kooperation
Verwaltungs GmbH, ATR GmbH and Travel-
We were surprised and pleased about how
viva AG – we support the international child
many customers made use of „click to donate“
relief federation terre des hommes that
in 2009 despite the economic crisis.
concentrates on children’s’ rights. This fede-
19
Balance Sheet 2009
In the business year, AERTiCKET AG achieved sales revenues amounting to 29 million euro. The
company closed with a positive result. The balance sheet total stood at 27.9 million euro and
showed 1.8 million euro less than in the previous year. AERTiCKET AG’s costs could be kept
stable and/or reduced by measures which were introduced at the right time. The average number
of staff decreased by seven employees. Mediated sales dropped by 12.6 %, a percentage which
was below the market trend. A positive result could be achieved by targeted steering and a high
degree in automation and productivity, even if a clear reduction can be seen in comparison to the
previous years due to the economic crisis.
Financial Situation
31.12.2008
T€
Assets
Fixed assets
Intangible assets
Tangible assets
Financial assets
Total assets
%
31.12.2009
T€
%
Diff. + / –
T€
281
453
6,854
7,588
0.9
1.5
23.0
25.4
180
434
5,592
6,206
0.6
1.6
20.0
22.2
-101
-19
-1,262
-1,382
Current assets
Accounts receivable
Due from affiliated companies
Other accounts receivable
(incl. prepay./accr. income)
Liquid funds
Total current assets
3,778
5,525
12.7
18.5
1,398
3,819
5
13.7
-2,380
-1,706
4,367
8,530
22,200
14.8
28.6
74.6
2,425
14,091
21,733
8.7
50.4
77.8
-1,942
5,561
-467
Total assets
29,788
100.0
27,939
100.0
-1,849
500
3,862
1.7
13.0
525
4,837
1.9
17.3
25
975
2,533
6,895
8.5
23.2
1,659
7,021
5.9
25.1
-874
126
167
14
5,864
13,351
2,635
0.6
0.0
19.7
44.8
8.8
76
97
7,928
8,639
3,351
0.3
0.3
28.4
30.9
12.0
-91
83
2.064
-4,712
716
862
22,893
22,893
2.9
76.8
76.8
827
20,918
20,918
3.0
74.9
74.9
-35
-1,975
-1,975
29,788
100.0
27,939
100.0
-1,849
Capital stock and debts
Capital stock
Share capital
Reserves
Profit (annual surplus and
profit carried forward)
Total capital stock
Debts
Short-term debts
Due to banks
Provisions for taxation
Other provisions
Accounts payable
Due to affiliated companies
Other liabilities
(incl. deferred income)
Total short-term debts
Total debts
Total capital stock and debts
20
We had prepared ourselves for the worse. A more detailed analysis shows, however, that the fact
that we have been focusing on loyal customers for years, also generated both increases in
productivity and savings. Ever more processes could be optimized together. We were able to
pass on considerable steering incentives once again to those of our customers who actively
supported us in a targeted manner. Overall conclusions: We managed to survive relatively
unscathed. This was also thanks to the fact that we took enough precautionary measures over
the previous years by creating sufficient provisions.
We are especially happy that the number of our customers who had to give up their business in
2009 also remained low. It was not the first crisis in the touristic sector and it would appear that
we were not the only ones who reacted circumspectly in the run-up, calculated carefully and
avoided excessive dividends.
Earnings situation
2008
T€
%
2009
T€
%
+/T€
Sales
Other income
Total operating performance
26,945
3,446
30,391
88.7
11.3
100.0
28,989
2,931
31,920
90.8
9.2
100.0
2,044
-515
1,529
Personnel expenses
Occupancy costs
Insurances and contributions
Commissions, incentives
Vehicle costs
Advertising and travel costs
Other expenses
Total expenses
6,897
574
219
14,490
83
497
7,471
30,231
22.7
1.9
0.7
47.7
0.3
1.6
24.6
99.5
6,859
570
181
14,600
80
330
7,415
30,035
21.5
1.8
0.6
45.7
0.3
1.0
23.2
94.1
-38
-4
-38
110
-3
-167
-56
-196
160
364
0.5
1.3
1,885
303
5.9
0.9
1,725
-61
1,415
1,211
4.8
4.0
1,156
2,738
3.6
8.6
-259
1,527
Operating result before
depr. and interests
Depreciations
Financial result
(interests and investments)
Operating result
Extraordinary result
Other neut. result / result not
rel. to accounting period
Result before taxes on income
Taxes on income
0
0.0
0
0.0
0
1,456
2,667
604
4.8
8.8
2.0
-1,385
1,353
749
-4.4
4.2
2.3
-2,841
-1,314
145
Results for the year
2,063
6.8
604
1.9
-1,459