Date: 06 Nov 2007
Recently Oman Air procured “Net Access” system from Sabre. This system enables to communicate within the network bypassing the legacy systems. Legacy systems are outdated, expensive and much less efficient compared to this internet based communication system. Net Access was initially meant to be used for Reservations only. With Oman Air internal efforts, they have been able to use it for the Agent Interact – a GUI Departure Control System as well, were system reliability is the key aspect.
Mr. Hamad Saif Al Harthy, senior manager reservations and global distribution who is the project leader that in Jaipur, we faced a site limitation for introducing Departure Control System and the much-needed e-ticketing facility. With our own innovation in communication technology and procedures, Net Access was installed and proved successful in Jaipur; something even system provider appreciated and requested to share the knowledge. Thus, Jaipur becomes the 12th station to implement e ticketing followed by Beirut.
Al Harthy added that Oman Air is keen on bringing in technology benefits to its valued customers and the rest of stakeholders. Explaining the benefits of e ticketing, he said that passengers have found this to be the most efficient, reliable and convenient system which leaves no risk of loosing a ticket. Passengers can now check-in by producing e-ticket receipt and an appropriate photo identification.
Customers can now manage their own bookings online 24 X 7 without calling a travel agent or airline representative. Corporate Communications & Media Department in Oman Air notified that the company is also proud to participate in saving thousands of acres of trees, which would have been destroyed to be used to print and process the paper tickets and thus contributing to the environment. Since introduction in September 2005, Oman Air uplifted over 1.03 million e-ticket passengers. They acknowledged that 13 of Oman Air destinations are e-ticket enabled.
Oman Air web (www.omanair.aero), Contact Centre and authorized travel agents are now capable of issuing etickets. Common e-ticket with other airline partners is last and final piece of e-ticket project. Started in November 2006, in a span of 10 months, Oman Air e-ticket can now be used with 12 major international carriers namely Alitalia, Delta Airlines, Emirates, Etihad, Gulf Air, Jet Airways, North West, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan and Swiss Air. Another 40 airlines are under various stages of implementation process.
By next summer (31st May 2008), International Air Transport Association (IATA) will be officially withdrawing the paper tickets from the industry and they will become antiques. Not only saving the paper, electronic ticketing allows airlines to record revenue and analyzes the patterns much more quickly. Earlier millions of paper tickets were collected at a central processing facility and each ticket was fed into computers for revenue recognition. Oman Air is committed to achieve 100% well ahead of the deadline, Corporate Communications & Media Department affirmed.