Latest news with #onlinebooking
CBC
27-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
London Transit launches online paratransit booking, but not soon enough for some users
Social Sharing London Transit Commission (LTC) has started rolling out its long-awaited online booking system for paratransit users. After months of delay, at least 70 paratransit riders have received access to test out the online portal as weekly letters go out to more users to sign up, according to a staff report from May 9. "I think it's been helpful. There's definitely room for improvement, but it's a big step that we've waited a very, very long time to get, and this system is well overdue," said Londoner Natalie Judges, who is one of the testers for the system and has used it daily since April. "This kind of eases the pressure of not having to call in, as I know from personal experience of redialing multiple times to get through because the line drops and you get disconnected or just too many people trying to use the system." The May 9 staff report said the organization anticipates "all letters will be mailed to existing registrants by the end of May," but the LTC's general manager Kelly Paleczny wasn't available to provide comment on Monday or share how close the transit service is to meeting the goal. The online program was supposed to launch in February but was delayed due to technical issues, which led LTC to open it up to users in batches while it continues testing out any glitches. There are more than 7,000 people registered with paratransit as of last fall. The email-based portal allows users to submit and modify booking requests, receiving a confirmation within 15 minutes if a ride is available or not. The new system also aims to accommodate more trips and passengers, allowing riders to check the status of their trips or make cancellations even if they booked over the phone. Similar to the telephone booking line, online paratransit rides are also booked up to three days in advance, including the day of. Judges said this is a "big flaw" and is disappointed that a three-day window doesn't allow users to plan ahead. "I thought they would bring priority to medical appointments that are booked months or years ahead," she said. "It would be nice to be able to book that trip in advance, just to ensure that you're not left without a ride or stranded." Judges acknowledged it's a brand new system which will likely have issues that can be resolved over time, and she appreciates the ability to access it from anywhere through various devices. 'We haven't been told anything,' other riders say However, some other paratransit riders said they haven't received any communication from LTC about when the online system will be ready to use. "We haven't been told anything. I haven't gotten any information on it," said Penny Moore, 61, who uses an electric wheelchair. "There's a lot of delays, a lot of communication breakdowns and confusion. Other users don't know anything about it either and they're not sure how it's going to work." Although LTC has sent out an instruction package to riders signed up for the online system, Moore said there should also be information sessions where users who need additional face-to-face support understand the portal can ask questions. Valerie Hembruff has been waiting for months with no update on the online portal and said the current system is time consuming. She said LTC needs to honour the deadlines they commit to, especially with this virtual service which has been in the works for years. "It's difficult because in the meantime, the only option for us riders is to phone in and sometimes that can be really quick, but sometimes you'll be on hold for a while. It's like I need to put aside time just to see if I can request a ride for three days from now," said Hembruff. "[The online system] would eliminate that time commitment of calling in and waiting through a queue to get an employee to pick up the phone." LTC said data from other transit system indicates that approximately 10 per cent of users prefer online bookings compared to over the phone and the organization will provide regular updates as to how many paratransit users are booking trips online and via telephone.
Travel Daily News
26-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
Accor develops ecosystem for meetings and events bookings
This global website will be available as a pre-launch version in late 2025, with initial functionality for sales teams connected to Salesforce and online booking for small accommodation groups of up to 30 guestrooms. In early 2026, a more comprehensive suite of features will be introduced, including online booking for meeting rooms and residential seminars, guestrooms and meeting rooms, as well as connectivity to external channels. MeetingPackage, the best-in-class online central reservation system for booking Accor meetings & events space, will be used as the backbone of this future platform, connecting listed sales & catering tools to the Accor website and external third-party channels. The meetings & events ecosystem is also being developed in collaboration with several globally renowned technology providers that will seamlessly integrate their expertise and technologies to enhance the overall meetings & events management experience across Accor's global portfolio. These include: Oracle – OPERA Cloud Sales and Event Management is Accor's new cloud-based application, and the first out of the 4 S&C providers in being fully connected with MeetingPackage and Accor Ecosystem. An integrated component of OPERA Cloud Property Management unifying all Accor's hotel departments, Sales and Events Management will be offered in three versions: Premium for luxury hotels as well as large meetings & events properties, Standard for small and medium hotels, and an Essential version will be offered to cover hotels who manage accommodation only groups Backyou – Accor's trusted European provider and sales & catering solution for small and medium meetings & events hotels in Europe and North Africa. iVvy – is a leading sales & catering solution provider trusted by Accor's Mantra properties and Accor hotels in the Pacific region. iVvy is Accor's preferred sales & catering solution for small and medium hotels in Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and The Americas. Amadeus – Delphi is a leading sales & catering solution for the hospitality market, tailored solution for premium and luxury hotels as well as large meetings & events properties, and clustered hotels. Delphi is a trusted solution already adopted by more than 250 Accor properties in the premium and luxury segment. 'At Accor, we are fortunate to collaborate with best-in-class technology providers who are helping us create a seamless and efficient user experience. Through this new digital Meetings & Events ecosystem, Accor's entire event inventory will become more visible, accessible, and appealing. Our venues will be recognized as top destinations to gather with colleagues, clients, friends, or family. This digital transformation aligns with recent research from Accor highlighting that in-person meetings are more valued than ever. Meeting planners consistently report that face-to-face events drive higher revenue than virtual alternatives, that corporate away-days are essential, and that in-person business interactions significantly boost employee mental health. Our new platform will support these vital connections by simplifying the booking and management process, while also integrating our ALL Accor loyalty program to enhance the overall customer experience.'said Julien Houdebine, Chief Sales and Revenue Officer, Accor. According to Allied Market Research, the overall value of the business travel industry is forecasted to rise from US$695.9 billion in 2020 to US$2 trillion by 2028. The forecasted expenditure by business travelers will also rise, according to a survey by GBTA and Mastercard, increasing from US$933 billion in 2022 to US$1.4 trillion in 2026. With a leadership position in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, where the market still offers strong growth potential, Accor is aiming to expand its footprint, strengthen local partnerships, and deliver tailored, innovative solutions that meet evolving client needs across these key regions. Accor has the most diverse brand portfolio in the hospitality industry, encompassing more than 45 hospitality brands from luxury to economy. The Group's leading brands for meetings & events include Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, MGallery, Pullman, Mövenpick, Novotel, Mercure, and ibis as well as lifestyle brands like The Hoxton, Mama Shelter, SLS, and SO/ through Ennismore.
New York Times
25-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Some Sneaky Fees Can No Longer Hide. But Watch Out for Others.
Everyone who has shopped online for hotel rooms, vacation rentals or plane tickets has had the experience of finding a reasonable upfront price that then skyrockets at checkout because of undisclosed fees. Common culprits include the dreaded resort fee, vacation rental cleaning fees and, on some airlines, the cost of choosing seats. Such annoying costs that creep in at the end of the transaction are widely known as junk fees, which complicate the process of making apples-to-apples price comparisons. A Federal Trade Commission rule went into effect this month preventing hotels, vacation rentals and ticketing services for live entertainment events from obfuscating extra costs. Those types of businesses are now required to show an upfront price that includes all fees, and they are not allowed to tack on any at the end. This win for consumers will radically change the way we make bookings online for travel and entertainment. The F.T.C. estimates that Americans waste 53 million hours a year comparing prices on live-event tickets and short-term lodging. Now, we can do a quick web search to get a price comparison across multiple vendors and pick the option that suits our budget. But — and I'm sorry to be a buzzkill — this is where the good news ends. Hidden fees still lurk in other areas, like airfares, car rental reservations and movie tickets. In other words, the experience of online booking has improved for some categories but not all. 'People really feel nickel-and-dimed to death,' said Chuck Bell, a director at Consumer Reports, who has lobbied against junk fees for years. Here's what to know. Deal Hunting for Hotels and Event Tickets Is Much Easier Because of the new F.T.C. rule, sites that aggregate booking information for hotels, like and Expedia, are now showing total room rates including taxes and all fees. On for example, the site quoted $825 for a two-night stay at a hotel in Midtown Manhattan. After I clicked through, the checkout page showed the breakdown, which included a $60 resort fee and taxes. Similarly, when I'm browsing vacation homes on Airbnb, the total price appears, including the service fee that users pay to the site as well as the cleaning fee charged by a host. Sites selling tickets for live events, including Ticketmaster and StubHub, now show a total cost including their service fees. While the fees themselves have not gone away, the true costs are now transparent. That makes it easier to stick to a budget when shopping around. Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy, a blog that follows travel deals, advises that travelers use third-party hotel aggregators like Expedia to compare prices, then book directly with the hotel. If something goes wrong with your hotel reservation, the issue can be resolved more efficiently by the hotel's support staff than by the aggregator, which is essentially a middleman, he added. The F.T.C. said in a statement that it focused on two industries that had a history of deceptive pricing practices. 'Consumers were frustrated with shopping for event tickets or hotel stays, only to be hit with expensive and mysterious fees when they go to pay,' according to the agency's statement. 'Consumers now will have the whole truth.' But Hidden Fees Remain Elsewhere Online bookings get more complicated for other categories, like plane tickets. A search on Alaska Airlines' website showed a flight from New York to San Francisco in June for $320. Only after I clicked through did it become clear that selecting my own seat would cost an extra $200, bringing the total to $520. Airlines were not included in the F.T.C.'s junk fees rule because they are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation, but that agency has been making similar pushes for greater price transparency. Last month, the department announced a rule requiring airlines to display upfront any fees for checked bags and seat selections. The airlines sued the department this month, arguing that the rule would confuse consumers by giving them too much information. As a result, the rule has not yet gone into effect. 'This is an industry that lives on sticker shock,' said William McGee, an aviation expert at the American Economic Liberties Project, a nonprofit that fights corporate monopolies. 'The gotchas just never stop.' He added that consumers would have to continue working diligently to understand the true price of a plane ticket. One useful technique to streamline the research process is to become familiar with the types of fees a business typically adds at checkout. Budget airlines, for example, typically charge for extras. If you're using an airfare comparison tool like Google Flights, you can filter out budget airlines from your search and look for tickets only from brands with simpler pricing structures. Junk fees are still hiding in lots of our online transactions. The total cost of a movie ticket, including the so-called convenience fee for booking online, is often not shown until after you've picked a showtime and seat. Some rental car companies add a charge for operating at an airport, among other fees. Long story short, stay on guard. Long Term, Transparency May Force Prices Down Even though the new rules sound like small wins, consumers may have bigger changes to look forward to, Mr. Bell said. Now that hotels and live event services have to be clearer about their pricing, they may face competitive pressure to lower their fees. 'It'll be nice to see some of the fees reduced or eliminated,' he added.
