 December 18, 2009 –
Travelers appreciate it anytime when hotels provide real-time airline
flight
information to help them plan when to go to the airport to board
their flights, but the service is winning special praise from families
with
children who are vacationing this holiday season.
That is the experience Westin Tampa Bay is having with the Flyte Systems solutions it implemented in its lobby and guest rooms when it opened this year. “We cater to business travelers most of the year,” said Ron Alicandro, general manager of the Four Diamond, 255-room property on the waterfront just two miles from the Tampa International Airport. “Airport travel information proves its value again and again to those guests, but the families traveling to this Florida destination over the holidays are especially appreciative of the service.” Ideal for Unpredictable Holiday Airline Schedules Holiday travel is different from the rest of the year. The primary concern of the business traveler is making connections and arriving on time. But with families on holiday, the stakes are higher—one has the welfare and comfort of one’s children to consider. The Flyte Systems solutions play an important role in meeting that need.  Winter weather makes
holiday flight schedules
unpredictable and children are not as accustomed to waiting in airports
as
their parents might be, so being able to check on changing flight
departure
times in the comfort of the hotel is a helpful service. “About a third
of our
guests arrive from the airport and we wanted to provide an amenity that
families and business travelers would value, particularly during the
busy
holiday season when we have a large number of leisure family
travelers,” said
Alicandro. “Guests can verify their flights schedules on a large
FlyteBoard
digital signage monitor strategically located in our lobby, or on their
guest
room television with the FlyteChannel service from Flyte Systems. They
tell us
our flight service helps them plan their trips with confidence and
avoid long
waits at the airport.”With rooms beginning on the seventh floor and each one offering water views, The Westin Tampa Bay is the newest and brightest full-service property in Tampa. According to Alicandro, the Flyte Systems service is a particular “wow” for family members who are not as accustomed to travel as their business counterparts. “Many guests have not seen anything like the FlyteBoard before and as we want to offer the very best to our guests, Flyte Systems is an important part of achieving this goal. It helps relieve the stress of family holiday travel and, we hope, keep our vacationing guests coming back in future years.” 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.
About Flyte Systems  The Flyte
Systems Division of Industrial Television Services (ITS), based in
Chicago, Illinois, is the leading provider of subscription-based
environmentally responsible airport flight information displays for the
hospitality, convention center and digital signage industries and
related businesses.
It delivers accurate, instant, airport-centric updates of flight
information –
not FAA-regulated scheduled departure times that may omit last minute
changes. Properties are able to differentiate their products and
boost
customer loyalty and repeat business with ’glance-and-go’ content
critical to a
traveler’s day. Flyte Systems’ product suite builds upon
ITS’
48-year history as the leading provider of live flight information to
airports,
airlines, government agencies, port authorities and other travel-based
businesses. Flyte Systems was formed in 2007 to offer new
Web-based
travel technology and product lines. In addition to using Energy
Star-compliant digital displays, Flyte products help significantly
reduce
energy consumption by eliminating unnecessary trips to the
airport.
Customers include Marriott, Hyatt, Westin, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn,
Days
Inn, Hilton, Doubletree, Hotel Sofitel, Adam’s Mark, Renaissance and
Crowne
Plaza hotels, independent properties, convention centers and
transportation
centers. About Westin Tampa Bay Located in the heart of Tampa Bay on Rocky Point Island, The Westin Tampa Bay's waterfront location offers both incredible bay views and easy access to the area's attractions. Revive your spirit in its soaring 16-story sanctuary with its cascading waterfall and lushly landscaped courtyard, and enjoy the tranquility and grace of Westin Tampa Bay’s boardwalk and private beach area. |