A survey by Plog market research of Germany reveals that 25 per cent of air seats are being ticketed electronically. Business travellers are the biggest users of e-tickets, with 17 per cent using e-tickets.
Amadeus e-tickets
Amadeus announces the launch of its electronic ticketing service, Amadeus ETS.
By mid-2000 the service will permit carriers to introduce electronic ticketing. Finnair is the first airline to sign up for ETS.
The new system will mesh with existing reservations technologies, and will allow airlines to utilise external expertise rather than investing in their own infrastructure.
ETS will also make it simple for airlines to share ticketing systems with their alliance partners.
Going, going, gone!
Travel companies will be able to create auction websites using technology now on offer from IBM.
The product permits the addition of an auction site to existing websites, and will make it possible for travel companies to control the sale of 'perishable' product at market demand prices.
Website watch
Emirates Holidays has a new website with coverage of over 1,000 vacations. Point your browser to www.emirates-holidays.com.
Swiss-Belhotel's website (www.swiss-belhotel.com) offers information and reservations for the Swiss-Belhotel Changchun, in Jilin Province, PRC, the Hanoi Horison Hotel, Hotel Ciputra Jakarta, Hotel Ciputra Semarang and the Linden Suites in Manila.
Travellers and the travel trade can now meet up on line. Tour operators, agents, airlines, cruise operators and others can reach customers via www.wwwtravel.com
US carriers Continental, Northwest, Delta and United are establishing the first multi-carrier Internet site.
By mid-2000 the site will allow surfers to compare prices from practically all airlines world-wide. It will be online by mid-2000.