The most popular ideas from the first round of the Ideas for Travel competition run by Amadeus are named this week, with passenger alert systems, no-cost flights and in-flight DVDs attracting the most votes.
The initiative was launched in December 2010 and created to give individuals or organisations around the travel, tourism and hospitality industry the opportunity to form and develop projects from as diverse as impriving the way people travel to how they search and buy travel goods.
Each month Tnooz will highlight the entries with the most votes so far as well picking its own favourite. A Blue Ribbon panel of judges will convene in May 2011 to select an overall winner.
Entries with the most votes to date:
Cancelled - Delayed - On Time:
- Yigal Auszenkier puts forward a passenger service which works in a similar way to the so-called "Type B" messages used by airlines to send data around the system about real-time punctuality, gate details, delays and arrival times. Perhaps also utilised through a mobile service to consumers, official data will be re-purposed so it is available and easy to read by passengers as they leave for an airport and once they check-in.
Fly Free Airlines (No-cost instead of low-cost):- Joao Costa proposes a model for existing airlines to run free flights to a destination that rely on business on a seasonal basis. Seasonality affects many such destinations and puts pressure on their local DMOs, so to encourage people to stay the DMO would work together with the airline to provide a no-fee ticket as long as the passenger stays in a designated accommodation provider.
Sweet Home in the Sky:
- Chad Steph asks that airlines develop interactive DVDs to give to passengers as they board. Rather than use an in-flight entertainment system, passengers will have their personalised system for their laptops, allowing the user to pick from films, music, games, sport, destination information, language tutorials and other features, all based on their preferences.
Tnooz choice:TV/internet interactive travel booking:
- Gaelle Desportes wants to see a system where viewers of a movie on television can easily activate (perhaps by voice recognition) a menu system which highlights the places depicted in the film. Content would feature information about the destinations, travel deals and availability from suppliers, ability to share with friends and ability to secure a booking.
Useful links: