In the news: Thai AirAsia X gets AOC, American Airlines inks deal with Sabre, holidays in cities for Singaporeans, Amadeus acquires UFIS
Thai AirAsia X readies for flight, names new CEO
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Malaysia based long haul budget carrier AirAsia X is on course with the setting up of multi hubs in the region with its associate, Thai AirAsia X (TAAX), receiving the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from the Department of Civil Aviation of Thailand.
This clears the way for TAAX to apply for operating permits and slots to its international destination.
TAAX will lease two Airbus A330-300s with 377 seats from a subsidiary of AirAsia X in its first year of operations, and will operate out of Bangkok’s Don Mueng International Airport.
The commencement of commercial operations and the official launch of its hub in Bangkok will be announced once the operating permits and slots are obtained. However, this may be delayed until the political situation in Thailand stabilises.
AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman-Rani said Thai AirAsia X would offer connecting fly-thru services with Thai AirAsia’s short haul domestic and regional network, giiving greater connectivity options from hubs in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
“The establishment of our Thai hub will see the beginning of AirAsia X’s strategic multi-hub plan turn into reality,” he added.
AirAsia X holds a 49% stake in TAAX, and has plans to set up a hub in Bali, Indonesia.
In a related development, AirAsia X appoints Nadda Buranasiri as TAAX chief executive officer. He has more than 20 years of international general management experience across global multinational organisations.
“The announcement of Nadda Buranasiri as CEO of Thai AirAsia X has come at an opportune time, as we finally received the approvals for the AOC. We welcome him on board the AirAsia family, and believe his presence would further add a fresh new perspective to the industry. We look forward to his invaluable contribution to our first long-haul, low-cost carrier in Bangkok, Thailand,” said Azran.
American Airlines migrates to Sabre reservations system
American Airlines Group Inc. has reached an agreement with Sabre for the newly combined airline’s single reservation system, which will provide a a seamless customer and employee experience
“The migration to one reservation platform in partnership with Sabre is a critical milestone in the merger integration process, and lays the groundwork for customers and employees alike to have a seamless experience throughout the travel journey,” said Maya Leibman, chief information officer of American Airlines.
Sabre Airline Solutions president, Hugh Jones (pictured left), said Sabre would be working closely with American Airlines over the coming months to transform the airline passenger experience.
“We’ve got a team of technology and delivery experts working on the migration plan to ensure the new airline reservations system delivers a truly personalized travel experience across the entire journey.”
Kerry Philipovitch, senior vice president of customer experience at American, added, “A single passenger services system will allow us to empower all employees to deliver information faster and with greater consistency across all touch points – and ultimately pave the way for new innovations in how we deliver customer service in the years to come.”
The airline’s reservation system is foundational to the entire customer travel experience, including:
- Flight schedules: Customers and employees rely on the system to identify available flights that meet their travel needs;
- Preparing to fly: The system delivers flight status and gate location information as well as the customer check-in and boarding processes; and
- Checking/retrieving luggage: Airport employees use the airline’s reservation system to match baggage with destinations for improved efficiency and enhanced customer service.
The process for American and Sabre to complete the system integration is expected to take up to two years.
Urbanite Singaporeans love to holiday in city destinations
Singaporeans are still city dwellers at heart when it comes to travelling with Bangkok (pictured left), Hong Kong and Taipei as their top three most popular destinations in 2013.
According to the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI) on Singapore Travel Habits (see chart below), cities remain a big pull for urbanites. Bangkok has retained its position as the number one travel destination, while Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur remain the top five favourites amongst Singaporeans for two consecutive years.
Interestingly, regional gambling hub Macau has pushed out traditional gambling hotspot Las Vegas in the Top 20 list, indicating that Singaporeans are looking closer to home for a toss of the dice.
Zoe Chan, senior PR manager of Hotels.com Asia Pacific said the popularity of these destinations could be due to close proximity from Singapore.
“Last-minute getaways are also common with frequent flash deals for air tickets and accommodation, which can be easily booked via mobile platforms. Although travellers’ interests to visit Bangkok may be affected during the recent political issue, Thailand will still remain an attractive travel destination in long term due to its unique attractions to tourists.”
Amadeus acquires UFIS in a move to expand into airport IT space
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Amadeus buys Singapore-based airport technology provider UFIS Airport Solutions for an undisclosed amount, in a bid to enhance its position within the airport IT industry.
(Pictured left: Beijing Terminal 3)
UFIS brings to Amadeus a complementary suite of products and services offerings including airport operational databases, resource management systems, flight information display systems, collaborative decision making tools and hub management solutions.
John Jarrell, Amadeus’ head of airport IT, said, “Together, we are well positioned to shape the future of travel for the airport industry which today stands at a business model crossroads, evolving more and more to become business-oriented service providers with passengers as their top priority.”
The majority of UFIS’ employees, including top management, are based in Singapore. As a result of the transaction 54 employees globally, including UFIS’ management team, will become part of Amadeus’ Airport IT Group.
