Travelport expands e-ticketing in Africa
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Langley, UK, 29 March 2010 - Travelport is expanding the convenience of e-ticketing to Galileo-connected users in Africa, with approved travel agents for six African and European airlines now able to issue and amend e-tickets in five countries where a bank settlement plan (BSP) is not available.
Travelport’s Electronic Transitional Automated Ticketing (ETAT) system provides agents and airlines with an efficient way of reconciling ticketing outside of the BSP. This streamlines the process for travel agents while providing airlines with a cost-effective, additional avenue to sell air tickets which can be easily issued and amended.
ETAT has now been rolled out for Brussels Airlines in Angola, the Gambia and Burundi, just months after it was first implemented for the airline in Rwanda. Both RwandAir and Kenya Airways have also adopted it in Rwanda and Burundi. Kenya Airways was the first airline to offer Travelport’s ETAT solution in Africa in June 2009.
South African Airways, TAAG and Brussels Airlines also offer ETAT to its agents in Angola. Paul Botes, distribution manager at South African Airways (SAA), commented: “SAA is delighted that products such as ETAT exist, which enhance an airline’s footprint in non-BSP markets on the African continent”. ETAT is also the e-ticketing solution for TACV in Cape Verde.
Khalid Alkhalidi, director supplier services for Travelport GDS in the Middle East and Africa, said, “We are making great strides in rolling out this functionality with the support of our distributors in the various countries across Africa - we hope to announce this availability for even more airlines in more countries in coming months.”
Alkhalidi continued, “ETAT offers a practical, effective, win-win solution in countries where there is no BSP or standard ticketing process. It relieves airlines and travel agents of a tremendous administrative burden and the associated costs and in turn, customers benefit from faster, more flexible ticketing.”
Jimray Nangawe, e-ticket project manager at RwandAir, concluded: “The ETAT solution has lowered our distribution costs and assisted in the management of travel agents sales in non-BSP markets. We have already seen an increase in passenger numbers from non-BSP countries and we have received positive feedback from many of our esteemed passengers.”
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