In the news: Partnerships make the world of technology and travel go round, and not a day goes by without some deals made. We highlight a few inked this week that led to the ‘birth’ of (yet) another airline chatbot, the introduction of mobile tickets for sightseeing tours and the presentation of an inflight immersive audio experience.
Chatbots: Malaysia Airlines pilots Amadeus chatbot for flight bookings
Malaysia Airlines can interact with MHchat via Facebook Messenger.
Malaysia Airlines is now flying with a chatbot – MHchat developed with Amadeus — which helps travellers book and pay for flights via Facebook Messenger.
The carrier is the pilot customer for Amadeus Chatbot for Airlines.
The technology company was able to deliver the innovative platform to Malaysia Airlines in just three months, as “agility is crucial when working on innovative digital solutions …” explained Cyril Tetaz, Amadeus executive vice president for airlines, Asia Pacific for the quick delivery.
MHchat is designed to mimic human conversation and acts like a true “travel buddy” that understands what the traveller needs. The airline’s customers can interact with MHchat on Facebook Messenger to book flights, retrieve bookings or ask questions, and the chatbot will search, locate and push offers or information using artificial intelligence (AI). They can complete a transaction, make a secure payment and receive the travel itinerary all within the same app
Amadeus will continue to bolster the chatbot with new features including multi-language support, adding ancillary services to an existing booking and even integration with Amazon’s Alexa for voice capabilities.
Captain Izham Ismail, Malaysia Airlines CEO, said the introduction of MHchat was part of the airline’s digital transformation and its ongoing commitment to improve customer experience.
Malaysia Airline joins the increasing number its Asia Pacific counterparts that have turned to chatbots to expand digital servicing channels for their customers. In December last year Singapore Airlines launched ‘Kris’ to answer guests’ queries. Earlier in July, Scoot recruited MARVIE (Most Awesome and Resourceful Virtual Intern Ever) that not only responds to customers’ queries but allows transactions too.
Tours: City Sightseeing moves online with mobile ticketing
Travellers receive confirmed booking on their mobile phones
City Sightseeing, the Seville-based top bus brand, has inked a digital and distribution partnership with Livn, Sydney-based aggregator of instantly bookable tours, activities and attractions, to introduce a mobile feature.
The deal enables travel agents and other resellers to issue mobile tickets for City Sightseeing’s open-top double-decker bus tours in more than 100 locations across six continents.
The integration via the Livn API eliminates the need for travel resellers to issue paper vouchers to consumers. The latter will receive the confirmed booking and unique code directly on their mobile phone. When a customer arrives at the booked activity the operator just needs to scan the code on the the phone to validate the pre-booked ticket.
Oliver Nicholls, director of global distribution & commercial partnerships for City Sightseeing Worldwide, said the partnership allowed the company to position its global brand through new distribution channels and reach the agent in a digital way.
Steve Martinez, Livn founder, added the development was a sign of the times as the tours and activities sector slowly moves online and away from paper-based ticketing.
Aviation: SIA offering premium class passengers an immersive audio experience
Bang & Olufsen’s heaphones available soon in SIA’s Suites cabins.(Image credit: Singapore Airlines)
Passengers flying on Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) newest Airbus A380 Suites cabins will soon be rewarded with great sounds when using the KrisWorld in-flight entertainment system.
In a deal with Danish consumer electronics company, Bang & Olufsen, its wired Beoplay H9i headphones will be made available from next month on all the carrier’s A380 Suites cabins before the wireless version is offered on select routes in the same premium class.
The wired headphones will also be progressively rolled out to the rest of SIA’s other A380 Suites and First Class cabins in November, the airline announced in a statement.
Bang & Olufsen introduced the flagship Beoplay H9i early this year. Apart from powerful sounds the headphone’s advanced active noise cancellation (ANC) technology between 300-800Hz makes the cancellation of human voices more effective. The user can turn of the music and ANC with just one quick gesture and, at the same time, listen to the surroundings. A smart feature automatically stops the music or video streaming when the headphones are removed, and resumes when the headphones are put back on.
SIA said that with up to 18 hours of playtime its guests enjoy their favourite music, podcasts, television shows or movies even during the longest flights.
The airline’s acting senior vice president customer experience, Yeoh Phee Teik, commented that the partnership with Bang & Olufsen was its ongoing effort to look “for innovative ways to enhance customer experience through myKrisWorld …”
As part of the collaboration travellers will soon be able to purchase selected Bang & Olufsen products on KrisShop.com with cash, KrisFlyer miles or a mix of cash and miles.
• Featured image credit: NicoElNino/iStock-Getty Images
