Leapnet has designed, developed and deployed a new custom Web-enabled booking engine for Cathay Pacific Airways. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
As the prime contractor of the project, Leapnet implemented the Amadeus 1A-Res XML product to create an Internet Booking Engine (IBE) on the IBM WebSphere platform using Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs), Java Server Pages and other java technologies. The new IBE enables customers to efficiently access fares and purchase tickets on cathaypacific`s flagship Web site, where travellers can also exchange Asia miles for tickets on Asia`s very first awards fulfillment site.
Designed by Leapnet to expedite future developments and complement the site`s existing look and feel, the sleek architecture offers a user-friendly interface with the ability to retrieve more information, provide simpler and faster navigation and offer a smoother process.
Meanwhile, Leapnet has collaborated with Amadeus to design, develop and deploy a premier European hotel Web site. Called “andbook” the site is the first initiative to arise from the joint venture between Accor, the Forte Hotel Group and Hilton International.
In October 2000, Amadeus introduced Leapnet to the ‘andbook’ project with Leapnet, in turn, implementing the BroadVision One-To-One eBusiness applications to build a robust and flexible IBE on an Oracle 8i back-end platform that effectively ties together a multitude of third-party data. The resulting IBE seamlessly creates the framework for European business and leisure travellers to obtain demographic information, review maps, check on worldwide hotel availability, and reserve rooms with the value-added capacity to continuously modify their selections through personalised accounts.
In addition to originating the information architecture, content design and strategy, and navigation tools, Leapnet appealed to andbook`s global reach by teaming up with Planet Leap to translate the site into three key languages, English, French and German.
Subsequent phases will see the site develop into a comprehensive integrated booking solution including third party room stock, flights, car hire and other complementary services to provide a “self booking tool” primarily aimed at the SME market.
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