COLIN BAKER LONDON
Airlines and their customers will soon be able to gain access to wireless application protocol (WAP) services though local calls into industry network provider SITA's network. At the same time, SITA expects its interline e-ticketing service to be in operation by the summer. This is potentially a major boost for the global use of WAP phone use and could lead to savings of 40% or more.
The service, called Global WAP Access, will enable both airline staff and customers to operate their WAP phones abroad at local call operating rates. At the moment users have to make international calls to their own domestic network even when making a local call in a foreign country. The service will initially be available in 22 countries, including the UK, France and Japan and will be available in the USA later this year.
In addition to the obvious benefits to frequent flyer customers and corporate customers, the service will also allow airline staff to access their company Intranet system.
SITA notes that one of the most common complaints from WAP users is the slow connection time. By using its fully digital system, SITA claims that users will now be able to make connections in 10-20 seconds, compared to the 45-75 seconds with a normal analogue system. "Our fully digital network path improves connection stability along with reduced transit delays," says Leo Dowling, SITA's vice president marketing.
Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and SITA expect their global interline e-ticketing service to be in use by the middle of this year. The two partners hope that the system will stimulate the widespread adoption of e-ticketing.
The system is being beta-tested and several major airlines have already expressed an interest. E-ticketing has suffered in the past through the lack of a common system for interlining.
The partners estimate that cost savings of $4 per ticket in the USA and $8 per ticket in international markets are available. IATA estimates that 44 of the top airlines account for 95% of interline coupons. By 2005, e-ticketing is expected to achieve 50%market penetration.
Meanwhile, Star partners Lufthansa and SAS have introduced joint e-ticketing on flights between Germany, and Scandinavia.
Source: Airline Business
