AirPlus International partners with Continental Airlines to offer Custom Corporate Travel Solutions
Airline selects AirPlus technology-based solutions for corporate customers
NEW YORK – AirPlus International today announced a partnership with Continental Airlines through which the airline will offer the Continental Airlines AirPlus Company Account, an air travel payment and billing system for corporate travel managers. This tailor-made business solution enables companies to better analyze and control their travel budgets. It couples the existing, highly popular Continental UATP product with industry leader AirPlus technology-based data solutions.
“When we re-launched our UATP program three years ago, we enjoyed immediate rapid growth among companies with small to mid-sized travel budgets” said Dave Hilfman, Continental’s vice president sales. “We’ve expanded the program to meet the needs of large corporate customers by incorporating improved technology and addional features. We selected AirPlus as our partner, since they are the leader in technology for payment and data solutions, as well as the largest issuer of UATP cards in the world with over 20,000 corporate customers worldwide.”
This “neutral” solution offers corporate clients access to aggregated travel data via the internet-based AirPlus Information Manager. Using this web-based tool, travel managers can analyze data and create reports to help set and control travel budgets and policies while maintaining superior data quality. AirPlus Information Manager allows travel managers to analyze global travel expenses – from an airline ticket to a taxi fare – in detail using one management information system.
Because AirPlus has the ability to connect directly to travel agencies through a merchant agreement, the Continental Airlines AirPlus Company Account will provide agencies with a simple and cost-efficient method of processing airline tickets and incidental charges than with the current UATP system. Certain system functions are available immediately, with the full system set to be implemented by the fourth quarter of 2003.
The Continental Airlines AirPlus Company Account allows more detailed travel information to be collected and accessed by corporate customers, and provides travel agencies with an easier method for processing service and additional charges. Some key features include:
exceptional coupon data quality;
- complete customized descriptive billing information, such as automated transmission of reference or job number information;
- variable billing cycles;
- invoice control and customization;
reporting and invoicing transactions for international operations in local currencies, and
electronic invoicing in any standard format.
Around the globe, AirPlus International has more than 20,000 corporate clients and handles flight data from more than 260 airlines. AirPlus is also the preferred partner of various airlines such as Lufthansa, British Airways, Austrian Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines.
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