OREANDA-NEWS. July 06, 2015.  oneworld® is taking the mystery and hassle out of making round-the-world bookings for travel agents and customers in Brazil and the rest of the Portuguese-speaking world with the launch of a simple-to-use dedicated website and a Portuguese language version of its popular online Training Academy.

The moves follow the addition last year of Brazil’s leading carrier, TAM Airlines, to the world’s most highly prized airline alliance – alongside its partner in the LATAM Airlines Group, LAN Airlines.

The dedicate microsite – at www.lan.com/oneworldexplorer/pt/index.php – and with a direct link from TAM and LAN’s own websites– includes a Portuguese version of the online planning and booking tool for oneworld Explorer, the alliance’s flagship round-the-world fare, along with a range of sample itineraries and guidance on how to use the system. 

oneworld Explorer is the only round-the-world fare with pricing based on the number of continents visited rather than the distance flown, offering excellent flexibility and making planning as simple as possible.  It enables travelers to circumnavigate the globe using the services of TAM and all its airline partners in the oneworld alliance – which, between them, fly to more than a thousand destinations in some 155 countries.

The oneworld Training Academy features a module focusing on that oneworld Explorer fare – and this too is now available in Portuguese.  See pt.oneworld.com/sdtravelagent/

oneworld Training Academy’s fun and informative e-learning lessons, each of which should take no more than 30 minutes to complete, are designed to equip travel agents to sell these fares confidently and correctly. 

They lead participants through a series of product lessons, with engaging interactive exercises, video, text and images, covering all the command entries needed to book these fares through all the key GDSs (global distribution systems, like Amadeus, Sabre, etc.) enabling travel agents to book them quickly and easily, using the various support tools available via oneworld.com, including the interactive oneworld Explorer online travel planner.

Those successfully completing the modules can download and print off a diploma certificate proclaiming them a “oneworld fares specialist”.

More modules, covering the alliance’s other fares, are scheduled to be added soon.  oneworld offers a wider range of fares than any other global airline alliance.  They offer the flexibility of flights for trips around the world, or through several or just one continent, on any of oneworld’s 15 member airlines and more than 30 affiliated carriers, serving almost a thousand destinations in more than 150 countries.

The launch of this Portuguese version means that the oneworld Training Academy is now available in a choice of seven languages, with the recent addition also of versions in Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish alongside the original English.

oneworld Director of Sales Jos? Mar?a Alvarado said:  “Portuguese speakers have always been long-distance travelers and there is a growing thirst among Brazilians to voyage around the world.

“The launch of oneworld’s new dedicated Portuguese-language version of our oneworld Explorer booking tool and microsite makes planning and booking round-the-world trips smooth and simple for them.

“There is quite a wide-spread myth in the travel industry that alliance fares are complicated products to sell and book.  The oneworld Academy, which has been very well received in other markets since its launch a year ago, knocks that firmly on the head by showing how quick, easy and simple oneworld fares are to work with.”

LATAM Airlines Group’s Leisure Sales Strategy Senior Manager Lissy Reinhardt added: “Now that TAM Airlines has joined LAN Airlines in oneworld, we are pleased to be adding Portuguese as a language option for the oneworld Training Academy, supporting travel agents throughout Brazil and the rest of the Portuguese-speaking world in taking full advantage of what this attractive range of products offers them and their customers –the ultimate, highly flexible fares offering flights on a collection of the world’s leading airlines and at very competitive prices.”

About oneworld

oneworld is an alliance of some of the world’s leading airlines, committed to providing the highest level of service and convenience to frequent international travellers.  Current member airlines include airberlin, American Airlines (including US Airways), British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, TAM Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and SriLankan Airlines, and around 30 affiliates.  As part of oneworld, these airlines:

  • Serve more than a thousand airports in some 155 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
  • Carry some 520 million passengers a year on a combined fleet of 3,400 aircraft.
  • Offer more than 650 airport lounges.
  • Generate US\\$ 145 billion annual revenues.

oneworld member airlines work together to deliver consistently a superior, seamless travel experience, with special privileges and rewards for frequent flyers, including earning and redeeming miles and points across the entire alliance network.  Top tier cardholders (Emerald and Sapphire) enjoy access to more than 600 airport lounges and are offered extra baggage allowances. The most regular travellers (Emerald) can also use fast track security lanes at select airports.

oneworld is the current holder of an unprecedented six of the nine leading “best airline alliance” titles available in the various industry award schemes. 

  • FlightStats’ On-Time Performance Award 2014, for the second time running.
  • Skytrax’s World’s Best Airline Alliance 2015 for the third year running.
  • Business Traveller’s 2014 Best Airline Alliance, for the second year running.
  • Global Traveler magazine’s Best Airline Alliance in its GT Tested Reader Survey 2014 Awards for the fifth year running.
  • World Travel Awards’ World’s Leading Airline Alliance 2014, for the 12th year running.
  • Premier Traveler’s Best of 2014 Readers Survey Best Airline Alliance.
  • Air Transport News’ Best Airline Alliance 2014.

About oneworld’s alliance fares

oneworld is the market leader for alliance fares and sales products, offering a wider range than any other global alliance.  It has pioneered some of the most innovative, flexible and attractively priced alliance fares available – and was the first to sell any of them on-line.  With something for anyone interested in making an extensive journey - from top executives on a trip right around the world to a backpacker exploring one continent or more – they include:

  • oneworld Explorer:  One of the most popular, simple, flexible and attractively priced round-the-world fares available in the market. Prices are based on class of travel (Economy, Premium Economy where available, Business or First) and, uniquely, the number of continents visited - rather than mileage of the overall trip.  This keeps journey planning as simple and flexible as possible, providing excellent value.  Flights can be on any of the oneworld carriers.  oneworld Explorer is the obvious choice for anyone planning a global journey including sectors “Downunder” with oneworld’s Qantas the only member of a global alliance operating a full domestic network within Australia.  oneworld Explorer was the first multi-airline round-the-world fare bookable on-line. 
  • Global Explorer:  Another round-the-world fare, but this time based on the distance flown - and including some airlines which are not members of oneworld - including Aer Lingus, Alaska Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Fiji Airways, Meridianafly, WestJet and some flights operated by Air Tahiti Nui and  Jetstar extending the destinations covered still further.
  • Circle Explorer:  Similar to oneworld Explorer, but does not require travel to North or South America, so you can fly halfway around the globe and then back again, without actually circumnavigating the planet (for example London-Hong Kong-Sydney-Johannesburg-London).
  • Circle Pacific:  Another Explorer variant, this time for trips around the Pacific Ocean, covering Australia/NZ, Asia and North and South America (for example, Los Angeles-Tokyo-Sydney-Los Angeles).
  • Circle Asia and South West Pacific:  Covering North East and South East Asia and the South West Pacific.
  • Circle Atlantic:  Covering Europe and the Middle East, North and South America.
  • Visit Passes:  Offering multi-sector flights on any oneworld carrier in a specific continent (Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, North America, South America, Europe, and also within Japan, Malaysia and the South Asian Sub-Continent).  They offer a great value way to travel around a region.  oneworld is the only alliance to offer this sort of pass covering all six continents, excluding Antarctica.  Prices are based on the number of sectors selected and their length.   oneworld also offers travel solutions for big corporate customers and for organisers of large conferences, conventions and other events.

For more details, see http://www.oneworld.com/flights/round-the-world-fares