KLM Signs Multi-Million EUR Contract with Carmen Systems


GOTEBORG, Sweden, May 8, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Carmen Systems AB announces that KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has signed a contract for the use of Carmen's optimization software, Carmen Crew Rostering, to include 7,500 cabin crew members. The Cabin Crew Rostering contract is for three-years and is worth around EUR 2.5 million.

KLM is already using Carmen's planning system, Carmen Crew Pairing, to optimize the basic crew patterns for cockpit and cabin crew. In addition to this, KLM has already been using Carmen Crew Rostering for several years now, to optimize the crew rosters for short-haul cockpit crew.

KLM and Carmen have performed detailed studies for cabin crew with Carmen Crew Rostering, which have shown substantial reductions of crew costs as well as dramatically reduced planning time. KLM is planning to have the new system in production for all crew by early 2004.

Jan H. Meurer, Executive Vice President Cabin Crew, said, "Using Carmen's optimization technology in crew planning is crucial for us. The system makes it possible to reduce crew costs while still producing high quality crew rosters. An equally important feature is that it gives us the opportunity to constantly analyze the business and to react swiftly on changes in market demands."

Carmen Systems President and CEO, Per Noren said, "The continued strong cooperation with KLM, who was one of our first airline clients, is proof of that strategic investments are necessary to penetrate savings, efficiency and drive change in the current airline market environment. I am proud that we are able to support KLM and our other valued clients with strategic optimization solutions in these challenging times."


 For Additional Information Contact:
 Per Noren, President & CEO           Odinsgatan 9
 +46 31 720 81 01                     SE-411 03 Goteborg
 per.noren@carmensystems.com          Sweden
                                      E-mail: carmen@carmensystems.com
 Catherine Hines, Public Affairs      Web:  www.carmensystems.com
 +46 31 722 62 02
 catherine.hines@carmensystems.com

Carmen Systems AB develops and implements integrated planning and decision-support solutions for airlines and railways. Clients include; Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, Condor, Finnair, Iberia, Lufthansa, Mexicana, Northwest Airlines, Philippine Airlines, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Spanair, Wideroee, Deutsche Bahn (German railways) and SJ,Green Cargo (Swedish railways). Carmen Systems is a rapidly expanding organization and today has 170 employees from 24 countries. Carmen is also involved in joint research and software development activities with some of the world's leading universities. Carmen's headquarters in Goteborg has the largest R&D section in the industry.

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