In the news: Star Alliance’s mulit-million dollar investment in technology, Malaysian travel agents’ association’s new online portal, Christchurch Airport partners Travelport
Star Alliance invests in new technology to enhance operations and services
The new IT hub for baggage to be operational by year-end.(Image credit: SidorovStock/iStock)
The Star Alliance, the world’s largest global airline alliance, is investing millions of dollars in technology projects that will include a new Alliance IT hub for baggage.
The new IT hub, scheduled to go into operation by year-end, is the latest in a series of similar “plug and play” applications that are supporting the member airlines behind the scenes.
The chief executives of the Alliance member airlines gave the go-ahead for the new technology investment to enhance overall operational processes to meet the evolving demands of today’s travellers.
The Alliance said in a statement that existing IT hubs have already successfully improved the exchange of frequent flyer data and through check-in of passengers and baggage, as well as the provision of enhanced services to premium customers.
However, it added that baggage processes are complicated by the fact that the relevant information resides in many different systems. In addition to those operating at the individual Alliance member airlines, each airport is running its own baggage system, s making it highly complex to retrieve the current status of bags, to locate bags within the systems and to take effective remedial action if bags are mishandled.
“While mishandling a bag is a relatively rare case in our Alliance despite the fact that we carry almost 1.7 million passengers every day, when things do go wrong it is highly annoying to any customer affected,” said Mark Schwab, CEO of Star Alliance.
“We believe modern technology can be of tremendous assistance in significantly reducing the number of baggage issues and providing faster and more accurate information for our customer service agents.”
The Alliance’s chief executives also endorsed the development of standardised processes for off-airport/self-service check-in, for fast bag drop technology at airports, for baggage self-tagging and for automated travel document validation.
Once implemented these standards will not only provide smoother service to the Alliance’s customers, but also reduce infrastructure requirements and handling costs at all of the 1,300 airports the Alliance is serving today.
“This initiative represents another industry first and is created in full support of the IATA Fast Travel mandate,” Schwab said.
“As we represent around one quarter of the world’s scheduled airline services we believe we can contribute to the reduction of operating complexities. Our member airlines have benefited significantly from standardisation in other areas and are determined to drive this process forward now, together with airports and system providers.”
In a related development, the Alliance appointed Jeffrey Goh as the new chief executive, effective January 1, 2017 to succeed Schwab who will retire at the end of the year.
Goh is currently chief operating officer and general counsel of Star Alliance.
Star Alliance’s 28 members comprise some of the world’s leading airlines that include Singapore Airlines, Thai International, SWISS, ANA, Air New Zealand, Air China, Lufthansa, Air Canada, and Air India.
MATTA’s new online portal helps agents stay relevant in digital age
New portal helps MATTA member agents market their products.
The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has launched its first online travel portal – Matta.Travel – to provide a platform for its members to adjust to the new way of doing business with technology.
“This Malaysian platform provides both marketing and technology solutions for travel agencies to quickly and painlessly go online, to remain competitive and still relevant in the new digital travel landscape,” said MATTA president, Datuk Hamzah Rahmat, at the portal’s launch earlier this month.
Matta.Travel also helps member agents overcome issues like cost of web development, promotions, and the hassles of online transaction.
To make participation affordable and enable more agents to go online Hamzah said its technology partner, SOTA, “has created platform that is accessible to all agencies in the name of economy of scale.”
ipay88, the payment gateway partner, has also waived certain charges to further reduce costs of listing on the site.
More importantly Matta.Travel will eliminate unlicensed tour operators, as only MATTA members are allowed access to sell on the platform, added the association president.
The portal has a simple user interface with listing for various types of packages namely Malaysia (local packages), international, halal, Umrah, and special needs. Travellers can book the packages directly with the listed agencies.
A number of agents have listed their products on the portal. The association aims to have more than 700 packages for local and international travel online by year-end.
“MATTA will promote the site locally, regionally, and actively use it during MATTA fairs,” added Hamzah.
The association plans to invest RM1 million (US$247,000) to boost the marketing of the portal.
Christchurch Airport partners Travelport in promotional drive
Christchurch Airport utilises Travelport’s solutions for promotion. (Image credit: Christchurch Airport)
Christchurch International Airport has signed up for Travelport Digital Media Solutions to assist its airline partners when promoting new routes and additional capacity.
The solutions consists of marketing tools that include Travelport Sponsored Flights, Sign-On Messages, and Electronic Direct Mail.
Delivered via Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform, the suite of solutions send tailored messages to targeted travel agencies to help promote Christchurch Airport as an efficient and convenient departure point to North Asia and the United Kingdom.
Gareth Williamson, trade development manager of Christchurch Airport, said Travelport’s extensive travel agency network was an important communication channel for the airport as travel agents have the ability to heavily impact traveller decisions.
