Qatar Airways Cargo is now offering interline partners the ability to book shipments online and receive instant confirmations, which it claims is an industry first.
The development allows interline airline partners to manage bookings online meaning they no longer need to contact local station staff.
Qatar Cargo said this would significantly reduce the number of booking emails and will create operational efficiency. It also provides real-time access to booking information and updates.
The interline booking feature is available through the airline’s Digital Lounge portal and is currently being used by American Airlines Cargo and Latam Cargo to manage all their bookings.
The Digital Lounge service will be extended to all interline partners in the coming months.
Mark Drusch, chief officer cargo at Qatar Airways Cargo, said: “As the first air cargo carrier to offer online bookings with instant confirmations to our interline partners, we are committed to innovation and improving the booking experience for both, our partners and customers.
“Our teams actively gather customer feedback to enhance the user experience on the Digital Lounge portal, and we have made significant progress since its launch in 2022.”
Faisal Karamat, vice president cargo customer experience at Qatar Airways Cargo, added: “Since the launch of Digital Lounge, we have welcomed over 6,800 registered customers and 15,000 users to the portal, achieving nearly 500,000 online bookings.
“We are continually exploring ways to enhance our Digital Lounge, and the introduction of the new Interline feature is a testament to our commitment to adding valuable functionalities.”
