SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) has joined forces with ride-hailing firm Grab in an initiative that sees the two companies integrate their mobile apps to provide more convenience for their customers in Southeast Asia.
It means that SIA customers can now book Grab rides through the SingaporeAir mobile app up to seven days before their scheduled flight, the company announced in a statement.
The new service is being made available across six markets in the region – Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – and is aimed at improving the travel experience of customers.
Starting this week, SIA customers now have the option of booking rides via the Grab app, where they can choose to order a Grab ride on demand or in advance.
The airport will be listed automatically as the destination, so users simply fill in the pick-up point and desired time. In addition, members of SIA’s KrisFlyer and Grab’s GrabRewards programmes will enjoy additional benefits under the partnership.
“We are thrilled to bring more convenience to our customers on the ground and in the air through our new partnership with Grab, while also offering KrisFlyer and GrabRewards members the opportunity to convert points to miles and redeem them for award flights or flight upgrades,” said Campbell Wilson, SIA’s SVP for Sales and Marketing.
“By integrating Grab’s and SIA’s loyalty programmes, customers can look forward to using their points when they plan for their next holiday,” added Jason Thompson, Head of GrabPay.
For some industry experts, the new partnership will be an interesting case to watch in terms of how successfully its integrated mobile app service helps to drive customer loyalty.
“People are loyal to great customer experiences, and convenience, not necessarily points,” observed Brendon Chase, Group Strategy Director at MRM//McCann Singapore, in comments to Marketing Interactive. “We will just have to wait and see on how they will implement the points,” he added.
It means that SIA customers can now book Grab rides through the SingaporeAir mobile app up to seven days before their scheduled flight, the company announced in a statement.
The new service is being made available across six markets in the region – Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – and is aimed at improving the travel experience of customers.
Starting this week, SIA customers now have the option of booking rides via the Grab app, where they can choose to order a Grab ride on demand or in advance.
The airport will be listed automatically as the destination, so users simply fill in the pick-up point and desired time. In addition, members of SIA’s KrisFlyer and Grab’s GrabRewards programmes will enjoy additional benefits under the partnership.
“We are thrilled to bring more convenience to our customers on the ground and in the air through our new partnership with Grab, while also offering KrisFlyer and GrabRewards members the opportunity to convert points to miles and redeem them for award flights or flight upgrades,” said Campbell Wilson, SIA’s SVP for Sales and Marketing.
“By integrating Grab’s and SIA’s loyalty programmes, customers can look forward to using their points when they plan for their next holiday,” added Jason Thompson, Head of GrabPay.
For some industry experts, the new partnership will be an interesting case to watch in terms of how successfully its integrated mobile app service helps to drive customer loyalty.
“People are loyal to great customer experiences, and convenience, not necessarily points,” observed Brendon Chase, Group Strategy Director at MRM//McCann Singapore, in comments to Marketing Interactive. “We will just have to wait and see on how they will implement the points,” he added.
Sourced from Singapore Airlines, Marketing Interactive; additional content by WARC staff
