We’ve done all the hard work, so you don’t have to! Read on for our top ten travel news stories we think you need to know today.
1. How helloworld is accommodating a new breed of travellers
helloworld is looking to take advantage of the increase in mobile spending, with live online chats, blogs, agent websites and more.
The online upgrade has started to roll out to its Independent agents including helloworld for business as well as its Affiliate and Concorde Agency Network.
New features are designed to help agents connect with clients and potential travellers through online tools.
2. Booking ‘Round the World’ just got easier
Quoting and booking ’round the world’ tickets just got a whole lot simpler, with Sabre’s new automated booking system.
The technology provider teamed up with airline alliance, SkyTeam and the Airline Tariff Publishing Company to launch a new standard for purchasing Round the World (RTW) and Circle Trip (CT) airfares.
Until now, when booking multi-destination RTW itineraries for travellers, agents had to manually add up the prices of each segment of a passenger’s journey.
3. More airlines adopt ‘Rule of two’
Image: Tyler Olson/Shutterstock
Emirates, Air New Zealand and Air Malta have become the latest airlines to introduce a new safety rule that requires two crew members to be in the cockpit at all times.
Airlines started implementing the change last week after investigations revealed Germanwings’ A320 Captain was intentionally locked out of the cockpit.
According to investigators, the co-pilot locked him and deployed a five-minute override before crashing the plane and its 150 passengers into the French Alps.
Lufthansa along with Air Canada, EasyJet, Fly Norwegian, Virgin, Air Berlin, Monarch Airlines and Thomas Cook were the first carriers to introduce the new rule.
Now, Emirates, Air Malta and Air New Zealand say they too will ensure that a crew member will wait in the cockpit when either the co-pilot or Captain need to step out.
“The safety of our customers, staff and aircraft is paramount and non-negotiable and this procedural change will further strengthen our protocols and mitigate any risk posed by one pilot becoming incapacitated while operating an aircraft.”
Captain David Morgan, Air New Zealand Chief of Flight Operations and Safety Officer
4. Introducing Digital Departure Cards
Are airports on the route to being completely paperless?
It seems that way.
Brisbane Airport says it is trialling Australia’s first ‘Digital Departure Card’ for international passengers.
If successful, the device will remove the need for hand written ‘outgoing passenger cards’ required for immigration purposes.
Developed by the gateway, the system works like this:
Guests download Brisbane Airport’s mobile app, which now allows passengers to enter and save personal information required for the Departure Card.
The information is then turned into a QR code, which they scan into kiosks at the International Terminal.
Guests fill out their information using the Brisbane Airport mobile app.
It then personalises and custom prints the card. Passengers sign it and hand it to Customs officers during the normal departure process.
Profiles can also be saved for future flights.
According to the airport’s CEO, Julieanne Alroe, the system was designed to streamline processing and reduce anxiety among non-English speaking travellers.
Upon successful completion of the trial, the Digital Departure Card prototype will allow performance measurement and the ability to refine the design for future large scale releases.
5. Industry rates in Thailand
Briza Beach Resort Khao Lak is offering Australia and New Zealand-based travel professionals the chance to stay at the four-star property from AU$85 a night.
The offer is valid in deluxe or deluxe pool view rooms for travel from 16 April to 31 October 2015.
The resort is a one-hour drive from Phuket International Airport and close to the Similan Islands.
Briza has received a TripAdvisor ‘Certificate of Excellence’ for the past three years.
To book please contact sales@ctmarketing.com.au.
6. Unexpected findings delay Solomons’ A320 return
Some ‘unplanned findings’ have delayed the return of Solomon Airlines’ A320 by two weeks.
The aircraft, which is being services in the Philippines, will now be returned on 13 April.
In the meantime, Solomons will continue to charter a Boeing 737-300 from Nauru Airlines for its four weekly Honiara-Brisbane services and weekly services to Port Vila and Nadi in Fiji.
General Manager of Operations & Commercial, Gus Kraus said that delay was caused by findings that required some parts to be ordered.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this situation may be causing our passengers but we do need to reiterate this maintenance program is a standard annual plan.”
The Boeing 737-300 is slightly smaller than the A320, however, Mr Kraus said he expects it to offer adequate seats until the Airbus can return.
7. Travelport hits the road
Travelport is going on tour around Australia to educate industry partners on a series of enhancements to its Travel Commerce Platform.
Some $600 million has been invested in the company’s platform, including new selling experiences that allow users to search with ease and up-sell.
The roadshow will travel to Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast.
Click on the city above for more information.
8. Agents invited to catch up on Ponant
Travel agents and interested guests are invited to get to know luxury expedition cruise line, Ponant at a series of information sessions.
The events will take place in five Australian cities and offer an overview of forthcoming voyages and itineraries.
Among the itineraries to be explored include the Mediterranean, polar regions, Caribbean and Asia.
Events are scheduled during April and May, with pre-event registration required to ensure confirmation as space is restricted.
Click here for more information on the event in Adelaide; Perth; Sydney; Brisbane; and Melbourne.
9. Air Canada plane comes off the runway
“We will fully cooperate with the TSB as it begins an investigation to determine the cause,” said Klaus Goersch AC’s EVP & COO 4/4 #AC624 — Air Canada (@AirCanada) March 29, 2015
Air Canada says it is ‘fully cooperating’ with investigators after one of its aircraft came of the runway in Nova Scotia, injuring 23 people.
Flight AC624 arrived a Halifax International Airport with some 133 passengers and five crew when it reportedly experienced some issues.
In an official statement, the airline said it cannot give further details on the cause of the accident just yet, but assured it is focused on finding the cause.
“We at Air Canada are greatly relieved that no one was critically injured. Yet we fully appreciate this has been a very unsettling experience for our customers and their families, as well as our employees, and we are focused on caring for all those affected.”
Klaus Goersch, Air Canada Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
While most of the injuries were minor cuts and bruises, two people are believed to have been rushed to the hospital for ‘urgent attention’.
The airline said those two people – one passenger and one crew – have now been released after observation and treatment.
10. Personal Travel Manager sells via social media
TravelManager, Nicole Edgar, recently hosted a ‘girls’ cruise’, where mums, sisters or girlfriends could get away for a long weekend of socialising, dancing, drinking, pampering, dining and entertainment.
An accredited ‘Master Cruise Consultant’, the idea of the trip was designed to promote her cruise specialty to clients.
She created a Facebook event page to promote the trip and let her social media network get to work.
“I didn’t know what to expect at first – maybe eight to ten ladies to book? I ‘tagged’ all of my female Facebook friends, and lots commented on the page, saying that they were interested, and what a great idea it was. Then their own Facebook friends saw the post and their comments, and the news spread rapidly.”
Nicole Edgar, TravelManager
In the end, Edgar received 25 bookings for her girls’ weekend cruise, 21 of which were from new customers.
She said a lot of girls commented on how much they enjoyed the trip and wanted to take their families with them next time.
Although Edgar’s approach was innovative and pro-active, her clients agreed that what set their holiday experience apart was Edgar’s attention to detail and personalised service once the cruise was booked.
And because she joined the cruise herself, Edgar was also able to keep tabs on her clients and ensure that they were being well looked after.
Three of her clients celebrated birthdays during the cruise, so Edgar flagged these birthdays in P&O’s reservation system.
Need to Know Extra: Man charged $7,000 for chasing crew member
A man has been ordered to pay $7,000 for causing interference on a plane over a reclined seat.
The 60-year-old man was flying from Miami to Paris on an American Airlines flight in August last year when the passenger in front of him moved their seat back.
This caused Edmond Alexandre to get mad. But it didn’t end there.
He admitted to grabbing and chasing a crew member after the individual tried to calm him, Seven News reported.
American Airlines then diverted the plane back to the US where he faced a federal judge last week.
Alexandre pleaded guilty to the charges and received one year of supervised release, a $1,000 fine and restitution of $6,303 to American Airlines.