BUDGET AIR TRAVEL: Orient Thai to use smart cards

Published on Jan 14, 2004

Predicting that millions of domestic travellers will turn to air travel following the expected boom in budget airlines this year, Orient Thai Airlines plans to pioneer the use of "smart cards" that it claims will make flying as easy as catching a train or a bus.

Orient Thai says it will introduce new marketing concepts to the local aviation industry, including smart cards and franchised ticketing outlets at shopping malls.

For regular passengers, the airline said it would offer two kinds of "One-Two-Go" smart cards this year with a sales target of 40,000 passengers in the first month and up to 500,000 passengers a year.

The first kind of smart card, aimed at ordinary travellers, will offer instant rewards when topped up, offering greater value than its purchase price.

"For example a Bt5,000 card may be worth Bt5,500. The card can also be used by other people with the same family name as the cardholder," said the airline's managing director, Udom Tantiprasongchai.

The second kind of smart card will offer unlimited travel for frequent flyers. Priced provisionally at Bt20,000, cardholders will be allowed make as many trips as they want within a specified period.

Check-in agents can also store the personal details of each passenger on the card, instantly enrolling the holder in frequent flyer programmes and making future ticket purchases easier and faster.

"The contact details of frequent flyers will give Orient Thai Airlines a valuable marketing database," Udom said.

The airline plans to launch 20 ticketing outlets this year by offering franchise licences for no more than Bt800,000. The franchisee will be entitled to a five |per cent commission on ticket sales.

"Orient Thai will open its first outlet at Seacon Square on January 20. Besides selling tickets, it will also provide package tours, a car-rental service and hotel reservations", Udom said.

The airline also plans two more outlets at Central World Plaza and Central Rama II. Two other locations - one at the Sala Daeng BTS station and one on Khao San Road - are under negotiation.

Udom said Orient Thai currently has eight Boeing 747s, four Boeing 757-200s and six Boeing MD80s, but plans to halve the number of Boeing 747s and acquire four more 757s and MD 80s by the end of the year.

He added that Orient Thai |was setting up a hotline service with 100 personnel and entering into negotiations to form alliances with international airlines and offer a connecting service from Bangkok to other major cities.

Theeranuch Pusaksrikit

THE NATION

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