The Rise of Culinary Tourism – Part One

APEX contributor Jordan Yerman explores the rise in culinary tourism in a four-part web series, released every Friday starting April 3, 2015. Look out for Part Two of the series “The New Food Cities: Building a Global Culinary Magnet” where Yerman reveals which cities are attracting traveling foodies. Going down to the local pizza place no longer hits the […]

Smart Card

This article originally appeared in The Technology Issue of APEX Experience. In the 1930s, the airline industry developed the world’s first credit card. Within 10 years, all major 17 American airlines adopted the Air Travel Card, now known as UATP, which was later adopted worldwide. Nearly 30 years later, the airline industry created the world’s […]

Will That Be Cash, Credit or Bitcoin?

Bitcoin, the digital currency, is ready for lift-off. The global provider of point-of-purchase systems (POS) for the airline industry, GuestLogix, is introducing the cryptocurrency to its Transaction Processing Engine® (TPE), software that runs on its handheld terminals, mobile platforms and in-flight entertainment systems, allowing it to be used for in-flight purchases. For a Bitcoin transaction to […]

Automating the Airport Restaurant

Back to the Future Part II was set in the year 2015, and while we haven’t quite made it to flying cars, the hubs for our flying machines are moving in a futuristic direction by automating airport restaurants. Thanks to OTG, travel restaurateurs who have upped the ante of the airport dining experience for travelers, […]

The Pre-flight Pancake Printer

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Especially when “they” are Alaska Airlines travellers making a stop in one of four boardroom lounges equipped with a Popcake Pancake Printer. With the single press of a button the automatic pancake-making machine spurs to life and in moments you’ve got fluffy, delicious pancakes […]

And the World’s Top In-flight Caterer Goes to…

In case you weren’t aware, there are people who take the safety and quality of in-flight meals very seriously – so much so that every year, an award is given to the top airline caterers. The organization behind these awards is Medina Quality, who developed the Quality and Safety Alliance In-flight Services (QSAI) program in 2011 […]

Virgin America Adapts Visa Checkout for Speedier Online Purchases

Virgin America has made another tech-forward leap by being the first to adapt Visa Checkout, a simpler and faster way to purchase a flight online without having to enter a 16-digit card number or fill in field after field of personal information. This move coincides with the launch of its new website in 2014, the first […]

Far Beyond Tokyo: ANA’s ‘Tastes of Japan’

Fukushima Wine Jelly Beyond the bright lights of Tokyo, there’s a whole other side to Japan that most travelers don’t get to see… or taste. ANA, Japan’s largest airline, is out to change that with their “Tastes of Japan” program. Launched in September 2013, ANA is shining a delicious spotlight on the lesser-known prefectures of […]