Tuesday, 25 June 2013 00:03
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New training academy launched for travel agents
Online modules delivery fun and informative training in key aspects of alliance products
First lesson will make participants experts in selling round-the-world oneworld Explorer fares
Travel agents can now earn a diploma in selling round-the-world fares by signing up to the oneworld Academy, a new online training resource launched by the world’s leading quality global airline alliance.
The oneworld Academy will offer a range of e-learning tools to train travel agents the world over in various aspects of the alliance and its products. It is available now at travelagent.oneworld.com. It has been launched in English, but more language options – including simplified Chinese, German, Japanese and Spanish, will be added soon. Its first module focuses on oneworld’s portfolio of consumer fare products – the widest range offered by any global alliance – but with an emphasis on its flagship oneworld Explorer round-the-world (RTW) fare.
The aim of this fun and informative online module, which should take no more than 30 minutes to complete, is to enable travel agents to sell these fares confidently and correctly. It currently focuses on oneworld Explorer, the alliance’s round-the-world fare whose prices are based on the number of continents visited, rather than distance flown. This unique approach makes it more flexible and easy to use than most other round-the-world offerings.
The module will be developed later to feature also oneworld’s other fares:
Global Explorer – another round-the-world product but also featuring some airlines that are not oneworld members and with prices based on distance flown.
Circle fares – offering travel through several continents without needing to circumnavigate the globe.
Visit passes – for travelling through one continent or region.
The module leads the participant through a series of oneworld product lessons, with engaging interactive exercises, video, text and images. It covers all the command entries needed to book these fares through six of the most widely used global distribution systems (GDSs) and shows how oneworld Explorer’s online travel planner can help build and price a round-the-world itinerary quickly and easily.
Those successfully completing the module can download and print off a certificate proclaiming them a ‘oneworld Explorer round-the-world specialist’. oneworld Director Sales José María Alvarado said: “There’s quite a wide-spread myth that round-the-world fares are complicated products to sell and book. The oneworld Academy will take the mystery out of the process by showing how quick, easy and simple oneworld Explorer and our other fares are to sell and how they can be a valuable tool for travel agents to meet their customers’ needs.”
oneworld is an alliance of the world’s leading airlines committed to providing the highest level of service and convenience to frequent international travellers. oneworld member airlines include airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines, and around 30 affiliates. Qatar Airways, SriLankan Airlines and TAM are on track to join soon. American has announced its intention to merge with US Airways, subject to necessary approvals, bringing the latter also into oneworld.
Serving nearly a thousand airports in almost 160 countries, with some 13,500 daily departures; carrying more than 480 million passengers a year on a combined fleet of almost 3,500 aircraft; generating more than US$ 140 billion annual revenues in total, oneworld member airlines work together to deliver consistently a superior, seamless travel experience, with special privileges and rewards for frequent flyers, including earning and redeeming miles and points across the entire alliance network. Top tier cardholders (Emerald and Sapphire) enjoy access to some 550 airport lounges. The most regular travellers (Emerald) can also use fast track security lanes at select airports and extra baggage allowances.
oneworld is currently the holder of three leading international awards for airline alliances – named the Best Airline Alliance by Global Traveler in its GT Tested Reader Survey 2012 Awards for the third year running, the World’s Leading Airline Alliance in the 2012 World Travel Awards for the 10th year running, and Australian Business Traveller Best Airline Alliance in 2012 for the second year running.
