New deal ticketing deal with Amadeus
Travellers between London and Stockholm can now buy tickets to cover both the flight and the train journey to the airport simultaneously.
The Heathrow Express, which runs the high speed link from London to Heathrow, and its Stockholm equivalent the Arlanda Express, have signed ticketing deals with travel IT company Amadeus.
Under the deal agents can buy the tickets for their clients through Amadeus GDS.
The facility was first introduced for travellers out of London but has now been extended to include travellers from Stockholm.
Arlanda Express customers can also load their tickets onto a credit card rather than have them printed.
"This is a significant step forward in our strategy of providing the most complete air and rail content of the industry, and streamlining the overall trip experience for the traveller," said Diane Bouzebiba, head of rail for Amadeus.
"We've had this system in Swedish travel agencies for a while and it works very well, so why can't it work well everywhere else," said Camilla Laaksonen, Arlanda Express' marketing director.
Diane Burke, head of sales and marketing for Airport Express, stressed the importance of technology in streamlining travel.
She said: "Using technology is the key thing, we want it all to be part of the flight booking, their train travel, their transfers, all together in one booking. That's what the market's demanding from us."
Heathrow Express said working with Amadeus will widen their worldwide distribution, important at a time when the UK market is shrinking.
Ms Burke added: "Our home markets are looking like they're going to contract next year and the international markets are where we're going to see the only areas of real growth at Heathrow Airport next year.
"It becomes a very cost-effective way for us to distribute internationally - If you can imagine how many countries depart into Heathrow it would an enormous task for us.
"We don't have people overseas on the ground, so Amadeus is the perfect solution."
Heathrow Express hopes that Amadeus, with a large European market share, will be the gateway to other GDS providers with a stronger presence in North America such as Worldspan and Sabre.
Ticket sales on the Paddington to Heathrow service have already risen since the deal with Amadeus was signed.
www.heathrowexpress.com
www.arlandaexpress.com
www.amadeus.com