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Frequently Asked Questions |
| 1. |
What does the AirKiosk system
do? |
| 2. |
How does the AirKiosk system
work? |
| 3. |
Can the AirKiosk system help
me if I already have a reservations solution? |
| 4. |
Is the AirKiosk system a “booking
engine?” |
| 5. |
Is there a limit to the transactions
I can process with the AirKiosk system? |
| 6. |
How do I get the AirKiosk
system? |
| 7. |
What do I need to install
the AirKiosk system? |
| 8. |
Do I need any other software
licenses? |
| 9. |
How long does it take to get
started? |
| 10. |
What support and maintenance
is included? |
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| 1. |
What does the AirKiosk system do?
The AirKiosk system is an integrated
solution for distribution, reservations, inventory management,
check-in and revenue management.
Five GUIs provide differentiated user access to inventory and
system functions.
AT-A-GLANCE USER FUNCTIONALITY
| Control Agent
Interface |
| Schedule Create and Change |
| Inventory Management |
| Fares |
| Point-of-Sale Control |
| Offices and Agents |
| Flight Activity Tracking
and Alerts |
| Revenue Management Tools |
| Sales Statistics and Reports
with graphic presentation |
| Customer Loyalty Database |
| System Tables |
| Message Switching Control |
| Check-In
Interface |
| Lists: PNL, ADL, Standby,
Boarded, Service |
| Seat map with point-and-click
assignment |
| Seat plan by gender for load
control |
| Online validation of tickets
and PNRs |
| Optional boarding pass and
bag tag printing |
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| Call Center
Interface |
| Full Schedule, AV, Fares
display |
| Full PNR handling for all
points of sale |
| Ticket Stock management |
| TSR (Ticket Sales Report)
by POS |
| Queues |
| Lists |
| Passenger Protection and
Reaccommodation |
| Internet
Agent Interface |
| Private access for travel
agents, wholesalers, corporate accounts, other
direct channels: |
| You control, at each agent
office: |
- AV and Fares display
- PNR, Payment and Ticket handling
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| Agency Management functions |
| Self-Booking
Interface |
| Public access for Internet
consumers: |
| Controlled AV and Fares display |
| Credit card or T/L hold bookings,
or both |
| Automatic booking confirmation
and e-ticket delivery |
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AirKiosk system interfaces and message
switching allow you to connect to:
- GDSs
- Other airlines
- Credit Card Authorization bureaus
- Other systems, including external DCS and RM
and any other trading partners with whom you have commercial
links.
AirKiosk system inventory management
functions support interline and codesharing agreements. |
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| 2. |
How does the AirKiosk system work?
The AirKiosk system runs on Linux
servers over TCP/IP, based on an N-tier, network-centric architecture.
The AirKiosk system can run on multiple logical and physical
servers. Processing power and data reside wherever they are
most needed and cost-effective.
| Airkiosk System Advantage |
Your Benefit |
| Network-centric architecture |
- Reliability
- System management and maintenance
- Rapid application development
- Compatibility with multiple OSs
|
| Structured data, object and message-based
databases |
- Response time
- Scalability
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| Component application servers |
- Shortened development cycles
- Maintenance ease
- Security
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Ability to distribute logical servers
among multiple, physical servers in a network
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- System availability
- Reduced communications costs
- Security
- Tailoring of POS presentations to distinct user
groups
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Ability to use commodity hardware
products and a range of processor types and sizes.
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- Reduced hardware platform costs
- Scalability
- Flexibility to use new technology as it becomes
available
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Ability to integrate with legacy
systems and access devices.
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- Investment protection
- Gradual migration capability
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| 3. |
Can the AirKiosk system help me if I
already have a reservations solution?
Yes. Although the AirKiosk system
is a full reservations and inventory management solution, its
architecture is flexible enough to allow for integration and
cooperative implementations with other systems. This is true
whether you own your current reservation solution or are hosted
on a third party’s system.
For example, you can use the AirKiosk system to make all --
or selected parts -- of your master inventory available to
points-of-sale which cannot access your host. The inventory
available on the AirKiosk system is sold via AVS Open/Close
messages managed by your host.
You can also split your inventory, making selected parts available
only through the AirKiosk system and the points-of-sale you
have designated for AirKiosk system access.
There are multiple benefits to using the AirKiosk system with
legacy solutions:
- Cost-savings on ATO/CTO sales for vendors currently hosted
by a third-party.
- Fast, easy (and controlled) introduction of direct sales
to corporate accounts, travel agents or consumers, or all
of these segments.
- Protection of host resources from excessive, and often
unproductive, availability and fare “look ups” generated
by Internet sites.
- Lower-cost distribution for special categories of inventory,
such as charter flight operations, tour/consolidator operator
sales, or discounted products.
These are just a few examples. If you have questions about
a specific implementation idea, let us know.
If you are a large vendor with your own reservations host and
high-level CRS/GDS participation, read our White Paper “Death
by Booking Engine” to understand how the AirKiosk
system will help you. |
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| 4. |
Is the AirKiosk system a “booking engine?”
The AirKiosk system can be used as
a “booking engine.” However, the AirKiosk system is not a “booking
engine.”
The difference is critical. Unlike “booking engines,” the AirKiosk
system has fully functional inventory management, booking file,
passenger handling, revenue management, and point-of-sale control
functions.
To understand more about the difference, download our White
Paper “Death
by Booking Engine”. |
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| 5. |
Is there a limit to the transactions
I can process with the AirKiosk system?
AirKiosk system software is scalable.
For each AirKiosk system implementation, we specify hardware
to handle expected transaction loads. As transaction requirements
grow, the AirKiosk system can grow, too. We can determine and
configure necessary hardware upgrades whenever they are required. |
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| 6. |
How do I get the AirKiosk system?
There are two options:
ASP Service
We host your system on our own server complex. Monthly fees,
based on your passenger volume, allow you to use to all system
functions and our processing and technical support facilities.
License Purchase
A one-time license payment allows you perpetual use of the
AirKiosk system on your site. Support and maintenance (including
software upgrades) is contracted annually. |
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| 7. |
What do I need to install the AirKiosk
system?
If you use our ASP, you only need
PCs with browsers for your users and an Internet connection
to our servers.
If you are installing the AirKiosk software on your site, you
will need:
Hardware
One or more servers, depending on your needs. We will help
you size, specify and configure the hardware for your installation.
Software
Linux operating system
Standard browser software
Communication
Internet (ISP) connection
For CCA, GDS and interline connections, you will need appropriate
commercial agreements with those entities. The AirKiosk system
provides for the physical links. |
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| 8. |
Do I need any other software licenses?
NO. The AirKiosk system does NOT
require that you license or use TP monitors, RDBMs, MS Windows
or other third-party packaged software. All of the functions
provided by these “extra layers” in other systems are built
into the AirKiosk system software. |
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| 9. |
How long does it take to get started?
There are three steps to installing
the AirKiosk system, in many cases the entire process can take
as few as 6 to 8 weeks.
Hardware/Network Implementation
We provision your server and network requirements on our ASP
or, if you are installing the AirKiosk software on your site,
we help you with planning, specifications and configuration.
Software Implementation
We configure the AirKiosk software for your requirements, prepare
any customizations required, brand your public interfaces,
and load your initial databases and tables.
Training
We “train the trainers” in separate programs: System and Database
Control, Reservations and Ticketing, Check-In and, if you have
purchased a license, System Administration. |
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| 10. |
What support and maintenance is included?
We provide both online and telephone
support, including expert-level support for your control agents.
AirKiosk system users receive standard software upgrades and
new releases. We also assist you with system expansions to
handle increased transaction volumes. |
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