The Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific has signed a multi-million dollar contract to implement the new generation solution, iFly Staff, from IBS Software Services based in Technopark here.
This will automate and improve the management of employee travel – both leisure and business, according to Mr Murray Smyth, Senior Vice-President and Global Head, Airline Passenger Services, IBS.
iFly Staff will also be used for Cathay Pacific subsidiaries including sister airline Dragonair.
The airlines offer scheduled passenger and cargo services to over 140 destinations around the world using a fleet of 128 wide-bodied aircraft. Along with its subsidiaries, it employs more than 27,000 people.
iFly Staff is a centralised Web-based reservation system exclusively for the staff requirement.
It can be customised to help manage the travel rules of the company, including discounted leisure travel according to eligibility, for staff and their dependents.
The implementation of iFly Staff will result in a 24X7 self-service environment where employees from anywhere in the world can make travel requests on-line, Mr Smyth said.
Employee information and validation can be checked for eligibility and entitlements in real time against human resource data, making the verification process fool-proof and instantaneous.
LEAD TIME CUT
The ‘lead time' (from employee applying for travel till issue of a ticket) can be reduced from days to a few minutes.
The administration of staff travel can be handled from a single point anywhere in the world, the data of which is captured in all other offices. Thus, the automation would result in significant reduction in overhead costs for the airline.
iFly Staff will help both Cathay Pacific and Dragonair to improve efficiency by simplifying and streamlining staff travel management processes for both duty and leisure travel.
“We recognise the trust Cathay Pacific has placed in our solution and our delivery capabilities by selecting iFly Staff,” Mr Smyth said.
By providing process improvements, and improved efficiencies as well as greater employee satisfaction, iFly Staff will help Cathay Pacific and its subsidiaries deliver the business process transformation they are looking for, he added.