Relaunched qantas.com A Must for Travellers
Los Angeles - August 10, 2009
Qantas has relaunched qantas.com, creating a complete one-stop travel website, with a new-look and a host of service enhancements.
Qantas Airways Senior Executive Vice President, The Americas and Pacific, Mr. Wally R. Mariani, A.M., said qantas.com was now an advanced interactive travel site offering customers the ability to research and manage their travel arrangements.
"Now 10 years old, qantas.com attracts an average 7.5 million global visits every month. It has grown from a site purely to book flights to one where customers can quickly and easily plan, book and manage all their leisure or business travel requirements online," Mr. Mariani said.
"Each year we see more and more customers choosing to interact with us through qantas.com. Increased
experience with, and confidence in what the internet can offer, means customers in the online travel space
have greater expectations than ever. As a result, demand has developed for 24-hour 'self managed' travel
services.
"Our research told us customers wanted the ability to book an entire holiday online or to self-manage their
travel experience via the internet, including being able to check in before they even leave for the airport.
"Our research told us customers wanted the ability to book an entire holiday online or to self-manage their
travel experience via the internet, including being able to check in before they even leave for the airport.
"Through the Frequent Flyer application on qantas.com, our customers can log their travel preferences so each time they fly we know where they would prefer to sit in the aircraft or about their specific needs. We are noticing more and more customers log in to this page to access their bookings, check their points status, make
redemption bookings, claim missing points and access member specials.
Mr. Mariani said Qantas had made more than 20 new products and services available on qantas.com in the last 12 months. These included Travel Insider, Qantas' interactive online travel guide that provides articles and
information from Qantas The Australian Way inflight magazine and travel experts.
"Travel Insider has been extremely well received by our customers. We also have a 'qftravelinsider' Twitter
account with more than 2,500 followers and next month we will launch a Travel Insider Facebook application, further increasing its reach. Customers clearly value the reviews, tips and advice provided by our frequent flyer
members, pilots and cabin crew, our travel experts and the really well traveled," Mr. Mariani said.
"More recent developments mean customers can sign up to RSS feeds from qantas.com to be alerted to
flight specials as soon as they are available and business travelers now track their monthly travel spending by
signing up for free monthly business travel reports.
"With all the new products and services added to qantas.com, particularly in the last 12 months, we needed to
re-organize the way people navigate through the site. The new look and functionality will ensure the site is
easier to use and will take customers straight to the most popular services to find the information they are
looking for.
"For example, clearer menus display the breadth of content and ensure key services such as 'Manage Your
Booking,' 'Frequent Flyer Login,' and 'Online Check-in' are clearly identifiable and co-located on the
homepage."
Mr. Mariani said new online services and product enhancements designed to provide customers with tools to
plan, book and have greater control over their travel experience included:
- international online check-in for Qantas-operated flights;
- the ability to compare quotes between Australia's leading four car hire companies: Avis, Budget, Hertz and Thrifty;
- flights to more than 100 international destinations including codeshare;
- access to oneworld Round the World fares booking facility;
- purchase of holiday activities, experiences and tickets to shows and events;
- enhancements to qantas.com/mobile to deliver the latest information direct to mobile devices such as the Apple iPhone and Blackberry, including real time flight arrivals and departures, worldwide flight timetables and login facilities to view bookings;
- Qantas Travel Insider.
qantas.com is available in seven languages across 30 countries.
Qantas Airways Ltd. (USA) (125)
