Lao Central Airlines, Amadeus ink global distribution agreement
Lao Central Airlines, Amadeus ink global distribution agreement
A leading global travel operator, Amadeus, has inked a contract with Lao Central Airlines Public Company (LCA) to promote the airline's operations via its international agencies.
Amadeus Asia Limited and LCA cosigned the contract in Vientiane on Friday. The agreement will allow Amadeus to provide travel agents worldwide with complete access to the airline's entire range of fares, domestic and international schedules and inventories.
The landmark agreement provides for Amadeus, a widely recognised active global distribution system, to offer LCA products and services. The airline began domestic operations earlier this year, followed by the recent launch of its international routes on May 3, according to a press release.
“We are proud to be partnering with Amadeus, making LCA's content available to the Amadeus network of over 91,000 travel agents and providing us with true global distribution,” LCA's CEO Ms Savanhphone Phongsavanh said at the signing ceremony.
“Through the agreement, Amadeus subscribing agents across the world will have complete access to our content enabling them to provide comprehensive travel options to their customers.”
Travel agencies worldwide will access LCA content through the Amadeus sales programme, the most widely used retail application for travel professionals.
Agents will obtain booking connections to LCA content, allowing the Amadeus network to access in real time the airline's schedule and availability information while communicating directly with the airline's inventory system when making a booking and receiving instant confirmation. The carrier will also implement the Amadeus e-ticketing system.
Airline Group Amadeus Asia Pacific Vice President, Mr John Chapman, said “We are excited to now offer LCA content to the global Amadeus community and are particularly pleased to have additional content in the growing Lao aviation market.”
“Today's airline industry is highly competitive and a new and expanding carrier like LCA will benefit from Amadeus's extensive global network of travel agents, placing them on a platform alongside established international airlines.”
Ms Savanhphone said Laos is becoming an increasingly active member of the global travel community with air transport links in and around the country critical to the nation's development.
“We commit to supporting that development with rapid growth strategy including plans to introduce two additional jet aircraft to the fleet by 2014,” she added.
Established in May 2010, LCA is the first privately-owned airline in Laos to operate commercial services, both domestically and internationally. Amadeus is a leading transaction processor and provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel and tourism industry. Customer groups include travel providers, travel sellers and buyers.
vientiane times
