Qantas Airways implements BagAssist with new web-service interface to Amadeus Altea for Australian ports

This strategic choice was combined with a brand new unique web-service interface to Amadeus Altea DCS that further automates data capture and quality by pre-populating to the maximum data entries.

SkyAssist, the Belgian provider of advanced niche IT software for the Air Transportation Industry, has welcomed some news customer for its product suite BagAssist, amongst others Qantas Airways, Luxair or SBA.

BagAssist, web-based thin client software, is the automated baggage handling solution for Lost & Found Departments and BagAutorush for Baggage Control Departments.

The BagAssist suite of products, unique in the market place, simplifys daily tasks to improve productivity. It is flexible and raises service quality for all handled airlines and passengers.

Baggage handling has generally been viewed as an end-of-chain, cost only department but with independent handling companies taking an ever increasing share of the baggage handling market, it has become crucial for these companies to differentiate themselves from competitors by delivering outstanding quality service to passengers and raising quality standards at a time when they are addressing greater airport security requirements.

The selection and deployment of BagAssist and BagAutorush by Qantas Airways management is a strategic decision that will not only enable delivery of improved services but will deliver a positive return on investment. The newly built-in web-service interface to Amadeus Altea DCS further enhances and automates data entries for the user to the maximum feasible by retrieving all passenger data from the system and pre-populating application fields with the available passenger and travel information.

BagAssist manages Lost and Found baggage processes as well as passenger status enquiries. It increases ground staff productivity and helps drive down unit costs. BagAssist delivers improved service quality to handled airlines and passengers looking to be reunited with their mishandled baggage as soon as possible.

Every day, thousands of passenger bags are mishandled by the airline industry and their owners want to be reunited with their bags quickly and expect their problems to be addressed as efficiently as possible, whether by airport authorities, ground handlers or airline representatives. To recover passenger loyalty at this difficult time it is crucial that resources work rapidly and in a flexible way, in order to meet passenger demands.

BagAssist, deployable as a web based application, is a great leap forward in the area of mishandled baggage and in addition to increasing ground staff productivity it delivers real time management information and helps reduce the costs associated with traditional telecommunication networks.

BagAssist, SkyAssist’s vanguard solution is integrated with SITA’s WorldTracer?, the worldwide standard for the tracing and recovery of lost luggage and automates processes for the follow-up of lost and found baggage. BagAssist automatically produces all the required documents for both passengers and agents and manages all information relating to flights, handling contracts, and delivery agreements, etc…

With its intuitive, interactive and friendly graphical user interface working from an Internet browser, it is very easy to learn and provides immediate access to a centralized database.

New technology is not forgotten, like with the Business-to-Customer modules allowing the passenger to partly take control on the baggage incident (while releasing some work pressure for the agents), with the kiosk declaration version or checking the baggage incident status on internet and preparing the delivery when the baggage has been found; and also the mobile approach with all modules available on PDA in order to have the agent staff treating the baggage incident where it occurs and therefore prevent unnecessary baggage movements within the airport area.

“Thanks to BagAssist, we now offer airlines and handling companies a baggage solution based on their current needs and processes”, explains Luc Trentels, Founder and General Manager of SkyAssist. “Our open systems approach, through the internet, and our philosophy that aims for simplicity and integration, allows our customers to save on the high costs of developing tools themselves and using traditional networks. The ease of use of BagAssist also reduces the learning process for ground staff while delivering an immediate increase in productivity. We are confident that these benefits will ensure many other companies in the industry will soon join our customer community.”

For more information, please check the website www.skyassist.com or contact: –

SkyAssist

Luc Trentels

Tel. +32 2 710 50 82

luc.trentels@skyassist.com