This month:
Smaller airlines conquer Interline ET!
Despite issuing less than 50,000 tickets monthly through the BSP, Bangkok Airways punches above its weight on Interline ET. With 39 implementations to date, comfortably in the top 50 airlines worldwide, what can other carriers, whether small or large, learn from Bangkok Airway's approach?
To find out, StB asked V.P. Marketing, Peter Wiesner for a few tips.
"Like many regionals, we will live or die by our ability to continue our major interline relationships. From the outset we've dedicated the resources necessary to get our interline ET project complete by the deadline. Our foundation is a list of carriers we definitely want to do an IET with and others we would if an opportunity arose in our schedule. We keep contact using the IET Matchmaker and follow up with phone and e-mail. The key to our implementation approach is flexibility and readiness. We do everything to keep our near term implementation schedule full. If one partner delays, we re-contact carriers scheduled for later and see if we can move them forward. Similarly, if opportunities arise with others carriers we make every effort to implement. We will get coverage of 98% of our interline issuance within the original deadline of end 2007."
So Bangkok Airway's achievement shows that, given the right approach, being smaller is no barrier to a rapid and thorough interline ET project.
BCBP standard is extended for use on mobile phones!
The Joint Passengers Services Conference (JPSC) has just approved extending the BCBP standard for use in mobile phones.
Mobile phone check-in enables airlines to send 2D bar codes directly to a passenger’s mobile phone or PDA. Passengers simply register their mobile number at the time of booking to receive a text message with a 2D bar code. The bar code becomes the passenger’s boarding pass and it is read directly from the screen of the mobile device, eliminating paper completely from the check-in process.
Thus far, airline global applications for mobile phone technology have been restricted due to different regional formats. The IATA standard uses existing codes: Aztec and Datamatrix which are used extensively in Europe and North America; and QR which is widely used in Japan. All three are proven technologies and can be read by a single scanner type that is cost effective and readily available globally. More...
Towards 100% BCBP - Airports take note!
The Joint Passenger Services Conference has recently made two important decisions that will enable the industry's shift towards 100% BCBP and away from costly ATB2 paper and related equipment.
- In alignment with the IATA Board of Governor's mandate for 100% BCBP, the JPSC has adopted the 2010 sunset deadline for mag stripe encoded boarding passes into the ticketing resolutions thereby formally signaling the end to mag stripe encoded ATB2 boarding passes.
- Carriers will now be able to include a 2D bar code in the ET itinerary receipt enabling passengers to get a quick and direct access to the check-in transaction at the kiosk. By scanning the bar code on the itinerary receipt the kiosk application will identify the passenger and its flight and immediately show the corresponding flight details and options. The passenger is then only one click away from his/her (bar coded) boarding pass. This was possible through changes/additions to Resolutions 722f and 722g
Useful postings on the StB Extranet
- CEO reports: From this month on, find your airline's status for all StB projects along with specific information regarding your airline's progress with ET on a monthly basis.
- Contacts: Ever wondered who in your airline has access to your airline's confidential documents? You can now view approved users in the Contacts page of your StB extranet page. Please have your StB Champion notify your local IATA contact of any changes.
Project News
ET
- Global ET penetration reached 88% in September. For more information read the project update.
- Interline ET: There are a total of 2157 IET agreements between 234 different carriers having at least one IET agreement. Download the list of TOP 50 Carriers by Implemented IET's.
BCBP
- 90 airlines are BCBP capable! More details in the BCBP project update.
- Find out what airports is IATA visiting to discuss their BCBP implementation plans. Find the details on the StB Extranet BCBP page. Make sure to brief appropriate station managers in case they would like to join the meeting.
- Read the updated BCBP DCS Survey
- Read what the world press had to say about BCBP for mobile phones!
IATA e-freight
- The EDI MIP Handbook is now available! This useful guide will allow stakeholders understand the overall advantages and means of communicating electronically and provides standards available and the advantages of complete and accurate EDI Message exchange.
- IATA e-freight is on track to pilot e-freight in 5 locations. Stay tuned for more news!
- Find out who is participating in the Message Improvement Programme (MIP).
CUSS:
- 80 airports are offering CUSS compliant kiosks worldwide! More details here.
Events:
- Information technology is both the determinant and the enabler of current developments in the air transport industry. Recognising the importance of IT, the IATA Air Transport IT Summit will attempt to answer pivotal questions such as:
- How to achieve industry goals as it moves to simplify the business whilst staying in the game?
- How to position IT strategy as a key component of a company’s overall business strategy?
- StB's Bryan Wilson, ET project Director and Paul Behan, CUSS Project Manager will be presenting at the IT Summit! Visit our external events page to see where StB will be speaking at next!
Contact us to share your comments,
questions and ideas!
The StB Global
Team
|
