Air France and KLM boost online miles redemption with Amadeus Award Calendar
Loyalty program users can redeem award miles online and across other SkyTeam partners
Madrid, Spain, July 17, 2007 -- Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry, today announces that Air France and KLM have successfully launched the Amadeus Award Calendar solution, to make redemption of award miles more convenient for their frequent flyers on both www.airfrance.com and www.klm.com. Amadeus Award Calendar is part of the Amadeus e-Service Solution, a full post-sales e-commerce service package, specifically designed to enable airlines to enhance customer loyalty levels, reduce costs and increase yield.
Using the new award calendar functionality, Air France and KLM frequent flyers can easily identify the flights and dates where they can redeem their accumulated miles. If their chosen date is unavailable, a two-month calendar display highlights alternative options. Furthermore, plans to rollout to additional SkyTeam airlines in the coming months means frequent travelers from ‘Flying Blue’ - Air France and KLM’s joint online loyalty program - will be able to experience the calendar to redeem seats on flights of SkyTeam partners.
According to Jean-Michel Mathieu, Director, e-Business, Air France, “We are making it easier than ever for our frequent flyers to manage their entire journey online, and allowing them to redeem award points is a critical facet of their overall experience on our website. The Amadeus Award Calendar has increased the number of online award bookings, resulting in not only an enhanced service but also increased efficiency. By working closely with Amadeus, we have been able to integrate and launch the solution on time and to specification, beyond our expectations.”
By increasing the number of award bookings being made online, Air France and KLM greatly improve the user experience for their customers. According to Philippe Der Arslanian, Director Airline Direct Channel, Amadeus, “The online environment is increasingly competitive and securing the loyalty of frequent flyers, who demand the highest level of service both on and off-line, is business critical. The Amadeus Award Calendar removes the frustrations that have historically been associated with the redemption of award miles, by providing a simple and transparent user interface.”
Air France joins a number of global airlines offering their passengers the benefits and convenience of the Amadeus e-Travel airline suite. Currently, over 70 of the world’s leading airlines use the Amadeus e-Travel Suite to power over 250 websites in more than 80 markets. Amadeus e-Travel airline customers include Air Canada, British Midland, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, KLM, Qantas, and Singapore Airlines.
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About Amadeus
A world-leading technology and distribution solutions provider, Amadeus delivers unparalleled expertise to the travel and tourism industry, including leading-edge solutions that cover airlines’ unique business needs, independent of their size, business model or market reach.
Amadeus’ pioneering new-generation Customer Management Solution (CMS) portfolio, Amadeus Altéa CMS, serves network and regional carriers. The Altéa portfolio, based on a pioneering community platform concept, enables improved operational efficiency and increases revenue. The portfolio consists of the Altéa Reservation, Altéa Inventory and Altéa Departure Control solutions.
Low cost carriers also have a specific CMS for LCCs - based on adaptive technology and already used by carriers in Europe and the USA, that provides robust options that easily adjust to their evolving operational requirements.
Further complementing these integrated IT solutions is the Amadeus e-Travel Airline Suite. Over 70 of the world’s leading airlines use the Amadeus e-Travel Airline Suite to power over 250 websites in more than 80 markets.
Other standalone IT solutions include: Amadeus Revenue Integrity solution, Amadeus Ticket Changer, an automatic ticket reissue tool, and a full range of ticketing solutions; including e-ticket interlining and ground-handling management technology services. More information about Amadeus’ solutions for airlines is available at: www.amadeus.com/airlines.
