Even before COVID-19, touchless travel was in high demand; waiting in line to check in baggage is no-one’s idea of a good time. But due to recent events, touchless travel has become even more relevant, going from a luxury to an essential service for many that are looking to fly now.
In a recentsurvey conducted by Amadeus, more than four in five travelers said technology—and more specifically touchless technology—would increase their confidence to travel in the next twelve months. In fact, two of the top three things travelers would most like technology to do when thinking about travel is reduce queues and congestion in public spaces (38%), and minimize face-to-face or physical contact with others (31%).
That’s why Amadeus is excited to partner with two emerging companies serving the airline industry that are making waves in touchless technology:BAGTAG andiCoupon . Each play a critical role in different parts of the travel journey, and these collaborations will be key in improving traveler confidence and the overall experience in the months to come.
BAGTAG streamlines baggage check-in
BAGTAG aims to replace paper luggage tags that need to be printed at the airport with a reusable electronic device using e-paper, that can be easily prepared and attached to suitcases by travelers at home. Once passengers do their online check in, they will receive an electronic version of their baggage tag that syncs with BAGTAG’s device. For travelers, the benefits are clear: BAGTAG eliminates the need for passengers to go to a kiosk, have an agent print tags and handle their baggage to stick them on. Beyond improving traveler safety and speeding up the check-in process, these electronic bag tags are more secure and result in less lost baggage. This can reduce check-in staff and queues by up to 90%, a big win for both passengers and airlines.
Thanks to this new collaboration with Amadeus, airlines using Altéa DCS can now quickly integrate BAGTAG with a specially designed plugin – transforming an integration process that used to take up to one year, into just a couple of weeks. Any Amadeus airlines that uses self-service check-in will be able to seamlessly integrate this solution into their workflow. And BAGTAG is already in high demand:Lufthansa was one of the first airline groups to integrate its electronic bag tags, and at least 20 airlines have asked us to help with BAGTAG integration in the past year.
BAGTAG’s solutions work with any electronic baggage tag or piece of luggage, and helps airlines reduce costs, improve the traveler experience, reduce environmental impact and reduce staff needs at check-in counters. For Amadeus, this collaboration was a no brainer.
“BAGTAG has been around for a while now, but thanks to Amadeus, and the speed with which it helps us integrate with airlines, we will be able to make contactless travel more accessible to passengers all over the world.” - Jasper Quak, CEO, BAGTAG
iCoupon makes traveler compensation a breeze
You know what travelers hate even more than having a flight cancelled or delayed? Waiting in line for compensation, and then trying to find airport vendors which will accept their paper or virtual card vouchers. With iCoupon, airlines can eliminate traveler queues and the paper or virtual card voucher processes which can be ineffective, slow or difficult to implement.
iCoupon allows airlines to automatically and remotely apply credit to the barcode in passengers’ boarding pass. Credit can be applied to all travelers on a flight or just one, and they will be notified over SMS or email so they know how much compensation they have access to, and how to use their boarding pass to access food or beverages at the airport. With physical distancing not always feasible at airports, this means passengers will have one less thing to worry about during a disruption and can avoid gathering in crowded spaces. Airlines also benefit by reducing staff stress and demand from having to manage upset passengers. In addition, the airline only gets invoiced for what the passenger actually spends (up to the voucher value). Already, more than 93 airlines at over 130 airports rely on iCoupon around the world.
“Our relationship with Amadeus drives real value to passengers, and I’m confident that this partnership will help iCoupon innovate with a growing number of airlines more easily and quickly in the future to improve the passenger experience even more.” - Richard A. Bye, CEO, iCoupon Global Limited
Both companies are proving to be invaluable at a time when touchless and automated technology is playing a critical role in restoring traveler confidence to deliver a worry-free experience.
In order to recover from the turmoil of the past 12 months, the entire travel industry needs to find ways to collaborate, innovate, and adapt quickly. For Amadeus, partnering with such players are critical to that effort. Working together, we’re confident that we can reinvigorate travelers to hit the skies again.
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