Amadeus e-Travel is offering offers Air Canada’s online customers a level of fare transparency and pricing options which it claims has never before seen in the airline industry.
Air Canada’s customers can add on more options to the purchase of their ticket with respect to changes and refundability, by selecting greater levels of frequent flyer points accumulation and/or choosing to purchase lounge access.  Travellers can also decrease the price of their ticket by not checking baggage or declining to change their ticket.

With the implementation of these new merchandising strategies in November 2006, Air Canada has been able to increase the percentage of transactions booked online by creating a more transparent and flexible user experience.

In a study on online booking, Forrester Research Inc. Vice President, Airline and Travel Research, Henry Harteveldt writes: “Travellers who want to buy an unrestricted fare on one leg of an itinerary and a restricted ticket on the next leg are out of luck on most airline and travel agency websites.  However, the internet shines a big, bright, glaring light on pricing strategies, so airlines must examine what the consumer will view as nonsensical and correct any inconsistencies that exist.”

According to Charles McKee, Vice-President, Marketing, Air Canada: “We are making it easier than ever for customers to choose only the products and services they want with pricing that is transparent and understandable.  By coupling our branded fares with an à la carte option on our website, we are providing our travellers with an unprecedented ability to find the best value for their individual requirements.  Amadeus has proven to be a solid technology partner throughout the years of our partnership by consistently delivering quality, innovative solutions, which have enabled us to continually enhance our web merchandising programs.  Amadeus has supported Air Canada in meeting our very aggressive goals for on-line growth. ”

Jér™me Destors, Commercial Director, Amadeus e-Travel pointed out:  “Since 2004, Amadeus has been fully committed to delivering the innovative solutions required by Air Canada to succeed online.  We understand that it is essential that leading airlines deliver the same participative and tailored service that customers have come to expect from online retailers such as Amazon. Amadeus product attributes has become one area of differentiation for leading airlines. We have significantly invested in our online merchandising and servicing capabilities, and we will continue to do so, to ensure that the capabilities we offer deliver increased yield and a best-in-class online experience for customers.”

Currently, over 70 of the world’s leading airlines use the Amadeus e-Travel Airline Suite, a complete Software-as-a-Service model, to power over 250 websites in more than 80 markets.  Amadeus e-Travel airline customers include Air Canada, BMI, Air France, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Qantas and Singapore Airlines.

Breaking Travel News is producing the daily newspaper at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference on the 28th to 30th March in Dubai at the Madinat Jumeirah.

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