|
Chicago, IL – January 13, 2009 – Known the world over for its exclusive boutiques, spectacular shopping and trendy restaurants, Chicago’s “Magnificent Mile” is a popular destination that attracts thousands of business travelers, conference goers and tourists no matter what time of year. Located in the heart of this exclusive boulevard is the InterContinental Chicago, a soaring two-tower, four diamond property whose faithfully restored historic 1920s architecture is often included in city tours.
Worth Waiting For “So many of our guests are here on business, which means flying in and out of Chicago O’Hare,” Barbier said. “In the wintertime especially there can be long delays and cancellations. Since we are a very service-oriented property, I had previously placed a specially configured PC in the lobby whose sole function was supposed to be to access airline flight schedules.” Barbier noted that while his idea was on target, the usage was not. “Most of the time children were trying to access the Internet or play games on it, and eventually the concierge staff became overwhelmed with guest requests to check flights or print boarding passes. Flyte Systems fixed that.” With guest convenience on his mind, Barbier was pleased to discover FlytePass from Flyte Systems, the only company that provides cost-effective, subscription-based feeds of real-time flight information - not FAA-regulated scheduled departure times. He recently installed flight information kiosks with both O’Hare and Midway airport airline activity in his lobby and in the concierge center and says the response from both staff and guests has been overwhelmingly positive. “It is very clear they provide flight information and boarding pass printing, and I can tell you that people are lining up to use them all the time. The other day a staff member overheard a guest say he didn’t care about waiting in line because the service itself was such an extraordinary and valuable convenience.” Real-time Flight Information What sets Flyte Systems apart from PC-based applications is the ability to post accurate, real-time airline flight arrival and departure information, not FAA-regulated scheduled departure times that do not list delays caused by air traffic control, aircraft maintenance, crew availability and weather. Flyte Systems offers a suite of products that serve the traveling public: FlyteBoard, FlytePass, FlyteChannel and FlyteTouch.
According to Barbier the number of people using the kiosks to check flight schedules and print boarding passes has grown exponentially over time. “Flyte Systems’ travel solutions are especially useful now with the weather causing increasing delays and cancellations. Let’s face it, if you have to wait, wouldn’t you much rather do it here at the InterContinental, with the Magnificent Mile right outside your door?” About the InterContinental Chicago
About Flyte Systems
|
The
InterContinental is also the only downtown Chicago hotel that can lay claim
to having an entrance directly onto the Magnificent Mile, a prime location
that puts it in the center of the city’s most sought-after attractions.
The hotel recently underwent a quarter-billion dollar refurbishing of its
792 rooms and suites, along with more than 40,000 square feet of meeting
and event space, reinforcing its status as a premier property for conference
planners and business travelers. Which is just one of the reasons why Director
of Information Technology John Barbier decided several years ago to offer
his 