Milestones

Milestones

The Background Story

 In 1990 a company called Optispec was run by an English software developer named David Stokes. He sold the software TOPCOM, later to be called Veloxys, to handling agents and airlines. The software consolidated passenger booking data from different Tour Operators and created PNL's. In 1992 the first Topcom system was sold to Braathens and after that further systems were sold. The Scandinavian market wanted pre seating for efficiency and to reduce line ups at the airport. Optispec became known as the PNL & Seating people. The CM2 file format was created and received wide acceptance.

In the late 90's, early 2000 the first outsourced customers started (TOPWORLD), the system was getting more complicated and training for personnel was becoming a necessity.  It was no longer efficient to have a small team at each airline so Optispec developed an outsource service.

The Paxport Story

  • 2003

    Marci Sundström, Tony Barker and Trevor Carvey bought Optispec.  Later that year the company changed name to Paxport to better reflect the business.  We don't sell glasses! The Paxport team was 7 strong.

    2003

  • 2004

    Paxport Netherland started as a new company and was added to the Paxport Group. The NL Company was partly owned by Zespits BV. The main focus was to grow business in continental Europe.

    2004

  • 2005

    The first continental European customers were taken on. The market was more immature than the UK and Scandinavia in this area and did not demand pre-seating but did demand more efficient processing of SSRs. It was later they saw the benefit of providing extra services which provided a better service which could differentiate themselves more from the low cost or schedule airline that were moving into their market.

  • 2006

    The Paxport Group grew even further when 40% of the development company Compound Systems was added to the Group and the development of an ancillary revenue platform called Revenue Plus were launched.  Tony bought Trevor's shares leaving just 2 owners.

    2006

  • 2007

    Launched Finnair, TUIFly Nordic, Jetair and a few other customers on the Revenue Plus product. The Paxrelax concept was introduced allowing airlines to sell seats from a Paxport hosted website. First airlines to join was Iberworld, Air Europa and Spanair.

    2007

  • 2008

    A new tool and extension to the Revenue Plus product was launched called Pax Partner, a travel agent selling channel that allowed travel agents to sell the flight extra services and earn commissions. Thomas Cook Belgium and Arkefly became customers and started using the Revenue Plus product.

  • 2009

    Pax Check-In was launched as a product in the UK allowing internet check-in days ahead of the departure. This was the first time charter passengers could check in using the internet. Both Paxport NL and Compound Systems became fully owned by the Paxport Group and Compound Systems became Paxport Systems. More Revenue Plus customers were launched; it was now becoming the norm in Scandinavia.

    2009

  • 2010

    A change at the helm! Patrick Lindblom took over as CEO and marked the beginning of a new chapter in the Paxport story.Pax Security was launched collecting APIS and SFPD (US requirement) for passengers via the internet and either including it in the PNL or directly to the relevant authorities.

    2010

  • 2011

    The first Turkish airline, Corendon Airlines, launched the Revenue Plus product. First Pax Check-in was launched in Scandinavia. Tony bought Marci's shares and was now the sole owner. At the same time InnKap AB a venture capital company acquired 24% in the Paxport Group. We are now approximately 70+people employed in the Group.

The story continues!