Mobile travel specialist Mantic Point will add two more airlines to its client list in the first quarter of next year. Managing director Mike Atherton declined to name the airlines but hinted that one was a traditional full-service carrier. Mantic Point already works with easyJet and recently developed the Flying Messenger service for BAA customers at…
Mantic to sign two airlines to portfolio
Mobile travel specialist Mantic Point will add two more airlines to its client list in the first quarter of next year.
Managing director Mike Atherton declined to name the airlines but hinted that one was a traditional full-service carrier.
Mantic Point already works with easyJet and recently developed the Flying Messenger service for BAA customers at Heathrow providing travellers with changes to flights, prompts to go to the gate and relevant retail promotions.
Atherton believes 2009 will see travel companies turn to mobile services as a way to capitalise on customers throughout their travel experience.
“Mobile lets you do that. The amount of investment needed is a lot lower than launching a new route or a new resort and travel brands already have the data.”
He also estimated it could be at least two years before booking via a mobile phone becomes a major trend.
Also among Atherton’s five predictions for mobile in 2009 is the emergence of more location-based services as well as the increase of SMS text messaging as a means to get information out to customers.
“It will become much more mainstream but to make it successful it has to be of value to the consumer. Most operators and other travel suppliers don’t communicate with the customer at the point they need help or when their anxiety level is highest.”
