Most of us love going on adventurous trips or soaring smoothly on flights, but how many of us are curious to unravel the sands of time only to explore how far we have come in adapting modern technology in the field of tourism? What seems normal to us might enamor our ancestors because, for them, traveling and reservations were a much more complicated and intimidating process.
Apart from being gratified for living in a time of ease and convenience, we should also give time to discover the roots of how the aviation industry evolved with time. Especially when it comes to the availability of booking options of flight tickets and what primitive flight booking engines looked like.
This article can be an eye-opener for all who are taking the current opportunities for granted in terms of planning, booking, and executing their travel requirements. The first and foremost reservation system ever implemented for flight booking ticket was in collaboration with the CEO of an aviation company and the CEO of the famous tech organization IBM. It comprised magnetic drums, and it was so difficult to operate that only trained aviation staff could do this. Other systems were introduced to solve this complex issue, such as SABRE, DATAS, and PARS; although these booking engines were less complicated, they were limited to airline staff only.
In the later stage, a complex yet simple system was introduced, which was also available to be used by travel agents, and it was termed as Central Reservation System (CRS). The only drawback this system had was it was unique for all the Airlines, and all the players needed to operate on their designated CRS. Ultimately, to curb this issue, the Global Distribution system was introduced, an advanced information system with refined flight ticket booking capabilities integrated with multiple airlines and several booking agents.
It took considerable time to reach this level of success; until now, allowing customers to book their tickets independently was yet to be a known concept. It was a complete game changer when websites and apps started the booking revolution for users as they had a win-win situation with the option of instant online flight booking, lightning deals, payback points, and multiple discounts on airline companies’ features.
Let’s check out the elements that facilitated this kind of ease and accessibility for users:
- Location of users: booking engines can now leverage the chance of identifying the location of individual users. So that they can offer personalized recommendations depending on the places in their affinity, travel providers who are operating online can send push notifications about the best deals in their area, thereby acquiring a loyal customer base.
- Personalized feeds: travel companies know how crucial it is to identify the pattern of frequent travelers, what mode of transportation they like, what destinations suit them, etc. Based on this analysis, they tailor their offers and services to attract potential customers and increase their acquisition ten folds.
- Taking customer feedback: online booking platforms prioritize users’ requirements by allowing them to voice their opinions on their platform, whether positive or negative. Customers also have the liberty to compare flights relevant to their destination in terms of ticket prices, time flexibility, etc. So that they can select the best option in hand
These are just a few pointers that have transformed how we travel and make our bookings; with other elements like peer-to-peer traveling, the latest travel trends, and other effective measures, online booking engines are expected to deliver more refined outcomes for their users.
