First smart baggage trolleys for Munich Airport
Passengers at Munich Airport can now enjoy a more digital experience before departure.
Using a tablet on a carry-on baggage trolley, travellers can enter their flight data manually or scan their boarding card. They will then receive their flight information and related updates in real time.
In addition to their departure gate, passengers can select facilities such as shops and restaurants. They are then guided through the terminal by a map with an integrated directory and receive offers based on their location.
Travelling with a tablet at Munich Airport
Use of the smart baggage trolleys is free of charge. They can be hired in Terminal 2 after security and before duty free.
Their introduction is part of a six-month pilot project being conducted with the Danish developer Intelligent Track Systems (ITS).
Morten Pankoke, CEO at ITS: “Our tablets can direct users to specific stores and highlight retail activations and activities. These are often overlooked by passengers when they are in a rush or stressed.
“But if they can see the deals on the tablet, as well as the time they have to get to the gate using wayfinding, they are more likely to check out some store offers if they have the time.”
At Munich Airport, the interactive displays from ITS have been attached to the existing carry-on baggage trolleys. The ITS “click-on” solution is so far unique worldwide.
Dr. Jan-Henrik Andersson, chief commercial officer of Munich Airport, said, “Digitalization doesn’t always have to happen in the background. These tablets help our guests find their way around the terminal while ensuring they can always keep an eye on the latest flight information.
“The project is another element of our premium innovation hub. By connecting the digital and the analog world, it will bring real added value for our passengers.”
Booking.com admits payment ‘frustration’
Booking.com has said issues with late payments to hoteliers have been mostly resolved
Hoteliers in Thailand and Indonesia are among those impacted by Booking.com’s slow payment of money owed to them by the online travel website.
The Guardian online reported that many hotel operators and other partners across the globe are “thousands of dollars out of pocket for months on end”, a delay that Booking.com has blamed on a “technical issue”.
Hoteliers in Asia and Europe “are venting their frustrations in Facebook groups as rumours swirl about the cause of the failure to pay”, the Guardian reported.
A spokesperson for Booking.com said, “We always strive to support each of our accommodation partners in the best way possible, and fully understand the importance of processing payments on time.
“We understand the frustration of the accommodation hosts and owners that have been unduly affected by an ongoing technical issue and can confirm that the system errors that affected the payments have now been corrected and the transactions of most of our partners have been processed.
“We acknowledge that for some, this has taken longer than it should have, and will continue to work urgently to finalise the rest of the transactions. If any partner has an issue, they can contact us through the Partner Hub.”
IATA makes more CO2 connections
IATA is adding more airlines and airline groups as data contributors to its CO2 Connect emissions calculator, which it says will improve the quality and accuracy of the tool.
Agreements were signed with Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Baltic, LATAM Airlines Group, Luxair and Nile Air during the first World Sustainability Symposium held on 3-4 October in Madrid.
“Expanding this data pool is essential in providing greater transparency and coherence to passengers and stakeholders alike. This allows for more informed CO2 compensation choices while supporting ESG reporting,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s senior vice president commercial products and services.
IATA launched CO2 Connect in June 2022, with the objective of using actual airline data, such as fuel burn, belly cargo and load factors in order to provide accurate per passenger CO2 emissions calculations. The CO2 Connect calculator now receives actual operational data from around 150 airlines.
“In continuously expanding our data sources, we will further enhance IATA CO2 Connect’s calculation quality, far beyond what any theory-based or model-based tools can achieve,” Leger said.
Traveloka eyes growth in Thailand
Traveloka says the time is tight to refine its focus on Thailand, where the travel sector is emerging from the pandemic in robust good health.
Thailand welcomed 19 million foreign tourists from January to September 17, 2023, contributing 795 billion baht (US$22.26 billion) to the country’s economy.
“Thailand’s travel and tourism industry is ready for its next phase of growth,” said Caesar Indra, president, Traveloka.
Traveloka’s product portfolio includes transport booking services such as flight tickets, bus, trains, car rental, airport transfer. It also offers access to the largest accommodation inventory in Southeast Asia, including hotels, apartments, guest houses, homestays, resorts and villas.
“As we continue to increase our presence in Thailand, Traveloka’s contributions to local job creation, sustainable tourism, and growth for local businesses, will reach new levels in 2024,” Indra added.
Traveloka’s recent business data and findings for Thailand highlighted the growth of event tourism and wellness tourism, alongside a preference for travellers to book certified sustainable accommodation.
Traveloka provides 24/7 customer service in local languages as well as more than 30 different local payment methods. The Traveloka app has been downloaded more than 127 million times, making it the most popular travel platform in South-east Asia.
