In one year, the number of people using Air France websites and mobile applications has increased 15 times, with close to 1.2 million visitors every month, reports the French carrier.

Available in French, English, Spanish, Italian, German and Brazilian Portuguese, the Air France mobile website and the iPhone, Android and Blackberry apps allow customers to manage their trip from the moment they purchase their ticket through to boarding on their mobile phone. Air France is the first airline to allow customers to fully manage their bookings on their mobile phone.

Air France’s ambition in mobile technology communications is to gradually improve the ergonomic features of the different services available and continue to develop functionalities intended to assist mobile passengers in their daily lives.

This free service is available on all types of mobile phone and provides significant time savings. The iPhone application also means customers can store a boarding pass and have direct access at any time, even when they are not connected.

At the airport, customers show their boarding pass on their mobile phone to:

• check in any baggage at the baggage drop-off counter,

• go through the security checkpoint,

• access the lounges for those allowed,

• board at the gate, with optical reading of the bar code,

• board the aircraft, by presenting the screen of their phone to the crew.

KLM introduces RightNow for quicker answers

KLM has introduced RightNow’s CX Intent Guide on its mobile website to help provide quicker answers to online queries. KLM’s mobile site receives more than 20,000 visits a day and allows customers to book flights, check-in and see flight status.

RightNow’s CX Intent Guide uses natural language search technology to provide visitors with more relevant content and information.

KLM e-development director Rob Zwerink said the airline is expecting its mobile site to make up 10% of overall website visits. 

Air New Zealand takes Sabre’s merchandising solution

Sabre launched its new seamless merchandising solution with Air New Zealand. The solution leverages industry technology standards, including Electronic Miscellaneous Document (EMD), so travel agents can shop, book and fulfill the carrier’s ancillaries in the Sabre global distribution system (GDS).

The first ancillary fare Air New Zealand will make available to Sabre Connected travel agents is pre-paid bags. Over time, the carrier expects to add other ancillaries into the Sabre GDS. Select travel agents are testing the solution.

Munich helps transit visitors on mobile

Munich Airport launched a simplified version of its website to allow mobile phone users to access information on the website while in transit. The website is available in German and English and all smart phones, Blackberrys and other mobile web devices will be directed to the new website format. Munich Airport stated it plans to launch an app with functions designed for iPhone and Android users in 2HFY2011.