From oneworld, InterContinental Hotel Group, Middle East Aerospace Consortium, Amadeus, Brussels Airlines and Ypsilon
Oneworld switches to e-deals
The oneworld alliance has started offering its global corporate customers electronic contracts.
The airline group said it was the first of the alliances to do this.
It said instead of agreements requiring signatures on paper contracts, customers were now able to complete their contracts electronically.
It said the first company to do sign this way is Rio Tinto, the mining group.
Eileen Yeager, oneworld's manager for global sales, said: "This new system will enable us to work a great deal faster and more efficiently, for the benefit of our customers, our businesses and the planet, as we will no longer need to print all that paper and then courier it around the world."
www.oneworld.com
IHG names locations for new Saudi hotels
The InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) said its first three Holiday Inn Express hotels in Saudi Arabia would be located at Jeddah, Madinah and the King Abdullah Economic City.
The three properties will have a total of 575 rooms, 252 rooms in the hotel at Madinah Road, Jeddah, 183 in the hotel at the King Abdullah Economic City and 140 at the Knowledge Economic City property in Madinah.
Under an agreement with Siraj Capital, IHG is planning to open 12 Holiday Inn Express hotels in Saudi Arabia in the next five years.
www.ihg.com
Ewing new chair of Middle East Aerospace Consortium
Alan Ewing has been appointed as the new chairman of the Middle East Aerospace Consortium (MEAC).
Mr Ewing has worked in the aerospace and technology industry for 30 years and is currently ceo of FutureEurope, a lobbying group.
He has also worked for Westland Aircraft was head of Bloomfield Corporate, a technology investment company.
Mr Ewing also sits on the board of the Oracles Innovation Group and the European ERP Group.
MEAC, which was launched at this year's Dubai Air Show, is global aerospace group which helps organisations develop aerospace opportunities in the Middle East.
www.MiddleEastAerospace.com
Brussels Airlines joins Star
Brussels Airlines formally joined the Star Alliance at a ceremony in the Belgian capital.
It opted to join the now 25-strong grouping after Lufthansa, a leading Star member, bought a 45% stake in the carrier for €65m.
Brussels Airlines has a fleet of fleet of 51 aircraft and operates about 200 daily flights to 55 European airports and 14 African destinations.
Star has said that three other carriers, Aegean Airlines, Air India and TAM will also join the alliance at a later date and it has also opened talks with Ethiopian Airlines.
www.staralliance.com www.brusselsairlines.com
Amadeus launches new products in UK
Travel IT company Amadeus has launched two new products in the UK, Fare World and Ticket Changer.
The first will enable agents to bring content from consolidators onto their screens.
The company said this would let them access published fares and one from low cost carriers and consolidators in one search.
In the UK, consolidator content will be supplied by JTA, Emerald, Thriftway, Air Travel Guide and Trayvale Travel while others will be announced shortly, Amadeus said.
Ticket Changer enables agents to change customer tickets anywhere in the world "in a matter of seconds".
Amadeus said it would save agents time and result infewer Agency Debit Memos "since the reissued tickets come under the Amadeus fare guarantee".
Elaine Seeto, Amadeus UK and Ireland's director of marketing, said: "Our aim is to empower travel agents so they can give their customers the best possible service."
www.amadeus.com
Ypsilon to offer rail content
Ypsilon, the German-based travel IT provider, is to offer clients rail content.
It said the new enhancement will enable bookers to see rail and airline fares for the same journey.
This would include fares from GDSs, low cost carriers and consolidators as well as its own FlightPro service.
Rail fares will be from Thalys, Eurostar, the German ICE network and the French TGV service.
Patrick Coulomb, Ypsilon's vp sales and marketing, said: "Rail connections are now bookable with connecting flights, in the same easy way than hotels, rental cars, transfers and insurances can be.
"This further cross selling opportunity serves as an additional source of income for our clients.
"We also adapting to this new content integration because of the increase in demand for flexible flight-rail connections within Europe."
www.ypsilon.net