An MoU with Alibaba Group’s Fliggy will see Qantas become the first Australian carrier to avail direct bookings on the Chinese travel sales platform via online stores.
There are currently 20 international carriers running online booking stores on Fliggy, with Cathay Pacific among the latest to form partnerships with Fliggy.
Part of a growth strategy for China and broader Asian region; Qantas’ Alan Joyce at the launch of Qantas’ Sydney-Beijing flights
Qantas’ agreement with Fliggy also includes joint marketing campaigns, which will be rolled out to Alibaba Group’s 507 million mobile users.
Gareth Evans, Qantas International’s CEO, said the partnership will make it easier for a large number of potential customers to purchase the airline’s flights.
“With travel between China and Australia booming, a Qantas booking page on Fliggy is an exciting opportunity for us to have a connection with younger Chinese travellers, who increasingly turn to mobile applications like Fliggy and online sites to research and purchase travel,” Evans added.
Fliggy vice president Jerry Hu remarked: “With the popularity of mobile Internet and its impact on commerce, Fliggy can provide brands with a large customer base, as well as facilitate direct communication with their customers.”
The platform can also provide consumer insights to help brands improve their marketing, membership system and services levels, he added.
Together with partners China Eastern and China Southern, Qantas operates more than 130 weekly return flights between Australia and China, plus close to 250 connecting services to domestic destinations within China.
