SAA Targets Improved Customer Satisfaction and Online User Experience With Launch of New Route Mapping Application From OAG

LONDON - South African Airways (SAA) is anticipating an increase in customer satisfaction with its web site, www.flysaa.com, when it launches its interactive timetable and route-mapping tool developed by OAG, the world’s leading aviation data business. SAA is the first airline to sign up for OAG Route Mapper, a new online mapping application for marketing an airline’s routes and services.

OAG Route Mapper is hosted by OAG and integrated into an airline’s own reservation system via its web site. It provides airlines with a cost-effective way to increase passenger loyalty by enabling business and leisure travellers to see at-a-glance where they can fly to with that airline, either directly or via a connection, and to view times and details of all flights on any route before making a booking.

The new service is expected to be live at www.flysaa.com within a month.

“SAA is ahead of the pack when it comes to seeking out and implementing some of the most technologically advanced and driven products to make the travel lives of our customers easier,” says Mike Re, SAA Chief Information Officer “OAG’s Route Mapper does exactly this. It provides complete convenience to the customer and is in addition to other online products launched by SAA providing the opportunity to take their travel experience from start to finish in their own hands without hassle.”

John Weber, senior vice president OAG Aviation, said: “We are delighted to have such a forward-thinking carrier as SAA as our launch customer for OAG Route Mapper. SAA will be able to promote its entire route network in an easy-to-use application with the benefit of a visual map and detailed timetable information all on one screen. This service has been developed to help airlines enhance their web sites and drive customer loyalty as part of an online marketing strategy.

“Any airline wishing to promote its entire route network simply and visually will find OAG Route Mapper an invaluable addition to its web site and a convenient and effective way to increase site traffic and promote online ticket sales,” added Weber.

OAG Route Mapper is a major upgrade of OAG’s existing Internet Timetables service. SAA is taking the service as part of a wider package of online, downloadable and print timetable solutions from OAG.

About SAA

SAA celebrates its 75th Anniversary in 2009 and is one of the oldest airlines in the world. SAA is one of the leading carriers in Africa offering over 20 destinations across the continent, as well as major destinations within South Africa, including its hub, Johannesburg. It is a member of the largest and most recognised international airline network, Star Alliance, and through this is able to offer its passengers a service beyond its own direct operations as well as numerous benefits to customers. SAA operates one of the most technologically advanced aircraft fleets in the world and offers an exclusive and highly rated product. SAA’s priority is to ensure the safety of its passengers and crew and therefore places immense focus on maintenance of its aircraft.

About OAG

OAG provides the industry’s most accurate single source for airline information, with essential aviation workflow data and analytics sourced from its comprehensive proprietary airline schedules, fleet and MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) databases. OAG is a leading brand of UBM Aviation, a global data and information business for the air transport industry. UBM Aviation serves the passenger aviation, air cargo logistics, MRO and business travel communities with information products, market intelligence, news and events. It is a division of United Business Media Limited. For more information, go to www.ubmaviation.com

Source: OAG and UBM Aviation

For media enquiries please contact: Dan Dulik, Marketing Director, OAG dan.dulik at oag.com +1-630-515-5167; Alison Pickering, Corporate Communications, UBM Aviation, alison.pickering at ubmaviation.com +44(0)1582-695477