Air France reports it has adopted Amadeus Airline Ancillary Services (AAAS) to distribute its ancillary offering to travel agencies. As of June 5, 2012, the solution is available in France, where travel agents can now offer Seat Plus for their customers with EMD (Electronic Miscellaneous Document). Seat Plus enables travelers to book a seat with more legroom during long-haul flights.
AAAS enables Air France to sell services across all its channels, including its website, ticketing offices and travel agencies.
“Air France wants to offer a consistent service to our customers regardless of how they book with us,” said Jean Wieviorka, Air France VP corporate and distribution. “Thanks to the Amadeus solution, our customers can select SeatPlus when purchasing their ticket on airfrance.com or with any travel agent, or add on the service to their booking at any time before departure.”
"We are seeing significant momentum behind our Ancillary Services solution as more and more airlines worldwide are unbundling their product and want to provide a consistent offer to their customers regardless of the sales channel," says David Doctor, director, distribution marketing, Amadeus. "Travel agents have a growing opportunity to reinforce their role as consultants to the consumer as they gain efficient access to more and more airline ancillary products."
Forty-four airlines have signed up for Amadeus Airline Ancillary Services to distribute ancillaries through at least one of their sales channels.
In the travel agency channel, 16 airlines have signed to sell ancillary services using the Amadeus solution and six are currently selling ancillary services in key markets including the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, Amadeus says.
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