AirAsia takes on-board faster trade tools

AirAsia is the first airline in Asia Pacific to implement light ticketing [1] technology from Amadeus, that cuts the work load and simplifies bookings made by travel agents.
For the first time, traditional shopping, booking and back-office flows will be combined with real-time dynamic fares provided through AirAsia’s XML connection with Amadeus.
Amadeus connected travel agencies can view and compare AirAsia fares in the same screen as full-service carriers, something not previously possible.
The new AirAsia booking process with Amadeus is up to five times faster than booking outside of the GDS.
AirAsia’s head of sales Rayner Teo said: “We are pleased to offer travel agencies an easier way to book AirAsia’s extensive fare inventory, which will translate into an increase of flight bookings for the region.”
“Amadeus is fundamental to our growth strategy moving forward. We fly to over 80 destinations around Asia every day and this partnership with Amadeus will allow us to reach a broader sales channel,” Teo added.
Key benefits for travel agencies include:
• Mid and back-office integration and sales reporting: AirAsia flight bookings can now be fully integrated in travel agents’ internal reporting processes, allowing them to track their business performance automatically.
All mid and back-office processes will be integrated, significantly reducing time spent on administrative tasks, following the same process as full-service carriers. Amadeus and AirAsia also plan to work together to further enhance mid and back-office integration and sales reporting in select BSP (Billing Settlement Plan) markets.
• Seamless availability with increased flexibility: With direct access to AirAsia’s inventory, Amadeus travel agents can view seats in real-time, make a booking using either the GUI (graphic user interface) or the ‘green screen’, and then issue an AirAsia ticket without needing to learn new system commands.
Amadeus Asia Pacific EVP airline commercial, Hazem Hussein commented: “This agreement allows AirAsia to better reach the growing corporate sector via Amadeus’ extensive network of travel agencies around the world. This will pave the way for improved yield for the airline.”
“We are proud to have worked with AirAsia since 2006, continually exploring news ways to improve the travel agency booking process. AirAsia’s innovative thinking is one of the many reasons they are leaders in their field,” added Hussein.
Today, more than 70 low-cost and hybrid airlines are bookable via Amadeus, and their bookings made in the Amadeus system increased by 21% in 2013.
(1) Light ticketing’ is an evolution of the ticketless access level offered to low-cost & hybrid carriers to help standardise the travel agency work flow (availability/pricing/booking/end of transaction/reporting) via the introduction of a virtual ticket number.

Sourced: ttrweekly