Products

Babel

Airline Common Language Facility and Terminal Emulator

Introduction and Overview

Damarel provides business solutions for Airport Operations.

Airline host systems are traditionally difficult to use, with proprietary cryptic command languages entered through a terminal emulator requiring intensive agent training.

The modern common use airport places even heavier demands on agents, who have to learn to operate on many different hosts.

Host training typically requires several weeks in the classroom, followed by a period of shadowing by an experienced agent. This can have a major business impact, particularly in volatile labour markets such as airports.

The Babel airline Common Language Facility (CLF) replaces the old fixed function style airline terminal emulators with an easy to use and intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI) while still retaining the power and flexibility of the underlying host systems.

Babel makes use of the installed Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) system platform technology, such as airline host gateways and ATB2 peripherals, to provide a simple and effective solution to problems faced by the modern airport.

Babel is certified to run on:

• Damarel AuRA
• ARINC MUSE/NT and iMUSE
• SITA CUTE/NT and Airport Connect
• Ultra CUSE
• RESA CREWS

Babel Speeds Check-In

The Babel airline Common Language Facility has a clear, easy-to-use, graphical user interface that simplifies the job of the check-in agent without compromising their ability to perform more complex tasks. The simple interface both increases throughput and reduces mistakes.

For experienced staff, the integrated airline terminal emulator allows full native access to the host. Fully trained agents can continue to operate as before with no impact on transaction times.

Babel Saves Money

The introduction of the Babel system with its easy to use airline CLF interface allows the operator to not only drastically reduce training requirements and costs, but also increase the flexibility of staff.

Commonality of the interface between host systems makes agent cross training for different airline hosts easy, and greatly simplifies current rostering problems.

Functional Highlights

Check-In Operation

Babel provides simple to use button bars, form-fill input and pick lists to guide the agent towards accomplishing tasks.

Simple keystroke sequences give access to major functions. Local formatting and validation ensure correct operation.

Multiple copies of Babel can be run on one workstation, giving access to many different airline hosts simultaneously, with the capability to hotkey between them.

E-Ticket Support

The move by the industry toward E-Tickets has meant more and more airlines are insisting that their own DCS is used for check-in, giving them full support for the new standards. This is putting pressure on handling agents to retrain staff in multiple systems - a costly and time-consuming exercise.

Babel has native support for E-Tickets built in, and along with the easy to use interface can help smooth the introduction of a new DCS.

Scripted Interface Definition

Different operators have different requirements, and their needs may lead to different interface designs.

Because of this, Babel is entirely driven by a set of scripted configuration files that can be customised to provide the perfect interface.

The powerful scripting language used by the Babel Common Language Facility allows the operator to tailor the solution to their exact requirements, from a vanilla terminal emulator, through a simple template filling application to a full blown graphical interface.

Managing Host Changes

Airline host systems regularly change command and response formats, both of which cause problems for other airline CLFs. Agent's confidence in the system can suffer greatly when host information is omitted or mistranslated.

Babel overcomes these problems by including the native airline terminal emulator as standard, so the agent always sees what the airline host intends, with no possibility of misinterpretation.

The Common Language Facility scripting language allows easy modification of the Babel command set, whilst experienced users will have immediate access to new features through direct entry.

Multiple Language Support

Babel is a Common Language Facility that is designed for use in airports worldwide and can be fully configured for local operations. The built-in scripting language allows regionalisation of all textual information such as button labels and help prompts.

Native support for Double Byte Character Sets (DBCS) means that languages ranging from English to Japanese can be displayed in native fonts such as Roman and Kanji, or even as a mixture.

Bag Tags and Boarding Passes

Babel makes use of the installed peripheral devices for document printing, and includes the following features:

Peripheral Support

Babel supports the peripherals devices required in the modern airport environment, including:

• Passport readers
• Credit card readers
• Frequent flyer card readers
• Bar code readers
• ATB2 check-in

Input from these devices can either be passed directly to the host, or captured within Babel for display and amendment by the agent.

Just Need a TE?

If all you need is a Terminal Emulator (TE) to replace your legacy application, Babel can be supplied with basic scripts that support standard emulator functionality, including Multiple Windows and Programmable Function Keys.

Because it uses the same core engine, a Babel TE also has built in support for all the CUTE platforms, devices and host connections that you need.

By selecting a Babel TE, you will get a modern, up-to-date Terminal Emulator that provides all the functionality you need and can be used as a single solution for all of your stations - simplifying support and rollout procedures.

Just Need a GUI?

Perhaps you only need a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for your particular DCS? Many of our airline and DCS provider customers have this requirement, and we regularly supply fully customised scripts targeted directly at their operation.

Architecture

Babel Common Language Facility and Terminal Emulator Technical Information:

• Based on modern 32-bit Windows® (NT/2000/XP platform)
• Graphical User Interface (GUI) based Common Language Front End reduces the time required to train agents in order for them to become productive on the check-in desk.
• Communicates across standard local area networks.
• Makes use of ATB2 technology.
• Is certified on leading Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) platforms.
• Currently supports over 30 different airlines at major international airports world wide.
• Part of an integrated airport solution with other Damarel or third party products.
• Supported and diagnosed remotely.

Currently Supported Airlines

Babel currently has support for over 30 airlines, including the following: