UnionPay: Must-have card for China’s travellers

SHANGHAI, 2 October 201: China’s outbound tourism reaches its peak during this National Day and mid-Autumn festival, China’s National Tourism Administration reported on Sunday.

Of the long-haul destinations where Chinese are heading the USA, Canada, Australia, France and Egypt were identified as top attractions for UnionPay cards holders.

More than 21 million merchants and 1.5 million ATMs outside the Chinese Mainland accept UnionPay cards. Read more

Changi offers Alipay option

SINGAPORE, 14 September 2017: Alipay and Changi Airport Group have signed a five-year partnership to roll out the Alipay mobile payment option in Changi Airport.

A joint marketing agreement was also inked, for both parties to offer customised and targeted shopping and dining offers to Chinese passengers using Alipay.

Alipay, operated by Ant Financial Services Group, is the world’s leading online and mobile payment platform with over 520 million active users. Read more

Technology inspires business travellers

AMSTERDAM, 24 August 2017: Business travellers are taking more devices than ever on their trips, and feel more productive about conducting business while on the road, according to the CWT Connected Traveller Study, released last Friday by Carlson Wagonlit Travel.

The survey of more than 1,900 business travellers found that they carry on average three different types of technology (mobile, tablet, laptop), with the smartphone being the one “travel tool they can’t live without.

The study showed that 80% of those surveyed rely on their phone to conduct business. Read more

Singaporean mobile travel savvy

SINGAPORE, 3 May 2017: With one in five online travel transactions already made on mobile in 2016, mobile travel sales will continue to grow and present the biggest opportunity for travel companies, according to Criteo, a performance marketing technology company.

It released its latest findings, last week based on a Criteo-commissioned study by Euromonitor International on mobile use in travel.

Euromonitor International surveyed 150 Singaporeans to analyse the online travel landscape, as well as browsing and purchase behaviours in Singapore to help travel businesses and online travel agents (OTAs) identify digital strategies to engage travellers throughout their purchase journey. Read more

Spies in the skies

PARIS, 9 December 2016: American and British spy agencies have tried to intercept data from passengers’ mobile phones on commercial airlines including Air France, French media has reported, citing documents from US whistle blower, Edward Snowden.

The French flag-carrier was an early target of the US National Security Agency and its British counterpart GCHQ as it was seen as a terrorist target and it carried out tests in 2007 on allowing the use of mobile phones on its aircraft.

“The use of mobile phones with internet connections in the sky gave rise to the creation of specific programmes at the NSA and GCHQ,” said Le Monde, which has access to Snowden’s archive in partnership with news website The Intercept. Read more

Airlines ban Galaxy Note 7

TOKYO, 18 October 2016: Japan is the latest airline to bar all Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones from airplanes.

US regulators banned the recalled devices over fire risk concerns prompting a string of airlines, worldwide, to follow suit.

The weekend announcement from Japan’s transport ministry follows an earlier warning that asked airlines to urge passengers not to turn on or charge the smartphones on aircraft. Read more

Why mobile batteries catch fire?

SEOUL, 12 October 2016: Samsung has told customers worldwide to stop using their Galaxy Note 7 smartphones after a spate of battery explosions threatens to derail the powerhouse global brand.

It is the latest in a string of lithium-ion battery fires on products ranging from laptops to hover boards to planes — and a reminder that pushing the technology envelope can sometimes be problematic.

Here are some things to know about Samsung’s snowballing safety crisis, the handset recall and why batteries can be a fire hazard. Read more

More fire woes for Samsung

CHICAGO, 7 October 2017: A US flight was evacuated prior to takeoff when a passenger’s Galaxy Note 7 — reportedly a replacement in Samsung’s global recall — caught fire, landing the company in new controversy.

Samsung has been struggling with a recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 handsets due to complaints of exploding batteries, a problem the replacement phones are supposed to fix.

But on Wednesday, a Southwest Airlines flight leaving Louisville, Kentucky was evacuated after a passenger’s new Samsung phone began emitting smoke. Read more

AirAsia updates mobile App

KUALA LUMPUR, 19 November 2015: AirAsia launched its updated mobile application, Wednesday, offering new features, improved functionality and interface.

AirAsia’s mobile app was nominated ‘World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline App’ at the upcoming World Travel Awards. This enhanced version is now available in 11 languages and it can be downloaded from the respective app stores of both iOS and Android devices.

Read more

Travelport buys mobile technology

LANGLEY, UK 8 July 2015: Travelport Worldwide Limited that provides distribution to the global travel and tourism industry, has acquired Mobile Travel Technologies Ltd a private company based in Dublin, Ireland.

MTT provides a mobile travel platform that allows airlines, hotels, corporate travel management companies and travel agencies to engage with their customers through mobile services including apps, mobile web and intelligent mobile messaging.

MTT’s mobile apps and services are then delivered, under the customer brand, to smartphones, tablets and wearable devices, including the Apple Watch.

Read more

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