Tag Archives: technology

Philippine Airlines (PAL) and its affiliate carrier, PAL Express (PALex), have embarked on the next phase of their journey to deploy IBS Software’s iFly Staff travel solution. Built to improve travel operational efficiency for airline employee travellers, iFly Staff is a SaaS solution designed to automate the end-to-end business and leisure travel booking process for airline employees. The partnership with iFly Staff enables PAL and PALex employees, dependents and retirees to plan, book and manage their travel requirements for leisure and business trips via multiple channels and devices. PAL is the first Southeast Asian SaaS customer of IBS Software and the fourth from the Asia-Pacific region. Since the go-live, iFly Staff has significantly improved the travel experiences of PAL employees by replacing tedious paper-based manual processes with self-service booking capability, reducing staff travel booking time from days to minutes. Additional benefits include a reduction in general office backlogs, enhanced policy and security compliance, and the facilitation of multiple payment options. Jo-Ann Maluenda, Vice President of Human Capital at PAL, remarks: “PAL’s primary objective is to provide our valued employees, their families, and loyal PAL retirees with a smoother, more streamlined, and user-friendly process for availing of their employee travel benefits. With iFly Staff, our employees can now book their trips anytime, anywhere with just a few clicks. We partnered with IBS Software to achieve end-to-end automation of our employee travel booking and administrative processes, introducing industry-best practices without compromising PAL-specific processes. Our PAL and PAL Express employees work diligently to deliver exceptional service to our customers worldwide, and they deserve a flexible and user-friendly travel experience. We also anticipate substantial savings in back-office work.” Vijay R Chakravarthy, VP & Head of iFly …

Travelport announced that it is One Global Travel’s preferred Global Distribution System (GDS) partner. As the only GDS provider to One Global, the international community of leading independent travel management companies (TMCs) formed by World Travel Inc. and Clarity Business Travel Management, Travelport will provide access to retail ready content and superior search, shop and servicing capabilities delivered through the Travelport+ platform. One Global TMCs will also benefit from Travelport’s complete New Distribution Capability (NDC) solution, which empowers agents and travel managers to easily compare offers side-by-side and seamlessly service NDC bookings for their travelers. “At One Global we are 100% committed to building trusted and transparent relationships with our suppliers that bring true value to our international community of TMC partners,” said Polly Smoothy, Global Supplier Partnership Manager at One Global Travel. “Travelport is our preferred GDS partner of choice to deliver a broad range of travel content and technology tools.” “Business travel expectations are changing drastically, and employees want the ability to book and manage their work trips quickly, easily and with more control. That is why we designed Travelport+ to help TMCs operate as modern retailers and give travelers more self-service options,” said Paul Broughton, Director of Business Development, EMEA and APAC at Travelport. “Our partnership with One Global will drive modern retailing forward in the corporate travel sector, providing TMCs, their clients and business travelers with greater personalization, more convenience and truly modern experiences.”  

Riyadh Air has signed a three-year strategic agreement with Accenture to help deliver its technology foundation and capabilities as part of its vision to be the world’s first digitally native airline. The initiative will enable Riyadh Air to operate in a new era of aviation with digital services at its core, using cutting-edge technologies such as cloud data and AI to help deliver a seamless travel experience for its guests and employees. The core enterprise system will enable the company to scale as it aims to offer over 100 destinations by 2030. Accenture will help set up Riyadh Air’s cloud-only infrastructure, cybersecurity capabilities, managed services and operations as the airline gears up for its launch. Adam Boukadida, chief financial officer of Riyadh Air, said, “As a digitally native airline, Riyadh Air will be at the forefront of innovation and technology, allowing us to deliver world-class service to our guests. There is a considerable amount of unseen work taking place behind the scenes enabling both our operations and user experience, with Accenture, as our strategic technology partner, helping us to deliver, secure and operate foundational capabilities.” Emily Weiss, senior managing director at Accenture and head of its Travel practice globally, said, “The launch of Riyadh Air is a landmark moment for the aviation industry as a whole; a brand-new airline that’s designed from the ground up, harnessing the latest technologies to create hyper-connected experiences that meet the demands of today’s, and tomorrow’s travelers. Drawing on our deep industry and digital expertise, we are proud to be collaborating with Riyadh Air to help shape the future of travel.” Boukadida added, “Accenture is pivotal in enabling Riyadh Air’s cloud-first strategy, and our unique …

Riyadh Air and IBM announced the signing of a strategic agreement in which IBM Consulting will be the lead systems integrator to support creating, building and orchestrating the technology foundation that can help the digitally native airline to offer exceptional and seamless travel experiences. Together, Riyadh Air and IBM Consulting have already created the airline’s digital and technology strategy. Now, Riyadh Air has selected IBM Consulting to support building the key business and technology capabilities that underpin the strategy. That includes implementing and integrating more than 50 airline industry solutions and core technology capabilities, including security, infrastructure, integration and data platforms, using a hybrid cloud approach. IBM will also orchestrate the work of over 40 partners by providing program and technical governance, project management, quality assurance, change and communications management and training. The collaboration is expected to help position Riyadh Air strategically within the broader ecosystem to offer digital innovations and exceptional experiences for travelers and guests. Riyadh Air aims to create a world class airline with personalized and seamless guest experience powered by AI and state of the art digital technology, taking obsessive care for details that create memorable micro-moments across the traveler journey. It also includes empowering employees with data-driven insights and new ways of working to help Riyadh Air better serve their guests. “Our ambition is to launch our first flight in 2025 and put Riyadh Air at the cutting edge of digital technology and innovation within the aviation industry, adopting the best international sustainability and safety practices to deliver an exceptional travel experience, for our guests locally and internationally,” said Adam Boukadida, Chief Financial Officer, Riyadh Air. “IBM Consulting will be our principal partner driving us …

Thynk announced the acquisition of ‘Please ask m’, a pivotal step in fortifying its hospitality cloud solution. This acquisition aligns seamlessly with Thynk’s strategic growth initiatives, aimed at providing hoteliers with an augmented suite of software to elevate sales and operations, deliver superior guest experiences, and harness actionable data-driven insights. Pascal Petit, CEO of Thynk, said: “The integration of Please ask m’s functionalities into Thynk’s hospitality cloud represents a confluence of aligned interests and core competencies. The fusion of these platforms is expected to significantly enhance our value proposition for hoteliers, facilitating increased revenue potential and operational efficiency.” Thynk’s hospitality cloud, recognized for streamlining hotel operations and leveraging data for insightful decision-making, will now be complemented by Please ask m’s robust revenue generation modules. This strategic addition ensures that hoteliers are not only equipped with top-tier operational tools but also with advanced mechanisms to identify and capture new revenue opportunities and improve the customer journey. Mark Struik, Founder of Please ask m, commented: “With Thynk we have a shared vision, one that sees beyond today’s constraints. The addition of our revenue generation modules to Thynk’s cloud ecosystem is like giving hoteliers a key to countless new doors of opportunity.” With this acquisition, stakeholders can anticipate a cohesive platform that addresses the multifaceted needs of the modern hospitality industry. Nils Scheers, COO of Thynk, added: “The integration process has been initiated with a focus on seamless transition and operational continuity. We remain committed to delivering consistent and enhanced value to our clients.” Thynk remains dedicated to its mission of providing unparalleled solutions to the hospitality sector and views this acquisition as a significant milestone in its journey towards industry leadership.

SITA and Fraport are enabling all airlines at Frankfurt Airport to jointly use face biometrics as identification from check-in to boarding the aircraft. Frankfurt is the first airport in Europe to offer biometric touchpoints to all airline passengers, enabling streamlined, frictionless passage throughout the airport. Using SITA’s Smart Path biometric solution, powered by NEC, your face becomes your boarding pass. Passengers can securely register in advance on their mobile device through the Star Alliance biometric app or directly at the check-in kiosk with their biometric-enabled passports. The whole registration process only takes a few seconds. Once registered, passengers pass through the facial recognition-equipped checkpoints without showing any physical documents. The new technology is already in use by more than 12,000 passengers at check-in, boarding pass control, and boarding gates. Pierre Dominique Prümm, Executive Board member Aviation and Infrastructure at Fraport AG, said: “Together with Lufthansa and the Star Alliance airlines, we have been offering this innovative service since 2020, an experience – with the help of SITA and NEC – which will now be extended to all airlines. We are the first European airport to offer all passengers a contactless and convenient passenger journey using biometrics. Our goal for the coming months is to equip at least 50% of all check-in kiosks, pre-security, and boarding gates with the new and pioneering technology.” David Lavorel, CEO of SITA, said: “We have seen that the more we can automate the passenger journey in the airport, the better the experience. Biometric touchpoints significantly speed up the mandatory steps in the airport, giving passengers more time to relax before the flight rather than waiting in line. We know from our research that where biometrics …

Travelport and Air India announced that they have extended and expanded their multi-year distribution agreement to include New Distribution Capability (NDC) content and servicing. The agreement further expands the collaboration between Travelport and Air India, confirming the future delivery of a complete NDC solution which will provide Travelport’s global network of travel agencies the ability to easily search, shop and service Air India’s product offerings. “Our valued partnership with Travelport is an important part of our growth and technology strategy as we prepare to deliver a complete solution that makes it easy for agents to access and service Air India’s content and offers,” said Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer at Air India. “Travelport+ will elevate our technology investment and the future roll out of NDC-sourced content, so that together, we can ensure agents and travellers have a seamless, modern retailing experience.” Travelport and Air India remain committed to providing travel agencies worldwide with more choices and a fast, easy way to search and book the best options that meet travellers’ needs. This renewed agreement between Travelport and Air India ensures that Travelport subscribers continue to have simplified access to Air India’s extensive network of destinations, which will continue to expand and evolve. “Our expanded agreement with Air India positions Travelport and our operator partner ITQ to continue driving modern travel retailing as the leading travel technology partner of choice for travel agencies in India,” said Damian Hickey, Global Head of Airline Partners at Travelport. “As part of Air India’s future technology strategy, our collaboration on NDC will be complemented by the superior retailing and merchandizing solutions available in Travelport+, which ultimately make it easier for agents to operate …

Amadeus’ Demand360® subscribers using the BEONx Revenue Management System (RMS) can now gain access to the in-depth, forward-looking market insights provided by Amadeus’ business intelligence solution in their RMS. Fluctuating demand and economic conditions brought on by the pandemic have highlighted the importance of revenue management systems and business intelligence within the hospitality industry. Having access to both historical and forward-looking data has become critical in enabling hoteliers to develop smarter, more informed business strategies. Going beyond the existing integration with iHotelier®, Amadeus, a global provider of hospitality technology solutions, and BEONx, a leading hospitality revenue management service provider, announce an extension of their partnership to bring comprehensive business intelligence to BEONx customers that subscribe to Demand360®. The integration will allow hoteliers using BEONx to gain access to Amadeus’ Demand360® business intelligence insights within their RMS. This will significantly improve a hotelier’s ability to understand market demand, historical and forward-looking business performance, and track results against their competitive set to best optimize revenue. BEONx hotels will also able to join Amadeus’ Demand360 network, strengthening the data available in that solution. “Expanding our partnership with Amadeus will better serve the interests of common clients,” said Rubén Sánchez, CEO and Founder at BEONx. “The two-way data exchange will enhance the revenue insights and competitiveness of hotels connected to BEONx and Amadeus by giving them improved visibility into market trends. It will also improve the BEONx algorithms that provide forecasting and inventory control systems capabilities to their participating hotels.” “With fiercer competition and leaner teams, revenue managers are often managing multiple properties now, rather than a single hotel,” said Michael Yeomans, Senior Vice President, Business Intelligence & Data Solutions, Hospitality, Amadeus. “This kind …

Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced a new technology agreement between affiliates of Hyatt and Sabre Corporation. Under this agreement, Sabre’s SynXis Central Reservation System will become the main Central Reservation System (CRS) for Hyatt hotels beginning in 2024. This integration will enhance Hyatt’s reservation capabilities, streamline its operations, and deliver a seamless and efficient experience for guests, including a faster search and booking process. The agreement comes on the heels of Hyatt’s announcement of Hyatt PrO to optimize its revenue management system. These innovations are done with the aim of enhancing Hyatt’s commercial technology stack, informed by listening to owners and operators. “All of our business decisions are driven by our purpose – we care for people so they can be their best – and that begins with empathy and listening,” said Eben Hewitt, chief information officer, Hyatt. “As part of our transformative growth journey, we heard directly from owners and franchise management companies that we had an opportunity to create a more efficient and streamlined Central Reservation System, and after a very thorough evaluation, we decided that Sabre would be the perfect provider for Hyatt’s global portfolio to make the search and booking process even better for guests.” By leveraging the SynXis Central Reservation System, Hyatt’s new system will be designed to make the guest search and booking process even smoother and increase visibility for property availability through: Flexible calendar search – Guests searching for availability will have a more intuitive and efficient calendar view, including key dates when special promotions are available, as well as when World of Hyatt members can redeem their points for the highest value. Enhanced rooms and rates view – Hotels will be able to …

Sabre Corporation announced the integration between Nuvola, its task management and guest engagement software, and the renowned messaging platform WhatsApp. Hotels using Nuvola’s Guest Chat module now have the option to choose between SMS messaging or WhatsApp to power their real-time communications with guests. With over two billion users across 180 countries, the integration with WhatsApp provides hoteliers with a powerful tool to offer a differentiated and seamless guest experience. Additionally, Nuvola recently launched a two-way integration with Sabre’s property management system, SynXis Property Hub. This new integration allows hotel staff to have a more holistic view of the traveler and run operations on-property smoothly. “Properties using Nuvola’s Housekeeping module and Property Hub can send real-time updates to ensure the front desk has accurate room status information, such as if the room is cleaned, and can seamlessly check in guests upon their arrival,” said Juan Abello, Vice President of Product Management at Sabre Hospitality and founder of Nuvola. “Furthermore, if the hotel incorporates Nuvola Guest Chat or the Angel guest app, the information exchanged between the property management system (PMS) and Nuvola has the potential to improve the guest experience and increase the hotel’s guest satisfaction score.” Abello added. SynXis Property Hub is the latest PMS addition to Nuvola’s list of PMS integrations. Nuvola already offers integrations with prevalent PMS providers such as Oracle Opera, SMS Host and Maestro, making it an attractive option for the global hospitality industry. Furthermore, Nuvola currently supports user’s interface in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese languages, enabling each staff member to pick the language they feel most confident using. Additionally, Nuvola is set to release French, German, and Japanese languages next …