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Air Canada
Corporate Flight Pass
Air Canada Changes Air Travel Management Through Technology
Challenge
Corporations need to manage and forecast their travel costs. Airlines need loyal customers. The answer to both needs, Air Canada realized, was to offer custom-designed packages of airline flights to corporate customers.
Suppose that business travellers could subscribe to a certain number of flights instead of purchasing individual tickets? They could save time and money, and would know more accurately in advance what their travel budgets would be.
Moreover, if corporate travel managers had an easy-to-use online tool, they could track every purchase, booking, change and cancellation and so administer their companies' travel policies and practices.
Such an innovative idea would only be possible by strategically applying information technology in a new way.
Solution
Corporate Flight Pass was introduced in 2006 as a Web-based service that offers corporate customers the convenience to self-manage their travel, either in the form of pre-purchased banks of flight credits or fixed monthly subscription rates that provide for unlimited flights. Corporations, large or small, can log into the service at www.aircanada.com and purchase multiple one-way flights for use by multiple employees whenever they fly domestically or between Canada and the U.S.
Travellers, increasingly accustomed to online booking, Web check-in and real-time flight updates, now have enhanced flexibility. They can book, change or cancel flights in one or two minutes online, without the need to shop each time for the best available fare.
Corporate travel managers have a real-time management tool with full self-service capability to authorize employee access, make special arrangements for meals or seat upgrades and choose from various payment methods. If they wish, they can designate a travel agent to help them book flights and manage the Flight Pass program.
To make this service work, Air Canada had to significantly change its legacy systems. It modified its reservation system so that a Flight Pass, unlike a conventional airline reservation, contains flight credits, which can be added to or subtracted.
The Air Canada Information Technology team, working with the marketing group and IBM Global Business Services, created a Web application called the Admin Console to enable authorized corporate travel managers to administer their policies, dynamically access reports and effectively predict travel budgets.
Results
The Flight Pass is implemented by using SOMA (service-oriented modelling and architecture) methodology from IBM. The Flight Pass business process and service engine is based on Websphere V6.1 software.
Built on open-standard Web service technology, Flight Pass services can be enabled from any channel anywhere in the world.
Air Canada was recognized in 2007 by the editors of Air Transport World as the airline industry leader in market innovation, and specifically for using online technology to meet consumers' needs.
A 2007 CIPA Winner!
For excellence in applying information technology to transform processes and bring benefits to its stakeholders, Air Canada has been awarded a 2007 CIPA Silver Award of Excellence in the Innovation, For Profit category.
Technology Partners
IBM Global Business Services
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