Airline Bookings System to See Major Revamp

Planning a long trip involving multiple flight bookings can be a lengthy, complicated and inflexible process. However, Alex Mans, CEO of the travel tech company Flyr, claims that the technology to introduce greater flexibility already exists. 

In a recent statement, Alex revealed that his company aims to transform airlines from traditional reservation system operators into modern digital retailers, functioning more like Amazon and Spotify.  The new feature Flyr is looking to introduce to flight bookings is not entirely new. In fact, it is something we are already familiar with, a virtual shopping cart.  

Just as Amazon and other online retailers offer a shopping cart, Flyr plans to incorporate a similar element into the airline booking system, which has traditionally followed a very linear process. Shopping carts would allow passengers to book multiple flights simultaneously and enable individuals within the same booking to select different seat classes, baggage allowances and preferences such as priority boarding. 

Flyr is also collaborating with industry leaders including Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport to develop the next generation booking systems. These companies are helping airlines move beyond legacy PSS (Passenger Service System) technology towards more advanced “offer and order management” systems. 

The revamped system promises a more personalised and flexible booking experience, allowing passengers to easily modify or refund purchases themselves, and to buy more than just flights. 

A major trial of these new systems is expected to take place with the launch of Riyadh Air later this year. The Saudi-based carrier, which partnered with Flyr, will launch without PPS technology, making it the first airline to do so.