Star Alliance launches online conventions booking tool
Star Alliance, of which SAS is a founding member, has become the first global airline alliance to offer online booking and ticketing to convention delegates. The new booking tool allows the convention organisers to direct their participants to a dedicated online booking and ticketing site for all air travel contracted under Star Alliance Conventions Plus.
Christopher Korenke, Vice President Commercial, Star Alliance said: “The Star Alliance Conventions Plus booking platform is an integral part of our strategy to further enlarge the scope of our online distribution channel. We are proud to be the first airline alliance to offer convention organisers a simplified and streamlined manner of displaying available air travel options through the web, with delegates being able to book directly from the site.”
The new online booking tool complements the existing traditional fulfilment channels. Organisers can use the new tool to inform the delegates of travel options offered by the participating airlines for the selected convention. Delegates can then check real time availability and fares for their required itinerary, book the appropriate flights, and purchase the corresponding ticket.
A test phase of the tool with selected customers began in October 2011 as part of the Alliances’ presence at IMEX in Las Vegas. Roswitha Clement, Senior Manager Conventions and Meetings at Star Alliance commented: “We have now successfully completed booking and ticketing for several events using the new tool and the feedback we have received form customers is very positive indeed. By now making it available for all Conventions Plus travel requirements, Star Alliance further improves its product offer to this market segment.”
Conventions Plus
Star Alliance Conventions Plus has provided simplified travel solutions to event organisers for nearly a decade. More recently the product was extended beyond traditional conventions to include travel arrangements for major cultural and sporting events and tradeshows. Under Conventions Plus, organisers have access to the entire Alliance network through one of the member airlines, with the organiser also receiving a support programme which includes tickets and promotional assistance. In general, delegates are entitled to fare discounts ranging from 10 to 20 percent, depending on the type of fare, class of travel and airline used. Travel can be either in Business or Economy Class, and one companion per delegate may also travel on the delegate fare discounts. For further details on Conventions Plus please see: http://www.staralliance.com/conventionsplusFor more information, please contact:
Star Alliance Press Office
Tel: +49 69 96375 183
Fax: +49 69 96375 683
Email: mediarelations@staralliance.com
www.staralliance.comAbout Star Alliance:
The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognised by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Blue1, British Midland International, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways. Avianca-TACA, Copa Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines have been announced as future members. Overall, the Star Alliance network offers more than 21,000 daily flights to 1,290 airports in 189 countries.