The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and the Business Travel Coalition (BTC) have rejected emphatically the claim by IATA that the new "standard" it has developed for retail distribution was the "culmination of 12 months of intense coordination across the value chain with participation from airlines, global distribution systems, the travel agency community including online travel agencies and IT providers and their respective trade organizations." ASTA president and CEO, Nina Meyer said that: "The claim of participation by 'the travel agency community' and its 'trade organizations' is...
EVA Air has launched a new global web site with an "upgraded, more user-friendly interface."According to officials, the redesign simplifies functions and presents information in a fresh, appealing format so that it is easier to read and navigate. It also groups all of EVA's special deals and travel-product sales in one location, right on the homepage. Now, a http://www.evaair.com visitor can more quickly find what they need with the click of a button. EVA's redesign features a cleaner design, uses fewer banners, simplifies services such as online booking and organizes product information by...
While the Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA) and the Association of Retail Travel Agents - Canada (ARTA Canada) rarely see eye-to-eye with IATA, the two agency associations say they believe that IATA's New Distribution Capability (NDC) will "embrace travel agents and listen to their input and concerns." In a statement, the two associations said that the NDC will create a set of open XML standards to modernize airline retailing by enabling innovation in the way airline products are distributed, and making possible personalized offers to passengers who will have access to all airline...
Qantas Airways has introduced a number of enhancements to its international Business service designed to help customers get a better night's sleep. Key among the improvements to the business class cabin is a new sleep service that sees a mattress placed over the existing Skybeds on international flights, and customers offered duvets instead of blankets, for extra comfort. Business class customers will also enjoy exclusive Kate Spade New York and Jack Spade amenity kits, and have more control over their dining experience, with Select on Q - Eat, a service enabling customers to select from a...
Qatar Airways is the only five-star airline providing daily flights from Montreal to Doha. From Doha, Canadian passengers can connect seamlessly to destinations across the Middle East, India, Pakistan and Southeast Asia. One lucky Canadian travel agent will win two roundtrip tickets on Qatar Airways from Montreal to anywhere within Qatar Airways' network of more than 100 destinations worldwide. For your chance to win, submit roundtrip ticket sales on Qatar Airways originating in Montreal between Oct. 15 and Nov. 20 to http://promo.baxter.net/contest/Qatar.asp . The contest closes Nov. 30. The...
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has signed a new codeshare agreement with the Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia. The agreement, which comes into effect on Oct. 28 is the airline's 42nd codeshare. In the first phase of the partnership, Etihad will place its "EY"code on Garuda Indonesia's services between Jakarta and Denpasar (Bali), and Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. Subject to regulatory approval, Garuda Indonesia will place its "GA"code on Etihad Airways flights from Jakarta to up to 31 destinations in the GCC, Levant, Africa, Europe and North America....
Air Canada is boosting its capacity on regional routes across Western Canada this fall and winter to meet demand. The airline will also be gradually introducing new state-of-the-art Bombardier Q-400 Next Gen aircraft operated by Air Canada Jazz under the Air Canada Express brand on key markets from Calgary and Edmonton beginning next year. "Air Canada is increasing capacity this fall and winter on key regional routes reflecting strong demand within Western Canada, the centre of the country's energy and resource industries,"said Marcel Forget, Air Canada's vice-president, Network Planning....
The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and Business Travel Coalition (BTC) are disputing claims by Tony Tyler, CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that the development of the "New Distribution Capability"(NDC) was being conducted in open and transparent collaboration with all segments of the travel industry that would be affected by it. Nothing, says ASTA and BTC officials, could be further from the truth. "ASTA sees nothing in the IATA process to create NDC that resembles full and open transparent collaboration with the travel agency community,"said Nina Meyer,...
A new international terminal has opened at the largest airport in The Bahamas as part of a $409 million project. The 226,000-square-foot terminal at Nassau's Lynden Pindling International Airport opened Oct. 16. A new US departures terminal opened in March 2011, while a new domestic and international departures terminal and a domestic arrivals terminal is scheduled to open in late 2013. The additions will allow the airport to handle five million passengers a year, up from three million. The airport will also be able to accommodate 12 US aircraft, compared to the current five, and have six new...
Travelport and Aeromexico have launched a new global full content agreement. The new multi-year deal secures full access to all of Aeromexico's published fares and seat inventory - including fares available on its web site, and through its reservation offices and third parties - for all Travelport-connected travel agents and subscribers globally, including all offline travel agencies and online agencies booking through Travelport. The new agreement also includes a common framework to provide enhanced Aeromexico functionality to Travelport's agents, such as the addition of merchandising...