In the news: AirAsia’s move to klia2, Amadeus powers Lufthansa’s revamped website, booking Outrigger on the go, TripAdvisor’s 100 milion downloads
AirAsia ends impasse with airport operator, agrees to move to klia2
AirAsia will move to klia2, Malaysia’s new airport for low cost carriers, by May 9 thus ending a stand-off between the airline and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), the country's airport operator that also built the international terminal in Sepang.
The low cost carrier had initially refused to move to klia2 when the current Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) closes on May 9 until certain safety issues and other concerns including its functionality and security are addressed.
The controversial klia2, ready to start operations on May 2, has been hit by numerous delays, construction problems, reports of alleged cracks on the runway and cost overuns. Its opening date has been moved at least five times, from September 2011 to the May 2 date.
The airport's initial budget, when it was first announced in July 2007, was only RM1.7 billion but ballooned to more than RM4 billion (US$1.23 billon) due to cost overruns, additional cost to a change in job scope and “other unforeseen matters”.
According to the joint statement issued on April 15 by AirAsia executive chairman, Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, and AirAsia X Bhd chairman, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, the airline’s about-turn decision was due to the Malaysian government enlisting the expertise of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to further evaluate KLIA2 and to determine the long term safety of the new airport.
“This decision reflects the priority that the government is giving to the issue of safety, and assuring the public that klia2 is safe. We are very grateful for this priority that the government has placed on this issue,” they said.
AirAsia’s earlier stance of staying put in the current LCCT even after May 9 had led Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak telling the airline it had to move to klia2 and that the government, through MAHB, was prepared to listen and discuss with it any problems over the transfer.
Despite agreeing to operate from klia2 AirAsia, however, said that there were "a few outstanding commercial issues" still pending in the move to the new airport, but “this should not hold back our operations at klia2 as planned.”
The low cost carrier added the group has been making all the necessary preparations to move into the new airport in line with the Operational Readiness and Transfer (ORAT) specifications, such as airside and operations trials.
“With Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd assistance and support, we would be able to comply with the ORAT requirements to facilitate our move,” said Kamarudin and Rafidah.
They added ongoing discussions with relevant authorities were in progress.
“However, should the negotiations not be completed or concluded expeditiously, we hope the government will be able to provide necessary mediation in order to enable MAHB to get its dues as the airport operator; and at the same time, enabling the AirAsia group to efficiently operate based on our proven low cost carrier business model through reasonable charges and levies.”
Five airlines – Malaysia’s Malindo Air, Philippines’ Cebu Pacific, Singapore’s Tiger Airways, Indonesia’s Lion Air and Mandala Airlines - will start operating at klia2 on May 2. AirAsia (plus AirAsia X) will be the anchor tenant accounting for more than 80% of the new airport’s traffic.
According to Datuk Azmi Murad, MAHB’s senior general manager of operations, klia2 is "not a low-cost terminal, but the airlines that utilise it are low cost". Located next to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, It is capable of handling about 45 million passengers a year. – Corinne Wan
Simpler, more personal online shopping experience with Lufthansa’s revamped website
Lufthansa, Europe’s largest airline and Germany’s flag carrier, has chosen Amadeus to power its brand new shopping, booking and re-booking web pages with its suite of next generation e-commerce solutions.
Lufthansa.com, which receives over 210 million visitors per annum, now has a completely revamped shopping and booking flow, which will streamline the purchasing experience for travellers with improved navigation and transparent pricing information.
The new site has been designed to significantly enhance the airline’s merchandising capabilities across both its domestic and international business.
Travellers will now benefit from bespoke recommendations for and access to a far wider range of travel options than before, based on their specific areas of interest. They will also receive personalised offers focused around their frequent flyer status, choice of city pair and country of residence and includes advanced seat reservations, car hire, rail tickets or ancillary services such as an exit row seat or extra leg room.
These new functionalities will enable travellers to plan their journeys according to their own preferences in a single, integrated shopping experience, with the focus on simplicity at all times.
The partnership with Amadeus also enables Lufthansa to dynamically evolve its online content based on specific parameters such as the time or season of the year, or a particular occasion such as St Valentine’s Day, adapting its offer accordingly.
Julia Sattel, SVP airline IT for Amadeus, said, “Advanced merchandising and personalisation capabilities are increasingly important to airlines worldwide, and twenty-first century travellers expect to be able to shape their travel itineraries according to their particular tastes.”
.Book Outrigger on the go with its new mobile website
Travellers can now book rooms at Outrigger Hotels and Resorts on the go with its smartphone-optimised website powered by Mobify.
The mobile website provides up-to-date property information and the latest package, as well as special offers at 35 Outrigger properties across Asia Pacific, Oceania and the Indian Ocean.
"As people spend more time on their mobile devices, we recognised the need to give our customers a more convenient way to browse our properties and make reservations on the go," said Dan Wacksman, senior vice president of global distribution at Outrigger Enterprises Group.
"The launch of our new mobile website marks another step taken in our strategy to provide a truly seamless vacation experience for our guests," he added.
The new Outrigger mobile website is a highly-visual, interactive tool designed to improve the path to conversion for its visitors. It allows customers to find and book the perfect property by swiping their way through photos, videos, amenities and services. Travellers can plan their trip all in one place with a few simple taps.
Igor Faletski, Mobify chief executive officer. added, "Mobile growth in the hospitality industry continues to accelerate. Outrigger's incremental approach to mobile web optimisation allows them to scale and be flexible as landscape and customer behaviour shift.”
TripAdvisor hits 100 million downloads
TripAdvsor has reached the mobile milestone of 100 million downloads for its free iPhone and Android app.
The number of downloads more than doubled in the past year and is up 6x from 2011.
According to data from Distimo, a leader in business intelligence and app market data, TripAdvisor is now the most popular travel app based on total App Store downloads¹.
“As travel planning has shifted from something you do ahead of time to something that’s possible anytime, the TripAdvisor mobile app has become the essential companion for millions of travellers,” said Stephen Kaufer, president and CEO of TripAdvisor.
“Reaching the milestone of 100 million downloads is evidence that travellers worldwide are benefitting from the TripAdvisor community’s reviews and opinions, wherever their travels may take them.”
TripAdvisor's apps are available in 21 languages, and are available to download at the iTunes App Store or Google Play.