Stop Going Digital!

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There are countless initiatives aimed at reducing the cost of painless air transport for professionals in the sector. And yet they are the first to be impacted, as well as the customers, of course. The first, employees considered easily replaceable, I am talking about ground staff, are an easy target for cost hunters. Whenever they can be replaced by a computer tool, there is no hesitation. For the moment, the flight crews are not affected because the rule of one steward or hostess for 50 seats is still respected and there is little chance that this will change and removing part of the crew in the cockpit of planes is not for tomorrow when we know how to fly the aircraft from the ground and that, in theory, we could do without it.

This is how the all-digital approach is taking hold, with certain positive effects, but also the creation of new difficulties. I always wonder why this activity, which is so delicate, so complex, and basically so wonderful, is looking for a constant reduction in costs in order to increase the number of passengers to compensate for the lack of revenue linked to ever lower fares. This is all the more strange because the more it develops, the more air transport is attacked for its contribution to global pollution, while there is still no radical technological leap to achieve carbon neutrality. The latest innovation to date is the equipping of the two-storey cabins with seats or double-decker seats, as you wish. In this way, the filling coefficients could be further densified.

The first effect of this excessive digitalization is the disappearance of staff in the terminals, replaced either by computer tools linked to smartphones, or by terminals that are difficult to talk to and, for the last subjects, the provision of telephones where there were counters and agents to whom passengers could speak. Of course, I don’t forget that these new tools can be good. The release of boarding passes without going through a check-in counter is certainly a unanimously appreciated progress. Lost baggage tracing systems are becoming more and more efficient. More detailed analyses of operations and operating programs allow for very substantial fuel savings. The arrival of Artificial Intelligence will be very useful for the entire air transport industry, from the manufacture of aircraft to the rules for their maintenance. In short, we must not deny progress.

But on the other hand, I have the very strong impression that in all this evolution we have forgottenan important part of air transport, the customers over 65 years old, retirees who have, at least in most Western countries, significant financial means and a lot of free time that they use to visit the world. This segment of customers is in fact subject to the new digital devices that govern air transport without mastering them, sometimes they do not have the necessary iPhone, or even a computer and the Internet remains foreign to them. This is a considerable source of frustration, especially when you are in an airport environment where there is no one to talk to. Not all of them are accompanied by a younger relative who is perfectly capable of mastering these new tools.

Far be it from me to think that we should go back. First of all, it is not possible and it would certainly not be healthy in all respects. But I plead for the return to the entire air transport environment of agents whose gradual disappearance saddens me. Replacing an electronic terminal or a telephone that is often answered only by a machine with a person with whom you can talk would be real progress, would both bring appreciated comfort and remove stress that would be detrimental to the appreciation of this magnificent means of transport.

I will be told that it costs money. It is likely, but is the mad race to the lowest costs to justify permanently falling rates that no longer allow travel agents to be properly paid and to pay travel agents as they should be normal?

In our somewhat brutal world, let’s try to keep a little humanity and if air transport can set an example, it will be all the more accepted, including by those who see it as an enemy.

AZUL’S Full Content Now Available on APG Platform

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Azul’s NDC connection is now available on the APG Platform, APG’s NDC portal.

APG, the world’s largest and most successful airline representation network with over 100 offices globally, is partnering with Azul, the Brazilian airline, to offer Azul’s full content via the APG NDC platform.

“APG is happy to be partnering with Azul, the Brazilian airline, to extend the offer in South Americas to our + 2 000 partner travel agencies worldwide. By using APG Platform to sell Azul content, our partner travel agencies will avoid the GDS EDIFACT surcharge of 10 to 15 USD per segment, and will benefit from a discount of 5% to 10%.” said Héloïse PARRAIN, APG Platform Director.

“We are very happy to be able to enhance our efforts with this new APG platform. It will make our Customers’ lives easier when purchasing tickets for our network with over 150 destinations in Brazil and abroad.” – said Daniel Bicudo, Commercial and Business Director at Azul.

Under this agreement, APG Platform and Azul provide an end-to-end shopping and booking solution to thousands of travel agencies in 140 countries, including the possibility to manage after sales operations such as cancellation, refund and void. It is also possible to add ancillary services (bags, meals, seats, etc.) during the booking process and of changing an itinerary post booking onto the APG Platform.

With 35 carriers available, offering the best fares, APG Platform is a ticketing platform which can assist travel agents to generate additional revenue by enlarging their catalogue and by selling air and non-air ancillaries combined. Uniquely, the APG Platform is promoted and supported in over 150 countries by the APG Network. The APG Platform is under the newest XML technology and follows all IATA standards.

With APG Platform, NON-IATA and IATA agencies can find the best offers in full transparency on all the routes operated by an airline. They can also combine airline tickets with non-air products, such as hotels, car rentals, and ancillary services (baggage, special meals, sport equipment, assistance, Wi-Fi access, lounge access, etc.).
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 About Azul
Azul S.A. (B3: AZUL4, NYSE: AZUL), the largest airline in Brazil in terms of departures and cities served, offers over 900 daily flights to more than 150 destinations. With an operational fleet of over 180 aircraft and 15,000 crew members, the company has a network of 300 direct routes. Azul was ranked by Cirium (a leading aviation data analysis company) as the 2nd most punctual airline in the world in 2023. In 2020, Azul was awarded as the best airline in the world by TripAdvisor, marking the first time a Brazilian airline achieved first place in the Traveller’s Choice Awards. For more information, visit www.voeazul.com.br/imprensa

About APG:                                                                                                                                                                        
With over 30 years of experience in airline distribution and more than 100 offices globally, APG is the world’s largest and most successful airline representation network, partnering with over 200 valued airline clients. APG offers a comprehensive approach to airline distribution, including not only airline representation but also interline e-ticketing solutions, fare filing, and settlement support services—all aimed at maximizing an airline’s revenue potential. APG is always at the forefront of distribution development, and our latest APG NDC Platform will help airlines unlock the benefits of NDC distribution.
Our APG Cargo services are also attracting worldwide attention from airlines, including our APG Cargo Interline solution (Cargo IET), cargo GSSA services, and total cargo management solutions. ​

The APG Network is indeed, “The World’s Leading Network for Airline Services.”

If you are one of the few airlines who do not currently partner with APG today, we would welcome the opportunity to talk with you about how we can help increase your revenue levels worldwide.

Please visit our website www.apg-ga.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook @APGNetwork.

For media enquiries please contact APG Media Relations, Mr Frederick Despreaux  Email: f.despreaux@apg-ga.com

AIR CANADA’S full content is now available on APG Platform

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Air Canada’s NDC connection is now available on the APG Platform, APG’s NDC portal.

APG, the world’s largest and most successful airline representation network with over 100 offices globally, is partnering with Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline and a founding member of Star Alliance, to offer Air Canada’s full content via the APG NDC platform.

“APG is happy to be partnering with Air Canada, the largest airline in Canada to extend the offer in North Americas to our + 2 000 partner travel agencies worldwide. The full breadth of Air Canada content is available through our NDC Platform, and more functionalities will come in the coming months.” said Héloïse PARRAIN, APG Platform Director.

Under this agreement, APG Platform and Air Canada provide an end-to-end  shopping and booking solution to thousands of travel agencies in 140 countries, including the possibility to book on hold and to manage after sales operations such as cancellation, refund and void. It is also possible to add ancillary services (seats, meals, etc.) during the booking process. The possibility of changing an itinerary post booking onto the APG Platform will be available in the coming months.

With 35 carriers available, offering the best fares, APG Platform is a ticketing platform which can assist travel agents to generate additional revenue by enlarging their catalogue and by selling air and non-air ancillaries combined. Uniquely, the APG Platform is promoted and supported in over 150 countries by the APG Network. The APG Platform is under the newest XML technology and follows all IATA standards.

With APG Platform, NON-IATA and IATA agencies can find the best offers in full transparency on all the routes operated by an airline. They can also combine airline tickets with non-air products, such as hotels, car rentals, and ancillary services (baggage, special meals, sport equipment, assistance, Wi-Fi access, lounge access, etc.). 
​

 About Air Canada 

Air Canada is Canada’s largest airline, the country’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is Canada’s premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world’s largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada’s passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada’s climate ambition includes a long-term aspirational goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For additional information, please see Air Canada’s TCFD disclosure. Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OTCQX in the US.

About APG:                                                                                                                                                                        
With over 30 years of experience in airline distribution and more than 100 offices globally, APG is the world’s largest and most successful airline representation network, partnering with over 200 valued airline clients. APG offers a comprehensive approach to airline distribution, including not only airline representation but also interline e-ticketing solutions, fare filing, and settlement support services—all aimed at maximizing an airline’s revenue potential. APG is always at the forefront of distribution development, and our latest APG NDC Platform will help airlines unlock the benefits of NDC distribution.
Our APG Cargo services are also attracting worldwide attention from airlines, including our APG Cargo Interline solution (Cargo IET), cargo GSSA services, and total cargo management solutions. ​

The APG Network is indeed, “The World’s Leading Network for Airline Services.”

If you are one of the few airlines who do not currently partner with APG today, we would welcome the opportunity to talk with you about how we can help increase your revenue levels worldwide.

Please visit our website www.apg-ga.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook @APGNetwork.

For media enquiries please contact APG Media Relations, Mr Frederick Despreaux  Email: f.despreaux@apg-ga.com

Bad Start to the Year for Air Travel

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Although the increase in the number of passengers continues, reaching more than 5 billion by the end of the year, according to IATA experts, many difficulties have affected the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025. It started with a series of air disasters never recorded in the last 5 years. And the causes are very varied, even uncommon to date while waiting for the conclusions of the investigators. I note that there is no point in making assumptions before the final report and that it can take a long time to be published.

In fact, it started at the very end of 2024. On 25 December, the Azerbaijan Airlines flight operated by Embraer 190 from Baku to Grozny was in all likelihood hit by a missile and crashed in Kazakhstan after the pilots tried everything to save it. 38 dead.

Four days later, the Jeju Air company operating the Bangkok – Musan flight in South Korea, in a Boeing 737-800 hit by birds, crashed at the end of the runway without having lowered its landing gear, killing 171 people and by a stroke of luck, 2 survivor crew members.

On January 28, an Airbus A321 of the South Korean airline Air Busan caught fire on the runway of Busan with 176 passengers on board. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, as all the passengers were evacuated in time.

On January 29, an American Airlines CRJ 700 was hit in the final phase of landing by a UH-60 helicopter of the United States Air Force and crashed, along with the helicopter, in the Potomac River adjacent to the Washington DC Ronald Reagan airport. 64 dead in the plane and the crew of the helicopter.

This is a series that would have been good to do without. It is also interesting to note that each accident has a different cause, even if the final conclusions are not known. It ranges from an unfortunate injection of birds into the engines, as happened to the US Airways Airbus 320 in 2009, which was able to end up in the Hudson without causing any casualties thanks to the talent and enormous coldness of its crew, to a military attack that was probably unintentional, but which can happen when the guns start to talk. In the middle there is a problem related to air traffic control, even though it is in a country and an area that is very closely monitored, and a huge problem that fortunately occurred on the ground.

All manufacturers are affected: Embraer for the Azerbaijan Airlines flight, Boeing with the Jeju Air disaster, Airbus with the fire at Air Busan and Bombardier whose CRJ 700 crashed in Washington. At this stage of the investigations, we cannot incriminate anyone, but it proves that air transport is a risky activity. To achieve his major objective, which is absolute safety, he deploys prodigious energy, to the point of reconstituting cabins from debris, as was done for TWA flight 800, or like the research companion of the Air France Rio-Paris flight where enormous resources were used. In fact, the safety of air travel has improved considerably because the same accident has never been repeated. This is why the findings of the investigators’ offices are so important.

But all this has a cost and the idea that flying a plane safely is very commonplace should not be allowed to pass on the effect of promotions, which moreover allow new layers of customers to have access to this great means of transport. It is also surprising that for low political reasons, some governments are determined to collect taxes that will not improve this activity, including for its decarbonization, for which the colossal research costs will have to be paid.

Air transport is a fantastic activity, which leads people to know each other and therefore to respect each other better, and which is one of the essential factors in the creation of wealth on earth for, ultimately, the benefit of all. But it remains fragile. All the more reason to respect it.