Abacus Showcases Travel Solutions and Services @ Conference in Vietnam

Abacus unveiled its Next Generation Point-of-Sale (POS) at the 7th Abacus International Conference in Vietnam.

The new desktop workspace operates on a fast, future-ready open platform that offers greater dependability and flexibility to simplify complex operations and allow for faster start-up times. Its new features will both significantly optimise agents? workflow and increase productivity during reservation and ticketing.

?The enhanced release has the added capability to shop by fares, flight or total price both in a graphical or emulator mode. In addition, the individualised scripting tool ensures consistent and error-free input, allowing increased agent productivity and improved business efficiencies. Managing customer needs and expectations will become easier with a feature-rich profile system,? said Vice President of Marketing Abacus International, Brett Henry.

Around 500 participants from Asia?s most influential travel organisations attended the three-day conference in Ho Chi Minh City where they were able to view Abacus? mobile, productivity tools and online solutions such as Abacus WebStart for mobile, Abacus Mobile, Abacus VirtuallyThere and TripCase.

 ?With the increase in mobile usage for travel, we are pleased to offer a range of solutions to travel agents that are more convenient, innovative, reliable and efficient, ahead of the innovation curve to improve the way the travel industry works,? Mr. Henry added.

Abacus WebStart's Internet booking engine is another solution that helps Abacus? customers to capture new revenue opportunities online.

?As the travel industry continues to move at an accelerated pace, agencies will need to proactively retool their businesses to gain a competitive edge in the market. Abacus solutions will provide them with a good head start,? said Mr. Henry.

See other recent news regarding: Airlines, Airports, Awards, Flights, Codeshare, Lounges, First Class, Business Class, MICE, GDS, Rewards, Miles, Hotels, Apartments, Promotions, Spas, Yoga, Retreat, New Hotels, Traffic, Visitor Arrivals, Cruises, Interviews, Free Deals, Videos, POS, Abacus, Travel Agents, Saigon, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, Solutions

View the original article here

SIA Cargo to Launch Services to Tokyo via Bangkok and Taipei

SIA Cargo is to launch new freighter services to Tokyo Narita via Bangkok and Taipei to offer freight forwarders and exporters greater convenience in shipping their cargo.

SIA Cargo will operate two new freighter services a week between Singapore and Tokyo via Taipei from 19 October 2010, continuing into the peak year-end season.

A third weekly freighter service via Taipei to Narita will start on 6 November 2010.

SIA Cargo will also mount new direct freighter services from Bangkok to Tokyo Narita with effect from 3 November 2010. The twice-weekly services will operate every Wednesday and Friday.

SIA Cargo?s parent company, Singapore Airlines, will also be operating new twice-daily passenger services between Singapore and Tokyo Haneda airport from 31 October 2010, complementing the existing twice-daily passenger services to Tokyo Narita.

Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan are major trading partners and these additional freighter services will enhance the movement of manufactured goods, electronic devices, food products, machinery and computers between these markets.

?We are pleased to mount new freighter services between these four cities in response to demand for capacity and we look forward to the support of our customers,? said Mr Tan Tiow Kor, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing.

See other recent news regarding: Airlines, Airports, Awards, Flights, Codeshare, Lounges, First Class, Business Class, MICE, GDS, Rewards, Miles, Hotels, Apartments, Promotions, Spas, Yoga, Retreat, New Hotels, Traffic, Visitor Arrivals, Cruises, Interviews, Free Deals, Videos, SIA, Singapore Airlines, Cargo, Tokyo, Bangkok, Taipei, Singapore

View the original article here

Absolute Hotel Services signs U Hotel in Doha, Qatar

Thailand-based Absolute Hotel Services is expanding its U Hotels & Resorts brand with the signing of its first hotel in Doha, Qatar.

The 120-room U Le Mirage Doha, which is scheduled to open in August 2011, will feature 78 superior rooms, 36 deluxe rooms and 6 suites with room sizes ranging from 33 square meters for superior rooms to 66 square meters for suites.

Each room will offer guests luxury bedding with deluxe amenities including a LCD flat screen television, a comfortable lounge area, wired and Wi-Fi internet access along with a work desk fitted with an iPod and iDocking station.

U Le Mirage Doha will also feature a 24-hour multi ethnic restaurant, a caf? with a deli and an exquisite roof top lounge.

Guests have the option of keeping fit in a state of the art fitness centre with views of the Doha skyline or simply unwinding in the pool which has an outdoor Jacuzzi. Guests can also relax and rejuvenate at the traditional spa facility equipped with two single en-suite treatment rooms, a Turkish bath, sauna, an indoor plunge pool, Jacuzzi and a Vichy shower treatment room.

The hotel caters for meetings and social events with 280 square meters of floor area allocated specially for three meeting rooms and a boardroom. A fully equipped business centre with a library will be located adjacent to the meeting rooms providing guests the convenience of PC stations and internet access.

?We are delighted to announce the expansion of the U Hotels & Resorts brand into the Middle East. Doha is an alluring blend of culture and contemporary lifestyle which aligns perfectly with our brand essence. We are confident U Le Mirage Doha will be an iconic flagship marking the commencement of our aggressive expansion into the region. In the near future, we will be announcing four new hotels under the U Brand umbrella for the region? said Mr. Jonathan Wigley, CEO of Absolute Hotel Services Co. Ltd. ?U le Mirage Doha will be very popular with those who seek character, convenience, efficiency and uncomplicated services in a hotel; yet want to be inspired and cared for by genuine hospitality. Our unique brand attributes and services namely the 24 hours use of the room, breakfast whenever wherever, free Wi-Fi and more will be some of the many key demand and differentiating drivers for this beautifully designed hotel. Undoubtedly, U Le Mirage, Doha will prove itself to be the quintessential business and social destination for the city of Doha.?

See other recent news regarding: Airlines, Airports, Awards, Flights, Codeshare, Lounges, First Class, Business Class, MICE, GDS, Rewards, Miles, Hotels, Apartments, Promotions, Spas, Yoga, Retreat, New Hotels, Traffic, Visitor Arrivals, Cruises, Interviews, Free Deals, Videos, Absolute Hotel Services, Doha, Qatar

View the original article here

Boeing Launches InFlight Optimization Services

Boeing is introducing new subscription-based services to help airlines save fuel and increase environmental efficiency.

The InFlight Optimization Services are designed to be implemented within current air traffic and airline operating procedures using existing communication channels. No regulatory changes and little to no new equipment is needed. The services, Direct Routes and Wind Updates, provide up-to-the-minute information to airlines and their flight crews, enabling adjustments en route to account for weather and air traffic control status.

"We are bringing to market easy-to-implement solutions to help our customers reach new levels of operational and environmental efficiency by reducing cost, fuel use and CO2 emissions," said Sherry Carbary, vice president of Flight Services, Commercial Aviation Services, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "As part of our commitment to offer lifecycle solutions to our customers, we are now providing real-time flight efficiency advisories."

Direct Routes automatically alerts an airline's operations center and flight crew every time a simple, more fuel-efficient path opens up along the intended route of flight. To increase the likelihood of air traffic controller approval and to keep workload to a minimum, the advisories are pre-checked for traffic conflicts, wind conditions, established airspace constraints and other factors.

Initial Boeing projections show that Direct Routes can save more than 40,000 minutes of flight time per year for a medium-size U.S. airline - the equivalent of operating hundreds of flights that use no fuel and produce no emissions.

Boeing collaborated with NASA, Continental Airlines and Southwest Airlines in the development of Direct Routes to ensure operational viability and assess the benefits and shared details of the project and its findings with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The service leverages NASA technology for advanced software algorithms.

Boeing's second InFlight Optimization Services offering, Wind Updates, increases fuel efficiency and improves aircraft performance by sending datalink messages directly to the flight deck with real-time, flight-customized wind information. These messages enable the airplane's flight management computer (FMC) to recalculate flight control inputs based on more accurate and precise information.

Currently, if flight crews obtain wind data prior to departure, that data can be as much as 12 to 20 hours old as a flight approaches its destination. Inaccurate and limited weather data can prevent airplanes from operating at optimum speeds, altitudes and trajectories. Wind Updates delivers a fleet-wide solution using existing onboard equipment and requiring minimal investment.

Boeing projects potential savings of 100 to 200 pounds (15 to 29 gallons or 55 to 111 liters) or more fuel for the descent portion of a typical single-aisle airplane flight and is conducting operational trials with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Alaska Airlines.

Both services will be available beginning in 2011.

See other recent news regarding: Airlines, Airports, Awards, Flights, Codeshare, Lounges, First Class, Business Class, MICE, GDS, Rewards, Miles, Hotels, Apartments, Promotions, Spas, Yoga, Retreat, New Hotels, Traffic, Visitor Arrivals, Cruises, Interviews, Free Deals, Videos, Boeing, Inflight

View the original article here