gategroup through eGate Solutions announces POPS™, an automated and full-featured Pre-Order and Pre-Selection technology

HAMBURG, Germany and CHICAGO, April 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- WORLD TRAVEL CATERING & ONBOARD SERVICES EXPO -- gategroup, through eGate Solutions (eGate), a leading provider of service planning and fulfillment solutions for the travel industry, today announced POPS™, an end-to-end, fully automated pre-order and pre-selection product. eGate's POPS product has an easy-to-use e-commerce portal that is optimized for all mobile devices to create a modern and simplified online shopping experience for passengers. Fully branded as the host airline or simply an electronic interface to carriers' sites, the POPS product grants users access to the application anytime, anywhere. This access is available via a range of the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) New Distribution Capability (NDC)-enabled entry points including the carrier's website, email link, custom application and kiosk.

On the back end, POPS seamlessly integrates with an airline's existing flight system, minimizing the need for re-entry of information that validates passenger identity and orders. All service orders are automatically delivered to caterers to ensure that passenger requests are received, acknowledged and confirmed. The secure system is PCI compliant and can easily integrate with an airline's, eGate's or a third party's payment processing system. Using eGate's complete onboard services solution dramatically reduces software and systems compatibility issues, speeds development and implementation efforts, as well as enables faster resolution. As a platform-agnostic solution, POPS is also capable of effectively working within a multi-vendor environment.

The POPS solution can be integrated with eGate's complete product offering to support a full retail approach to onboard services while also simplifying the complexities of the entire process.

"In our increasingly connected world, consumers expect more personalization and the ability to customize their experiences, whether on the ground or in the air," said Simon de Montfort Walker, president and managing director, eGate Solutions. "The benefits of pre-order and pre-selection are clear, and many of our customers are thinking about how to bring these benefits into their operations to deliver a great experience. However, a great deal of planning and fulfillment work is required to get it right. With POPS, eGate takes the expense and complexity out of pre-order and pre-selection making it a viable option for airlines of all types and sizes," he said.

Xavier Rossinyol, gategroup CEO, said, "POPS is another great step for eGate which enables airlines to maximize passenger amenities, minimize waste, reduce fuel burn and deliver modernized onboard services, sales and delivery, all through a single provider. The design and launch of POPS is evidence of our team's forward-thinking approach, and our increased focus on travelers' changing expectations with new technology. We look forward to collaborating with our customers in the deployment of this solution to further enhance the passengers' entire travel experience."

Availability
POPS™ is available through eGate Solutions' sales channels. Organizations interested in learning more should contact eGate Solutions at: +1.312.283.3000 or via email: [email protected]. The POPS™ solution can scale to meet the needs of any size environment.

About eGate Solutions
eGate Solutions, a gategroup member, is a leading provider of service planning and fulfillment solutions for the travel industry. The eGate Solutions team blends strong industry and technology expertise to deliver an intuitive end-to-end solution that provides customers with increased control, speed and accuracy. eGate's existing product portfolio includes GP™, a complete galley planning, ordering and scheduling system; IFX™, a suite of state-of-the-art business applications for managing the full onboard-service process; and TS™, a comprehensive and feature-rich cabin management and onboard retail technology.

About gategroup
gategroup is the leading independent global provider of products, services and solutions related to a passenger's onboard experience. gategroup comprises the following brands: deSter, eGate Solutions, Gate Aviation, Gate Gourmet, Gate Retail Onboard, Gate Safe, Harmony, Performa, Pourshins and Supplair.

Forward-Looking Statements
This publication contains forward-looking statements and other statements that are not historical facts. The words "believe", "anticipate", "plan", "expect", "project", "estimate", "predict", "intend", "target", "assume", "may", "will", "could" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such statements are made on the basis of assumptions and expectations that we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this publication but may prove to be erroneous and are subject to a variety of significant uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Among these factors are changes in overall economic conditions, changes in demand for our products, changes in the demand for, or price of, oil, risk of terrorism, war, geopolitical or other exogenous shocks to the airline sector, risks of increased competition, manufacturing and product development risks, loss of key customers, changes in government regulations, foreign and domestic political and legislative risks, risks associated with foreign operations and foreign currency exchange rates and controls, strikes, embargoes, weather-related risks and other risks and uncertainties. We therefore caution investors and prospective investors against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements or to update the reasons for which actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

SOURCE eGate Solutions