SpiceJet Ltd, India’s second-largest airline by passengers, has acqui-hired Bengaluru-based airline technology company Travenues from online travel services provider ixigo.
The deal comes after Travenues signed its first technology partnership with SpiceJet, Gurugram-based ixigo said in a statement. It did not disclose the deal value.
SpiceJet will absorb the technology and team of Travenues, which builds products for airline e-commerce channels.
The airline will also inherit Travenues’ technology and commerce platform that uses deep-tech advancements in mobile apps, user experience, engagement, cross-selling and payments.
SpiceJet is looking to strengthen its e-commerce platforms and the acqui-hire will help the airline to innovate across multiple technology areas, said chief technology and innovation officer Ashish Vikram.
Travenues was founded in 2019. ixigo was founded in 2007 and has a user base of 170 million travellers. It aggregates and compares travel information such as prices and availability of airlines, trains, buses and hotels.
Ajay Singh-led SpiceJet ferried 1.89 million passengers in February this year, with a market share of 16.6%. Air traffic has since then been impacted as the unprecedented scale of the COVID-19 pandemic led to lockdowns, disrupted businesses and travel, and rattled world financial markets.
