Dubai Int’l world’s leading hub for Airbus A380: data

Dubai International, the fastest growing airport in 2012 according to OAG statistics and the second busiest airport for international passenger traffic according to Airports Council International data, can now claim the title as the world’s leading hub for A380 operations according to published airline industry flight schedule data for 2012.

Published schedule data for 2012 shows the airport had 7,259 A380 scheduled flights to 28 destinations, with all but 88 of those flights scheduled by Emirates airline, the world’s biggest operator of the double-decker aircraft.

Taking second spot during 2012 with 6,653 A380 scheduled operations to 19 destinations was Singapore Changi. London Heathrow holds third position with 3,697 flights to six destinations followed by Frankfurt with 3,071 A380 flights to 12 destinations and Sydney with 2,697 flights to eight destinations.

The opening of Concourse A earlier this year was a $3 billion validation of our intention to be the world’s premiere A380 hub,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. “This new facility is purpose built for the aircraft with two-tiered gates facilitating boarding directly from the first and business class lounges.”

Rounding out the top ten during 2012 were Paris Charles de Gaulle (2,613 scheduled flights to 11 destinations), Hong Kong International (2,145 scheduled flights to nine destinations), Los Angeles (2,048 scheduled flights to seven destinations), New York JFK (2,004 scheduled flights to six destinations) and Melbourne (1,710 scheduled flights to seven destinations).

Fleet size and network structure had a direct bearing on the carrier contributions to A380 scheduled operations in international hub airports. Although home carriers Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Air France/KLM and Emirates operate the lion’s share of super jumbo scheduled flights in their home markets, that was not the case for London Heathrow (Qantas), Hong Kong (Emirates), New York JFK and Los Angeles (Singapore Airlines).

“Based on Emirates’ order book, the new Qantas A380 operation and our $7.8 billion expansion plan, Dubai International is well placed to continue to hold the top position for A380 operations in 2013 and beyond,” predicted Griffiths.

Dubai International Airport is now the world's leading hub for the A380 aircraft's, with most of the flights operated by the national carrier Emirates. There are more frequent travelers to  Dubai for holidays or business proposes, and since Dubai Airport has expanded more people are transiting though Dubai Airport and having flights with Emirates. I think throughout the years, the data will show increase in passenger numbers and A380 flights with Emirates. However recently Emirates and Qantas have made a global partnership, with connecting destinations worldwide with two leading A380 aircraft airlines. 

TripCase Named 'Best Mobile Solution' by EyeForTravel

As a complement to TripCase, TripCase Connect is a unique web platform designed to help agencies, corporations, airlines, hotels and other travel suppliers connect with travelers before, during and after their trips. Because TripCase uses location data and other triggers to know where the traveler is in the trip, TripCase Connect partners are able to send travelers targeted, branded messages to deliver operational information, policy reminders and service messages. TripCase Connect users can also choose to provide traveler documents in one of more than 22 languages.

"TripCase helps brands extend their service and uniquely keeps travelers connected to their supplier and their latest trip details. Winning the Best Mobile Solution award is an honor. It gives us a tremendous opportunity to tell our story to a community of great industry leaders and an audience who truly understands the value of offering a differentiating service," saidWill Pinnell , director of marketing and sales for TripCase.  

TripCase is a website and mobile app that provides travelers with the information and ideas they need to be prepared for their trip. It organizes trip details in one place and keeps travelers connected with free flight alerts, alternate flights, road maps, relevant offerings, sharing capabilities and more. TripCase provides travelers with the tools they need to take better trips.

I think TripCase Connect is a useful platform, which will help travel agencies, different corporations, hotels and airlines in a better way to connect with its customers. This software also sends out targeted messages with relevant information for customers, so companies will be having repeat in business by advertisement from TripCase Connect. It also provides customers information through a mobile app and an website, so it is easily accessible. 

Computer snafus could lead to more airline delays, experts say

Nearly a week after a computer glitch grounded hundreds of its planes, American Airlines has yet to disclose the exact cause of the problem that frustrated passengers stuck in crowded terminals across the country.

In a video apology, Chief Executive Tom Horton said only that "we had a software issue that impacted both our primary and backup systems."

But as airline computer systems become more interactive and complicated, computer experts warn that outages may become more common if airlines do not regularly test and maintain their systems.

"We are pushing the limits of human capabilities with these things," said Bill Curtis, senior vice president and chief scientist at Cast, a software analysis and measurement company in New York. "What’s happening is these systems have gotten larger than any single person or single team can handle."

American Airlines' computer outage, which lasted two or three hours Tuesday, will probably cause the airline to move ahead with caution when it begins its merger with US Airways, said Farokh Bastani, a computer science professor at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Once the merger is approved, US Airways plans to transfer its reservations data to American's computer system, officials from both airlines said.

“If some problems happen before any merger is taking place, it raises the possibility of problems when they integrate the systems,” Bastani said.

At the end of the week, American’s system seemed to be operating normally. Still, the airline and its regional carrier, American Eagle, canceled several hundred flights because of a non-technical problem: foul weather around Dallas and Chicago.

This type of customer error was a impact for American Airlines. As they would have lost a lot of profit and revenue, as the planes got delayed. Technology is advanced now a days, and I think airlines should make their reservation systems, and check- in procedures more easier for passengers and staff with less errors. Most airlines have the self check in kiosks which are much used now a days with passengers self checking in, however the reservation systems and airline computer bookings should be made easier for staff, with regular monitoring of the system.  

Marunouchi Hotel Increases Website Revenue By 900% with Pegasus Solutions

Tokyo Hotel Drives Online and Mobile Bookings with OpenView Internet Booking Engine

Tokyo's Marunouchi Hotel realized dramatic online and mobile revenue growth with Pegasus Solutions. In addition to the global distribution and booking solutions delivered with Pegasus Connect+, Marunouchi increased revenue from online bookings by 900% in 2012 using Pegasus' OpenView Internet Booking Engine (IBE).

"The previous internet booking engine we had was designed for local use, and made the booking process too complicated for international guests to follow." Said Keiichi Mogi, director of sales and marketing for Marunouchi Hotel. "OpenView from Pegasus makes it much easier for guests to find and book what they're looking for. As a mobile booking engine, OpenView also significantly increased our presence among smartphone and tablet users. We are seeing the mobile audience grow rapidly as bookings keep pace with new mobile users."

With the dramatic increase in profitable direct bookings, more guests are enjoying the Marunouchi Hotel's upscale amenities. The hotel, situated directly in front of Tokyo Station, showcases stunning modern Japanese décor in an impressive array of room choices to suit every guest's needs. Ideal for business or leisure travelers, Marunouchi also features French, Japanese and Teppanyaki Grill restaurants, a cigar bar, meeting rooms and unique shops.

http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4060236.html

As more people use advanced technology there is great business and revenue growth for the hospitality and tourism industry. Marunouchi Hotels have increased their online and mobile booking revenue by 900% and Pegasus Solutions have helped them build their marketing though their 1000 channels. More people are finding bookings for hotels online often and on their Ipads, Iphones etc as its again an easier way for customers to access the information with one touch away. Their Openview engine is designed in a way to increase mobile bookings and its easier for guests to find and book rooms. 

New air platform vindicates Travelport stance, says GDS boss

Travelport chief executive Gordon Wilson hailed the company's new platform unveiled yesterday as a first for global distribution systems (GDSs).

Speaking at the World Travel and Tourism Council summit in Abu Dhabi, Wilson said: "Everything will be on one screen."

Wilson told Travel Weekly: "We are working with easyJet, British Airways, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, KLM. There will be so much content."

Travelport, parent of GDSs Worldspan and Galileo, argues the platform will let airlines distribute however they choose and differentiate services while aggregating everything on a single screen for agents.

Wilson said: "We don't want customers worrying about the plumbing."

Travelport is working to incorporate American Airlines' direct connect technology into the platform after the companies signed a new distribution agreement and dropped their competing legal claims in the US last month.

Wilson said: "We reached a long-term agreement acceptable to both parties, with a guarantee of access to all existing and future content.

"American Airlines will plug their technology into our Universal Desktop. We are working on the plans with American at the moment.

"The capability is in place and should be available within months."

Wilson said the deal "vindicated" Travelport's stance through the dispute with American, transatlantic partner of British Airways.

"We always said it was never a question of technology," he said. "We were not the logjam."

He declined to discuss the duration of the deal with American, but the agreement is believed to be for a minimum five years. Wilson said 70% of Travelport customers moved to one of the company's new desktops in the past year.

Travelport which is a parent company of GDS systems Worldspan and Galileo will include the everything on one desktop screen according to the GDS boss. I think this will make the Global distribution more easier and accessible for travel agents and major airlines. While making flight tickets, hotel accommodation and extra packages for customers, it will be more quicker and easier to do these things. Technology is so advanced now and there was always this concept that GDS would get more easier for people to access air tickets and itineraries, with all data and information being on one screen. 

130% RISE IN OMAN AIR’S INTERNET PACKAGE SALES

MUSCAT - Oman Air, the national carrier of Oman, has announced a major growth in uptake of its inflight mobile phone and Wi-Fi connectivity by passengers.

A press release said that between January 2012 and January 2013, the airline experienced a 130 per cent increase in Internet package sales and an 180 per cent increase in connectivity revenues.

Oman Air’s Muscat to London Heathrow service saw the greatest use of inflight connectivity, and the most popular method of accessing the Internet was via smartphones.

The airline’s Muscat to Bangkok services reported the second highest rate of uptake.

Wayne Pearce, chief executive officer, Oman Air, was quoted as saying in the release, “Oman Air was the first airline in the world to offer both mobile phone and Wi-Fi connectivity inflight, and I am delighted that our customers value this service so much. The increase in passengers’ use of the service in 2012 underlines their growing expectation that levels of connectivity available in the air should be similar to the levels available on the ground. I am pleased that the continued increase in uptake since we introduced the service in 2010 shows that Oman Air still leads the field in this area.”

The release said that Oman Air’s inflight Wi-Fi connectivity is available in a range of packages. Vouchers can be purchased for use with smart phones and tablets (excluding iPads) aboard the airline’s Airbus A330 long haul fleet at the rate of US$5 (RO1.9) for up to 3MB of data or US$15 (RO5.7) for up to 10MB of data.

Vouchers for iPad and laptop connectivity can be purchased for US$15 (RO5.7) for up to 10MB of data and US$30 (RO11.55) for up to 25MB. Usage beyond these data allowances is charged per MB. Coverage is available throughout Oman

Air's range of long haul services, except when flying over countries such as India, which prohibit onboard mobile phone and Wi-Fi communications, the release said.

This was a really interesting article I found online, about Oman Air's internet package sales. Its really good that now airlines are getting aware that a lot of people use the internet, and airlines as Oman Air are increasing their profits by selling internet vouchers aboard. As Oman Air is providing this type of internet packages on-board their flights then I think most people would want to travel with them, as now days people want to access their Facebook, mail or use the internet while travelling, and this way passengers won't get bored on long haul flights. I personally think that not only Oman Air will get increase usage of internet packages but this would make their profits go high and more passengers will be travelling with them.  

British Airways criticised over scheme that uses Google to identify passengers

British Airways has come under fire over the privacy of passenger information.

Some 2,000 airline staff have access, via iPads, to passenger data in the ‘Know Me’ scheme, which BA argues will create a more efficient and personalised service for customers.

Staff will be able to find out details such as a customer's travel and complaints history, while using Google Images to search for pictures so they can spot a passenger the next time they take a flight.

Around 4,500 passengers a day are expected to be greeted personally by staff by the end of the year. But the initiative has been criticised by privacy groups.

Nick Pickles, director of Big Brother Watch, said: ‘Fundamentally British Airways have not asked their passengers’ permission to search Google to find their picture or any other information.

‘This goes to show that major international companies now recognise the best way to find out personal information about its customers is to ask Google.’

BA defended the scheme, saying it would help staff, for example, to resolve complaints more efficiently.

A spokesman said: ‘The most recent advancement of the system enables the British Airways team to search Google Images for a photo of specific customers, so they can recognise them as soon as they enter the airport or aircraft and proactively approach them.’

BA’s head of revenue and customer analysis, Jo Boswell, added: ‘Solving problems at the point of failure is a lot more powerful than waiting until after the event. It is more powerful when customers don’t have to repeat their stories to different departments within BA.’

‘High-profile travellers’ and those who have experienced problems are expected to receive particular attention.

Ms Boswell said the carrier was trying to recreate the ‘feeling of recognition you get in a favorite restaurant when you’re welcomed there, but in our case it will be delivered by thousands of staff to millions of customers’.

I think the "the know me" scheme is a great idea when a passenger travels with British Airways, as I think the airline want to create a recognition for its passengers. However again some customers may not want British Airways staff/ company to search their photos on Google, and look through their private information. British Airways should maybe ask their passengers by emails and post if they would let the company access their past travel information, so this would create their journey in the future with BA in an comfortable way. As head of revenue says solving a problem at the point of failure is a lot more powerful then waiting until the end, as this would mean the customer complaints can be solved in a efficient way and the staff would know beforehand how to deal with a particular situation.    

UK MANUFACTURERS BACK THIRD RUNWAY AT HEATHROW AIRPOR

Britain’s manufacturers have called on the UK government to give the green light to a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

The Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) wants ministers to “take the politics out of infrastructure” by setting up a wide ranging independent infrastructure commission to take major decisions out of the hands of government.

Roger Salomone, EEF’s head of business environment policy, said: “World-class air links are critical to export-led growth and attracting inward investment.

“To keep up with the competition we need investment across the board, in Heathrow and in regional airports. 

“Maintaining our status as a global aviation hub is critical to our international standing and expanding runway capacity at Heathrow is the most viable way to secure this.”

The call comes on the back of a major survey published by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, showing the potential threat from the UK’s stretched infrastructure to business competitiveness.

The survey comes ahead of the publication of the government’s transport strategy and Spending Review in this summer.

Salomone added: “Political prevarication and policy reversals have left Britain in the slow lane in developing its infrastructure for decades.  The forthcoming transport strategy is an opportunity to address this.  Government must reassess its investment priorities, act faster on major issues like airport capacity.” 

I personally think having a third runway at Heathrow would benefit the infrastructure in the United Kingdom with attraction of investments and business opportunities in the country. However people will not be happy with this idea, as businesses near Heathrow Airport, homes and local areas will be destroyed. This will have a major affect on the environment, and ideally airports should be reducing noise pollution but by having a third runway will gain noise pollution. An other good idea would be if the United Kingdom wants a larger airport the government should think on having a new airport within an area which has more land and it wouldn't harm the environment in any way. 

Flying into the future

RARELY has there been a shortage of suggestions from passengers on how to improve the flying experience, but what would a Silicon Valley entrepreneur do to reinvent the industry?Jude Gomila, the co-founder of HeyZap, a gaming company, stepped up to the challenge recently.

Some of his ideas seem a bit off the wall, such as coating common surfaces with silver to prevent the spread of colds and flu, but as a frequent flyer Mr Gomila has put some serious thought into the issue and come up with nine core areas that could be improved. For instance, he says airlines should learn from the shipping industry and re-engineer planes so that people are pre-loaded into detached air-conditioned cabins that would then be rolled onto the plane, thus allowing passengers to “board” before the plane even arrives.
More realistic ideas involve better seat design, including meshed chairs, more localised temperature controls that are operated from a personal display, and reading lights that don't spread onto a neighbour’s space. He also advocates removing armrest controls in favour of a high-resolution touchscreen and using magnets rather than a turn fob to secure tray tables.
Some of these ideas, or similar ones, appear to already be more than plausible, judging by the finalists of the Crystal Cabin Award 2013, part of the Aircraft Interiors Expo to be held in Hamburg in April. Among the 21 products and concepts under consideration are a “stylish and robust capacitive touchscreen” by Dornier Technologie Systems, a German company; a lightweight, self-cleaning seat table integrated into the armrest by English designers Acro Aircraft Seating; and ceiling panels by Diehl Aircabin of Germany that reduce drafts and cabin noise while improving mood lighting.
Mr Gomila also has several suggestions about speeding up the check-in process, and, again, there are already some similar initiatives in progress according to Amadeus, a travel technology provider, and as Gulliver has previously noted. In Reinventing the Airport Ecosystem, Amadeus says that by 2015 passengers should expect to see some of the industry's more forward-thinking members adopt measures such as passive “in-pocket” scanning of e-tickets and radio-frequency-ID-enabled travel documents, as well as near-field communication being used for “check-in, baggage check, security, boarding, lounge access and as a wallet in and around the airport”. Seat allocation could also be based on the amount of hand luggage a passenger is carrying.
The hope is that by 2025 passengers will be able to bypass the terminal entirely, with premium travellers checking in offsite and passing through security en-route. Biometric and perhaps even genetic information will be used to automatically check in passengers upon airport entry. Ultimately, Mr Gomila writes, flying should be such a pleasant experience that you want to jump back on the plane. Unfortunately, he adds, “until Virgin Airlines opened up, it's as if innovation on the experience of the passenger just stopped in the 1960s and has been going backwards ever since.” Gulliver, then, hasn't been the only one to notice.
Passengers have given some relevant suggestions to how to improve flying for the future. Although I still think some of the ideas are not going to impress the aviation industry, as re- engineering planes which will have detached air controlled cabins so people can board before the plane arrives. I think this idea would not work, as people wouldn’t get that excitement when getting on a plane and going on a holiday. But regarding technology and having better seat design, touch screen displays, meal tray designs and reading light suggestions are more appropriate, as this would improve in-flight experience . Its good that aviation industry is getting feedback from frequent flyer customers, and travelers as this would improve future technology in the air. 

Boeing 787 Dreamliner completes test flight with new battery system

Boeing hopes to show aircraft meets safety standards following worldwide grounding of all 50 Dreamliners in January. 

Boeing has completed the first successful tests of its troubled Dreamliner 787 since the jet was grounded following battery fires.

The company said the tests went "according to plan", and Boeing is now planning a second test to gather data for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has to give its approval before the 787 is allowed to fly commercially again.

Boeing had delivered just 50 of the jets when lithium-ion batteries on two of the planes caught fire. The two incidents, one in the US another in Japan, triggered a global grounding for the Dreamliner.

Investigators in Japan and the US are now looking into what went wrong and have so far concentrated on the planes' battery systems. It is the first time that lightweight lithium-ion batteries have been used so extensively on a large passenger jet.

"During the functional check flight, crews cycled the landing gear and operated all the backup systems, in addition to performing electrical system checks from the flight profile," Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel said in a statement.

The two-hour flight on Monday carried six crew members: two Boeing pilots, two instrumentation engineers, a systems operator and a flight analyst, Boeing said.

Boeing is believed to be testing a new casing for the battery and a venting system that would dispel potentially flammable gases. On 7 January one of the 787's batteries burst into flames while the plane was parked at Boston's Logan airport. That battery is now the subject of investigation but the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB), which has concluded in an interim report that short circuits across its eight cells may have triggered the fire. The NTSB has, however, not yet identified a root cause for the fire.

On 16 January, in Japan, the battery on a second 787 triggered a smoke alarm while in flight leading to an emergency landing. Japanese investigators have yet to identify the cause of that fire.

The NTSB will hold a meeting on lithium-ion batteries in April, where the controversial technology will be discussed by airline and freight executives as well as safety experts and scientists. Lithium-ion batteries have caused fires in smaller planes, cars, computers and mobile devices in the past. Freighting the technology by plane is also carefully regulated.

Robert Mann, founder of airline consultant RW Mann, said it was a positive step that Boeing was testing the 787 but added: "Until there is a conclusive root-cause analysis a lot of folk will be circumspect about the Dreamliner.

"At this point, it is not clear to anyone except Boeing exactly what they are testing. We don't know what the cause of the incidents were. I assume that they are testing the enclosure of the battery bit if it subsequently turns out that that was not where the issuer started, we haven't learnt anything."

Boeing is losing an estimated $50m a week while the 787 is grounded and has told customers it expects to have the plane back in the air this spring. Rival Airbus has dropped lithium-ion battery technology from its A350 passenger jet.

Boeing is losing a lot of money, as still 787 Dreamliner's are grounded. The company has put new batteries and have performed several tests on the aircraft and its batteries. Hopefully by the next test flight, it should be all clear that everything is fine with the aircraft's, and the Dreamliner's should be ready to fly again. The National Transport Safety Board still haven't found a reason behind these battery fires but Boeing has to react fast, and solve this problem as they are losing $50m a week, and major airlines which have ordered the Dreamliner's need to put the aircraft's back on their routes. 

  

GOOGLE SET TO SPONSOR ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET TECHNOLOGY THEATRE

MIDDLE EAST - Search engine heavyweight Google has signed up to Reed Travel Exhibition’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Technology Theatre as a sponsor. 

As part of the newly-launched Digital Technology Day on 8 May, Google will be using the Technology Theatre to share insights of the travel industry and technology under the umbrella theme of ‘Think Travel’.

“This is a first for ATM and the regional travel and tourism community,” says Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director at Reed Travel Exhibitions. “Our partnership with Google will not only deliver industry data, but will showcase how technology plays a role in the travel industry - whether it’s searching for ideas or booking vacations or sharing their experience through social platforms.”

Google’s Gulf Regional Manager, Mohamad Mourad and Marie de Ducla, Travel Industry Manager for Google in MENA will share the findings of a Google-commissioned research study conducted by IPSOS.
The study will reveal the results of how travellers in MENA make decisions when it comes to travel and purchase behavior. Google commissioned a similar survey for the US travel market in 2012, with 7,500 respondents completing a 21-minute attitude and usage survey into travel habits and attitudes of leisure, business and affluent travellers.

The ‘Google Think Travel’ day will feature a series of seminars for industry professionals. Several Googlers will be flying in including Nigel Huddleston, Google’s Industry Head for Travel in the UK; Dr Bernd Fauser, Global Travel Accounts Director; Maciek Nowakowski, Google Travel Product Specialist, Edouard Mailfait, Mobile Travel Expert.

The dedicated Travel Technology Theatre was introduced in 2012 in response to the huge demand for technology-related content and the success of previous sessions within the main Seminar Theatre. Targeting all Arabian Travel Market attendees, the programme covers online travel trends, new developments in social media and advances in travel technology.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, Arabian Travel Market 2013 will be held from 6-9 May at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Sponsoring a event as the Arabian Travel Market will get a boost in people travelling to the Middle East, and to destinations as UAE, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. Google as a leading search engine, it will give information to people booking holidays in the Middle East, and increase knowledge of industry experts and travelers with data on the travel industry. Technology is really advanced, and more people want travel advise and see real experiences before they go to a destination, and this will guide people in choosing the right type of holiday. However most importantly travel experts and travel associations in the Middle east would like to collect data on what are the buyer behaviors of consumers are, and what attracts people in going to an particular destination. This will help Arabian Travel Market to promote its destinations, airlines, tour operators and hotels to consumers all over the world, but also to get people attracted to new technology in the travel industry, with the new technology theatre. 

Volotea chooses Travelport e-ticket technologies

Travelport, the business services provider to the global travel industry, today announces a new long-term IT services agreement with Volotea, the new low-cost European carrier headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. Volotea, which commenced operations in April 2012, is the newest participant in Travelport’s electronic ticket database hosting service, and has also joined the Travelport E-Ticket Interchange™. The technologies are central to Volotea’s growth and expansion plans through more distribution channels, including global distribution systems (GDS).

Travelport’s e-ticket database hosting service, the Travelport ETDBase™, is in use by airlines globally to quickly implement e-ticketing, and store and manage e-ticket data for online and interline e-ticketing (IET). The solution makes interline connections a cost-effective process, yet allows airlines to maintain control over their own interline agreements. The Travelport E-Ticket Interchange™, one of the largest global e-ticketing facilities for the exchange of interline e-ticket messages between airline partners, including ground handlers, supports nearly 420 participants and over 6,000 interline/codeshare agreements, processing over 55 million messages monthly.

http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/volotea-chooses-travelport-e-ticket-technologies/

Travelport is a business service provider to companies in every travel industry segment. And Travelport is one of the largest and leading providers to major airlines, travel agencies, and online retailers which helps these sectors in providing their customers with travel industry packages e.g accommodation, flights and other relevant significant elements. Travelport is a global distribution system, which includes Galileo and Worldspan which are GDS platforms. Airlines which are new and up coming as Volotea are using Travelport for their ticketing, as the Travelport system would give them efficient and fast ticketing process online, and when managing flight information, plus with extra elements for passengers. 

Singapore Airlines extends distribution agreement with Sabre

Sabre to increase marketing campaigns for airline

Singapore Airlines has renewed its full-content distribution agreement with Sabre Travel Network, meaning all Sabre-connected travel agents will continue to have access to all Singapore Airlines’ fares, schedules and inventory. 

“Sabre is very pleased to extend our distribution agreement with Singapore Airlines and to further strengthen our existing strong and long-term relationship. We look forward to implementing this new distribution agreement, which will support Singapore Airlines strategies and its position as a premier full-service airline,” said Hans Belle, vice president and general manager, Asia Pacific, Sabre Travel Network.
With this agreement, Sabre will also support Singapore Airlines’ growth through increased global distribution system (GDS) media marketing by building awareness through promotions and campaigns via the Sabre GDS.

Sabre which is a global distribution system is increasing marketing campaigns with airlines such as Singapore airlines. This will bring profits into the Sabre travel network, and more airlines will be using Sabre, as their GDS system. The global distribution systems provide passengers with fares for flights, seat allocation, special requests for passengers and much more information which is ideal for a passenger traveling and airlines benefit from GDS systems as its a main data provider for airlines. As in the article is says GDS provide media marketing by the system offering promotions and campaigns via the system, so Singapore Airlines brand will be promoted. 

Airlines and travel websites face off over flight perks

I have started this first blog on airlines and travel websites argue about having travel/ flight perks on their websites. 

Behind the ease of booking a flight seat online lies mounting tension between two industries.

Airlines are increasingly moving toward offering customers bundles of travels perks, everything from extra legroom to pre-boarding privileges to more frequent-flier points, for additional fees. In an industry with low margins, airlines are trying to eke out revenue by differentiating their bundled services.

The problem is, bundles are hard to buy on third-party travel sites.

And that’s the root of a new push by airlines such as Air Canada to draw customers toward their own e-commerce sites, where the bundles are laid out in more detail, and away from third-party reservation sites. For each customer that does book directly, airlines save the $15 or so in fees that third-party reservation bookings charge. Particularly for cheap fares under $200, that $15 makes a substantial difference to airline profit margins.

But airlines still need to list their fares on popular sites such as Expedia and Travelocity. 

Shelly Terry, vice-president of supplier merchandising at Sabre Holdings, a GDS headquartered in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, argued that it isn't a question of reservation companies’ technology not keeping pace with new bundles, as the airline industry argues. GDS systems such as Sabre have for years included detailed information about bundles, as well as extra charges such as baggage fees not included in fare bundles. The difficulty is that online ticketing sites simply feel they can’t list myriad combinations of bundles without overwhelming users.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/airlines-and-travel-websites-face-off-over-flight-perks/article9190235/?cmpid=rss1

Airlines are making more profits though their websites, as they offer travel bundles through their main websites which are easily accessible. However travel websites, as Travelocity and Expedia are losing out on their profits, as airlines still need to list their bundles on their websites in a proper way. Even when booking though GDS systems as Sabre they have detailed information on extra bundles which customers may want to buy. I think travel websites need to get a equal combination of bundles across their websites, so customers get to have the option of extra elements in their flights. And GDS systems as Sabre have vast amount of airline data to give extra charges to customers which sometimes are not included in online travel sites, so customers don't get informed on extra charges for baggage and seat allocation.