Caught this
press release today.
SkyTeam NewsFlash – July 2008
SkyTeam, the global airline alliance partnering eleven members – including Aeroflot, Aeroméxico, Air France, Alitalia, China Southern Airlines, Continental Airlines, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Korean Air and Northwest Airlines – and three Associate carriers – Air Europa, Copa Airlines and Kenya Airways – sets itself apart by offering an exclusive experience for all passengers. Issued monthly, SkyTeam NewsFlash provides media with key updates and insights on alliance activities.
SkyTeam Connect
Last month during the IATA Annual Meeting in Istanbul, SkyTeam announced plans to launch a new initiative – SkyTeam Connect. SkyTeam will employ cutting edge technology to build an IT solution that will allow all member airlines' individual IT systems to interact seamlessly. The solution will serve as a “translator” between systems, allowing SkyTeam to streamline back-end processes and also offer customers even more benefits.
SkyTeam Connect will reduce the amount of time required to connect new members and Associate airlines to the alliance network in the future. Additionally, it will allow the alliance to generate more system transactions, improve network efficiencies and further leverage its competitive strengths. The SkyTeam Connect enhancement will also complement and support key alliance initiatives such as a reciprocal frequent flyer upgrade policy, a customer wish list topper.
“SkyTeam looks forward to implementing the SkyTeam Connect product, which will ultimately enhance SkyTeam’s seamless capabilities, improving service to its customers,” Leo van Wijk, chairman of the SkyTeam Governing Board, told media in Istanbul.
After a development phase of approximately 12 months, SkyTeam Connect is expected to roll out to all SkyTeam carriers by mid-2009. Mileage Upgrade will be the first initiative to apply the SkyTeam Connect approach.