Amadeus this week announced several new handheld mobile device services through its E-Travel Management self-booking system, including an itinerary management tool, messaging capabilities and the ability for corporate managers to review and approve employee travel reservations. The downloadable applications for Windows Mobile, BlackBerry and Symbian mobile device operating systems will be Available this summer.
The Amadeus Mobile Partner application stores traveler itinerary information and can communicate pending trips for approval. Traveler profiles from the E-Travel Management tool will carry over to the mobile application itinerary, according to Amadeus head of product management for corporate and distribution channels Jean-Noel Lau Keng Lun. The software is included in the pricing for E-Travel.
Another component of the E-Travel Management mobile service is a basic short message service for corporations to send notifications to travelers.
By implementing downloadable applications as opposed to Web-based mobile tools, itineraries and other services are available with no network connectivity, eliminating network roaming charges.
Amadeus also released an add-on itinerary and location-specific messaging service using technology from U.K.-based third-party mobile software provider ConTgo. The software can deliver specific content and messaging to travelers' mobile devices based on their itinerary attributes and can help corporations track travelers through SMS and deliver targeted security alerts and other advisories. The Mobile Travel Assistant with ConTgo requires a separate service contract.
While mobile phone operating systems are becoming more complex and there is still fragmented operating system usage among corporate travelers, the single common denominator is SMS, Lau Keng Lun told
EuroBTN. "It's convenient and widespread. You don't need advanced technology for it. If you want to have something that is widely used in the business travel arena, you have to have that."
This is not Amadeus' first foray into mobile technology development. In March 2008, the company released its CheckMyTrip IPhone Web-based tool for the Apple operating system and last summer launched a Web-based version of E-Travel Management for the IPhone and Itouch.
This February, Amadeus expanded its operating system development efforts when it joined the BlackBerry Independent Software Vendor Alliance Program enabling it to build downloadable applications for BlackBerry smart phones.
Meanwhile, in a joint effort with airport technology provider IER, Amadeus is experimenting with a new model for mobile boarding passes. In April, the company commenced a mobile boarding pass testing phase with Air France and the Nice Côte d'Azur Airport for flights on the Nice-Paris Orly route. The testing phase is for passengers who are members of the airport's Club Airport Premier Program and Air France's frequent flyer program.
Unlike other mobile boarding pass technology, which primarily use 2D barcodes in Europe and abroad
(EuroBTN, April 16), Amadeus' initiative uses Near Field Communication-enabled technology that provides travelers digital boarding passes when they swipe their handheld devices across a reader at the airport. NFC technology allows the system to work even with the phone off or out of battery power. Such technology powers many mobile payment software services.
Travelers with NFC-enabled mobile phones loaded with frequent flyer information can be identified at the airport through an on-screen identifier or sticker on the phone. The digital boarding pass can be screened at NFC-enabled airport security systems, self-service kiosks and boarding gates.