Cathay Pacific Airways will change over to a new passenger reservations system on February 11 and 12, with the new technology replacing an in-house system introduced in the 1980s.

During the transition, it will be necessary for the airline to temporarily suspend certain customer facing technology, including its web site and its mobile sites, a statement said.

The airline’s flight schedule however, will be unaffected by the changeover, it added.

Cathay Pacific chief operating officer Ivan Chu said: “Our current system has served us well. However, just as we upgrade the products and services our customers can see and touch, we must also update our technology behind the scenes so that we can support the continued growth of our airline and the expanding expectations of our customers.”

The new Altéa reservation and inventory system is provided by Amadeus, the same reservations system used by the majority of oneworld alliance carriers. Cathay Pacific is a founding member of oneworld.

Chu continued: “Preparations for this change began several years back as it is quite a massive undertaking.  For example, as just one part of the process during the cutover, we will migrate more than one million passenger bookings between systems.”

“Unfortunately, as we modify the reservations system and more than 40 down line systems, we’re forced to temporarily suspend some of the conveniences that our customers appreciate and count on,” he added.

The Cathay Pacific Web site will be taken offline worldwide at approximately 6hrs GMT on February 11.  Functionality will be brought back online in stages throughout the next day.

The majority of the site will be available by 12hrs GMT on Sunday Bahrain time.

Online check in and self-service kiosks at airports will also be unavailable throughout much of the weekend.  Additional information on which services will be unavailable along with potential alternatives is provided on the attached “appendix.”

Cathay Pacific will be unable to sell or modify Cathay Pacific tickets from approximately 7hrs GMT on February 11, until the system comes back online on Sunday.  Travel agents will be able to put new reservations on request, but those bookings will not be confirmed until the system resumes service, the statement said.

Cathay Pacific plans to operate its normal flight schedule on the February 11 and 12 as the upgrade does not impact aircraft systems. – TradeArabia News Service