JEDDAH, 2 August 2006 -- Saudi Arabian Airlines announced yesterday that it was expanding its electronic reservation and ticketing services. Khaled Al-Mulhim, its director general, also said that the airline would soon finalize an agreement with a courier firm to deliver tickets and boarding passes to passengers within 24 hours of a passenger's request. He said Saudia would establish a link with travel agencies through an automatic delivery system and provide them with machines to issue boarding passes. The travel agencies will be allowed to issue boarding passes for domestic flights in the first phase, he added.
"The new program will be introduced very soon," the director general said in a press statement, adding that it would facilitate travel on Saudia flights and allow the airline to provide its clients with quick and efficient services.
Once the new program is introduced, clients will not need to visit Saudia offices to make reservations or purchase tickets or receive boarding passes.
"We will sign an agreement with a courier company to deliver tickets and boarding passes to our passengers at their permanent addresses anywhere in the Kingdom within 24 hours," he pointed out.
Mulhim said the airline had decided to introduce the new electronic services as part of its efforts to make use of e-trade and electronic applications to improve and market its services. "We have so far invested more than SR25 million on this." He said Saudia considered travel agents fundamental partners. "We'll supply machines to issue boarding passes to selected travel agents based on their merit. This program will be approved this month so it can begin by the middle of next month," he added.
He disclosed that some 25 travel agents in Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam would have the facility by the middle of September this year. He also indicated the possibility of expanding this service to other travel agents.
Yousuf Abdul Qader Atiyya, assistant vice president for client services, said Saudia passengers who made their reservations through the Internet would soon receive more services and incentives. These include discounts on ticket purchases and additional points for Fursan members.
He said the airline had already started linking travel agencies with the automatic delivery system and installing machines to issue boarding passes.
The new program and services come on the heels of plans to speed up privatization of the airline. Saudia has reportedly received the green light from the government to transform its catering, cargo, ground handling, pilot training and technical service sectors into five independent companies. The airline is currently working on a marketing plan to attract businessmen and investors into putting their money into these ventures. A committee that oversees the airline's privatization process met recently under the chairmanship of Mulhim and reviewed the progress of its work. It also studied a report by the financial adviser on restructuring the organization.
By P.K. Abdul Ghafour
© Arab News 2006
