AOG launches innovative On-Line Crew & Staff Travel Accommodation Procurement Program at: http://www.airlineoperationsgroup.com.

New On-line services will allow Airlines to have access to 4,000 hotels in 157 cites and 61 countries worldwide for its crew accommodation, inconvenienced passengers, corporate and staff travel needs.

(EMAILWIRE.COM, July 03, 2003 ) New On-line services will allow Airlines to have access to 4,000 hotels in 157 cites and 61 countries worldwide for its crew accommodation, inconvenienced passengers, corporate and staff travel needs.

Airline Operations Group Limited (AOG) which recently opened its Global Headquarters in Bangkok to take on the intricate task of helping major airlines revamp their hotel procuring methods has just launched their new “state-of-the-art” web-based “Hotel Procuring” program. This program, which was developed entirely by AOG’s in-house IT team for over 3 years at a substantial investment, allows Airlines to “instantaneously” review Financial Analysis on a port-by-port basis comparing AOG contracted hotels’ rates vis-à-vis the airlines’ incumbent hotels. Besides, the airlines’ Crew Hotel Committee and respective union representatives will be able to review all AOG Hotels “without even leaving their desks,” added Bangkok-based Ian Clarke, who heads AOG’s entire operations in Asia and Global Business Development, a new partner and ex-hotelier with over 20 years’ experience.

Through AOG’s new on-line services, Airlines can also book hotel rooms for its Inconvenienced Passengers, Corporate and Staff Travel using AOG’s lowest and “up-to-the-minute” rates! Hotels are also provided a VIP (Very Important Partner) password which enables them to update hotel information.

Announcing the launch today, Mr. Victor L. SIM, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer said that AOG’s unique online service for the procurement of airline crew hotel accommodation and booking of rooms for its staff duty and leisure travel could not have come at a better time. Crew accommodation cost accounts for a large segment of an airlines’ operating budget. Yet, airlines which are losing money by the day continue to procure its global hotel accommodation contracts using station managers, crew members and the resources of a small procuring department in this highly specialized area. Furthermore, most airlines have also either closed or scaled down their Corporate/Staff Travel Departments.

Airlines that will survive tomorrow need to reinvent themselves today. To quote Mr. Sim, “if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

AOG was incorporated in 1995, by a group of senior airline and hotel executives, to work with airlines in reducing its global crew accommodation cost and to manage its ever growing and non revenue generating staff/corporate travel departments.

AOG's network now extends to over 4,000 hotels, including international, regional and boutique hotels in 157 cities and 61 countries. The reason for its tremendous growth is very simple: AOG's executives and procuring department understands the hotel business and how the hotel's revenue management system works. We also understand the needs of crew members/unions to seek hotels that are centrally situated, secure and comfortable. AOG is arguably the largest company that specializes in the procurement of airline crew accommodation worldwide. Its services are provided at no cost to the airlines as its revenues are derived from a small commission which is payable by the hotels.

Through AOG, airlines have tremendous leveraging power over hotels and transportation companies which have saved these airlines millions of dollars in badly needed cash. Furthermore, participating airlines of AOG have also been able to procure better hotels with more amenities and benefits for its crew members and unions thereby regaining their support and trust.

In an industry that has suffered drastic cut-backs and retrenchment, AOG is thriving and showing very impressive growth. “AOG’s positive growth cycle is due primarily to its ability to provide hotels with consistent business from the airlines and at the same time offer the airlines better services and rates.” “Last year’s revenue exceeded 2001 by over 130 percent,” according to Miriam Cohen, AOG’s Senior Vice President Procurement. “We provide absolute and personalized customer services; our global associates speak English, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish and Thai,” added Natalie Frank, its global Director of Customer Service.

When questioned about the services of AOG, a Bangkok hotel director of sales recently commented, “Our hotel traditionally dealt directly with the airlines.” “But after we found out that the airlines are now using these types of consolidators, we decided to give AOG a try.” “They know what they are doing and have produced for us,” he added. “It another sign of the changing time but hey, whatever works,” quipped the general manager of another major hotel chain.

AOG’s mission statement lays out some very simple but challenging steps to help the airline industry restructure its crew accommodation procurement process in a way that will help reduce cost and improve productivity in areas that it cannot do so itself.

It has already established relationships with numerous airlines throughout Asia using its ability to leverage the hotels by combining the business from various airlines. It currently has offices in Honolulu, Bangkok and Los Angeles. Plans are already underway for its European regional office to be opened in the EU capital city of Brussels and other representative offices to be opened in Atlanta, Frankfurt, New York and Sydney very soon.

AOG’s web-site is: http://www.airlineoperationsgroup.com.

Contact:
Airline Operations Group
Ian Clarke
29th Floor, Lake Rajada Office Complex
Bangkok, BK 10110
Tel: 66-2-6618410
Email:ian.clarke@airlineoperationsgroup.com
http://www.airlineoperationsgroup.com