Airways Improves Online Services

Airways Improves Online Services
Airways finally discovers full potential of the internet

Airways International newly appointed Executive Vice President for Commercial Pruet Boobphakam made its first official media appearance last Friday. With an important announcement: Thai Airways will finaly use internet to sell its fares, a decision taken as part of a new strategy to raise $2.96 billion in revenues this year through simple but effective marketing action.

Let’s be fair: Thai Airways (TG) has had a website for many years. And people could book fare on line. However it consumed a lot of time and energy. “The site is extremely inconvenient with at least four to five clicks before accessing a fare. The range of fares was very limited with no flexibility according to travelling dates. Our customers could generally find cheaper fares in their travel agencies or even at our sales’ counters. I want the customers to be able to find immediately the fare they are looking for. In fact we will take AirAsia as a model for the simplicity of their booking engine” explains Boobphakam.

Asked why Thai Airways is finally moving into e-fares in 2009 when most of its competitors did it five years ago, Boobphakam says only that now it's history. The new EVP Commercial confirmed to have instructed marketing teams around the world to be prepared for a complete flexibility in fixing air fares. “A working group has been put in place early September to monitor fares in every market we service. I expect the website with our new fare structure to be fully operational for the winter season, by the end of October. I have also instructed our country managers to take responsibility for immediate commercial decisions. They can at any time ask our new Air fare management team to react overnight with competitive prices,” he says. Boobphakam targets internet booking to bring 20% of all revenues instead of 3% to 4% for the time being.

M. Boobphakam will also look at ending double standard for promotional fares on domestic routes. Regularly posters in Thai languages advertise at TG counters in airports about a special available fare… however targeting only locals. “ For me all passengers are equal and deserve the same treatment”, promises Boobphakam.

Meanwhile, TG wants to strengthen its branding and be again a first choice for customers flying into Southeast Asia and beyond. Bangkok hub will be beefed up this winter with Oslo and Los Angeles flights becoming daily. Bangkok-Johannesburg will be reopened for the summer season in March 2010 with a code share being studied for flights to Brazil from Johannesburg.

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Special low fares for Jet Airways' Mumbai-Bangkok flights

Mumbai: Jet Airways has announced a special economy class one–way fare of INR 4388 to mark the launch of its Mumbai - Bangkok service 9W 68, a second frequency to the Thai capital, effective August 16.
Jet Airways' guests may avail of this fare, specifically introduced for them, applicable only on outbound travel on 9W 68, from Mumbai to Bangkok, with an option to choose any other flight on the return Bangkok – Mumbai sector.
This fare is valid for sale with immediate effect until August 5, whilst outbound travel must commence on or before October 15.
Jet Airways has also re-introduced a special Premiere fare of INR 25000 (one way) valid for sale and travel with immediate effect until September 30, on this second frequency.
With the introduction of this flight, Jet Airways' leisure and business travellers now have a choice of flights to Bangkok either late at night or in the afternoon and return in the evening or the following morning.
Jet Airways currently operates a fleet of 83 aircraft, which includes 10 Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, 12 Airbus A330-200 aircraft, 47 next generation Boeing 737-700/800/900 aircraft and 14 modern ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft. With an average fleet age of 4.57 years, the airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleet in the world.
Flights to 64 destinations span the length and breadth of India and beyond, including New York (both JFK and Newark), Toronto, Brussels, London (Heathrow), Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Dhaka, Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Jeddah.

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Hilary is back with bang after Asia tour: NYT

NEW YORK - After being supposedly sidelined at home due to a broken elbow, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s increased visibility during her recent visit to India and Thailand has brought her back into the political limelight, says a New York Times editorial.


At every stop on her week-long trip, Clinton delivered the same message: “The United States is back,” but according to the editorial what she was hinting at that she was back.

Her unexpected statements about Iran, North Korea and Myanmar not only made headlines, but also solidified her position as America’s chief diplomat and most reliable celebrity, trailing President Obama only in terms of star power.

Her recent comments on world’s most sensitive issues even prompted her aides to issue clarifications. She had warned about nuclear links between North Korea and Myanmar. And she offered a rare glimpse into what the United States might do if Iran did not respond to Washington’s diplomatic overture.

In Bangkok, Clinton batted away suggestions that she had been marginalized. She said, it was a canard propagated by the media, which jumped on the fact that her recovery from an elbow injury had forced her to cancel two foreign trips, including one with Obama to Russia.

“I’m not with the president on the trip and all of a sudden everybody goes, ‘Oh, where is she? She’s gone, disappeared,’ ” Clinton said in a tone of mock horror on a TV show.

Hilary’s interviews in India reveal how she resisted Obama’s initial job offer and gave him names of people she thought would be suitable candidates. Obama told her he needed her and his persistence wore her down.

“He gave me an enormous amount of authority as Secretary of State, and really everything I asked for so that I could do the job that he wanted me to do,,” she said, “and I was running out of excuses.”

Now, back in the business, Clinton seems determined to continue with her breakneck schedule back home. On Friday, she scheduled a full day of meetings, including one with the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. On Sunday, she is to appear live on a “Meet the Press” to discuss various issues.

And next week, she will be the co-chairwoman of a high-level meeting with Chinese officials, along with Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner. (ANI)

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