Air Travel

Question:

>>Hi

[stuff deleted...] >Also, while you’re at it, how about redesigning your aircraft >communications systems so they are not sensitive to the teeny >radio waves alleged to be emitted by laptops, thus requiring the >crew to forbid use of laptops during takeoffs and landings and even, >sometimes, for the hour or so you have to sit in an airplane at the >gate and before taxiing?

How ’bout redesigning your laptop, walkmen and other favourites so that they don’t emit those radiowaves anymore…? I actually don’t believe a playing walkman emit radiowaves though, but that might be another interesting subject. Just my HFL 0.02 … Roy Cambridge Technology Partners, Inc. Apollolaan 15, 1077 AB Amsterdam, The Netherlands Tel: +31-(0)20 575 0567 / FAX: +31-(0)20 575 0500 Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Response:

George, thanks for your posting … I were working for an airline, introducing it on Internet, I would start integrating the airlines’ (a) seat-pocket in-flight magazine with the (b) reservation system on Internet — a system that integrates booking and reservation technologies with the Internet media system of exchanging information. — What I expect from any airline that wishes to have the best and most novel Internet service: 1. Cooperation with other airlines What I find annoying on the net, is that most airlines sell themselves alone, which makes general overview information hard to obtain. I would love to see, for instance, the European Airlines Association set up a service that would serve all its member airlines. 2. Extensive schedule and reservation info Any airline that would sponsor the publishing of some flight information of OAG/ABC/Reed standard on the net, would go far ahead of others. This is already done in the airlines’ printed timetables, of course giving bias to the own airlines’ services, but still also including others.   It should further be possible to view the current reservation situation of certain flights, even though booking a flight could be a restricted passworded service, until security problems are solved. 3. Edited and updated news The WWW page should also contain independent news gathering about the airline business, its strategies and new features. This info should be compiled with editorial responsibilities, independence and freedom. 4. Enthusiasts included The airline enthusiasts should have their say on the Internet service. Their input of (somewhat trivial and curious) infor- mation still keeps up a public interest for the business and for air travel. — erkki P.S. Really looking forward to what British Airways comes up with. Lufthansa’s and KLM’s appearance on the Net is quite lousy. Jan-Erik Andelin          * phone +358-15-575 4137 06650 Hammars, Finland    * WWW http://www.clinet.fi/~andelin/

Response:

>I believe Virgin has a WWW homepage, as does Aer Lingus – as for others, >yep they’re a little slow. >Here in Oz, Ansett has a new homepage while Qantas relies on a SFO based >travel service for theirs

Where is the new ANsett homepage? — Dept of Surgery, Uni of Sydney, Australia  | Voice:          61+2-351-3851 Personal opinions only…                  | Fax:            61+2-713-8486

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United’s web site is not yet ready, however they are strongly on CompuServe with their United Connection product. FYI -richard — Richard A. Muirden, Sys. Admin |Fan of Shostakovich, "Star Trek" and BOEING! Phone: (+61 3) 9660 3814       |I created alt.fan.shostakovich! Fly: UA,AN,WN http://www.rmit.edu.au/richard |Can *YOU* beat my 113 Shost CD’s?  "If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going!" * "I pity all of us who must fly Airbus!"     * 1995: Remembering 20 years since the death of Shostakovich (1906-75) *

Response:

>Hi >I work at an airport within the UK and have been trying to do a little >research on information that can be found on the Internet regarding >airlines.

… >I believe that in the US some airlines do offer a service on the internet >and would be most interested if anybody could let me know what information >they can provide.  Flight schedules, ticket information, reservations etc. >Of course, I could be wrong as I usually am.  :)

Not just in the U.S.; but elsewhere as well. Have you tried doing a web search on the key "airlines" or "air travel"? >I would even very much appreciate if you would perhaps give some input on >what services you would like to see an airline company provide.

We would like to see phone jacks (to plug portables into) in airport lounges. Some of us are members of Delta’s Crown Room airport lounge program, and in MOST Delta lounges, you ask the attendant where you can plug your laptop into a phone jack and you get a very blank look. In the few lounges of Delta’s where this is even possible, they have cleverly arranged the wiring in the room so that there is no a.c. power outlet anywhere NEAR the available phone jacks, with the outstanding consequence that you either have to drain your battery or lug along an a.c. extension cord. Also, while you’re at it, how about redesigning your aircraft communications systems so they are not sensitive to the teeny radio waves alleged to be emitted by laptops, thus requiring the crew to forbid use of laptops during takeoffs and landings and even, sometimes, for the hour or so you have to sit in an airplane at the gate and before taxiing?

Response:

United Connection on CompuServe is too cumbersome and limited. Do not waste time on it. The next release, hopefully this winter, might present a decent application. — Zafrir

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> Where is the new ANsett homepage?

You can access it at: http://www.iac.net/~flypba/net.airlines.html — Gordon Karel Werner <URL:http://www.iac.net/~flypba>

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Hi I work at an airport within the UK and have been trying to do a little research on information that can be found on the Internet regarding airlines. I have been surprised to find that no UK airline has access to the net for either staff or customers, except perhaps an isolated terminal in a senior executive’s office.  The companies I’ve checked include BA, BA Express (Loganair, Brymon etc), BM, Air UK, Business Air and Servisair (handling agent) to name a few. I believe that in the US some airlines do offer a service on the internet and would be most interested if anybody could let me know what information they can provide.  Flight schedules, ticket information, reservations etc. Of course, I could be wrong as I usually am.  :) I would even very much appreciate if you would perhaps give some input on what services you would like to see an airline company provide. I’m really just curious because in the age of increased computerisation and many business flyers using notebook PC’s hooked up with GSM digital phones, there is bound to be a lot of business potential for an airline company who looks ahead? Thanks for your time – Any comments welcome. George.

Response:

George, I believe Virgin has a WWW homepage, as does Aer Lingus – as for others, yep they’re a little slow. Here in Oz, Ansett has a new homepage while Qantas relies on a SFO based travel service for theirs regards les

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Southwest is on the WWW at  www.iflyswa.com

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check out…. http://www.iac.net/~flypba/oal.html I got links to all the airlines and more there FlyPBA — Gordon Karel Werner <URL:http://www.iac.net/~flypba>

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Newsgroups: rec.travel.air > I work at an airport within the UK and have been trying to do a little > research on information that can be found on the Internet regarding > airlines. > I have been surprised to find that no UK airline has access to the net for > either staff or customers, except perhaps an isolated terminal in a senior > executive’s office.  The companies I’ve checked include BA, BA Express > (Loganair, Brymon etc), BM, Air UK, Business Air and Servisair (handling > agent) to name a few. > I believe that in the US some airlines do offer a service on the internet > and would be most interested if anybody could let me know what information > they can provide.  Flight schedules, ticket information, reservations etc. > Of course, I could be wrong as I usually am.  :) > I would even very much appreciate if you would perhaps give some input on > what services you would like to see an airline company provide. > I’m really just curious because in the age of increased computerisation and > many business flyers using notebook PC’s hooked up with GSM digital phones, > there is bound to be a lot of business potential for an airline company who > looks ahead?

Virgin Atlantic has launched its web site, and everyone interested in this subject is waiting to see when and what British Airways will do, for this may well point the way for a radically different way of selling seats.  Other carriers on the Net include Southwest, American, United, Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa. There is no question that airlines are very interested in cheap selling via the Net as they are unhappy about high distribution costs (I once saw a figure of 50 dollars a ticket, but I don’t have verification).  An encryption process has now been developed to provide security against hackers of credit card transactions, which means that bookings could begin.  At the moment, CRSs such as Sabre and Worldspan are targeting home shoppers on the Net, and they no doubt hope that they can increase their bookings.  However, two of the casualties of the new age of electronic marketing on the Net may well be the CRSs themselves and viewdata if they are be unable to withstand the force of the airlines’ own product launches on the Net. BTW, one interesting backward step is that the increasing use of the Net will return participating agents to the bad old days when they had to go to a different terminal for each airline.  A benefit, of course, of a CRS is that all availability is displayed together. On the subject of what airlines should provide, then I have a one-word wish list: usability.  Anybody who can deliver a system which looks as if it were a product of the 1990s rather than the 1960s will definitely get my vote. Concord World Travel, 278 Wightman Rd, London N8 0LX Tel: +44(0)181 3428400 Fax: +44(0)181 3480822 Concord World Travel is fully bonded and licensed (ATOL 3735) by the Civil Aviation Authority in London.

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