Emirates: National carrier Etihad Airways and Dubai-based consumer technology firm Astra Tech has inked an agreement to enable flight bookings through the Botim app – recently relaunched as an ultra app.

The partnership was signed at the Arabian Travel Market between Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves and Astra Tech’s founder Abdallah Abu Sheikh.

“Etihad is excited about this new partnership with Astra Tech, as it provides a unique opportunity to launch flight bookings on Botim, a communications platform that families and friends use to stay connected. By integrating flight bookings into the application, Etihad becomes a part of the conversation, making it convenient for guests to book flights without leaving the platform,” Neves said.

Through the Botim GPT module developed by Astra Tech, flights and other travel-related services are integrated into the app, offering a convenient and innovative way for customers to book Etihad flights.

“The integration of new payment options simplifies the booking process for customers. Etihad is committed to staying at the forefront of the constantly evolving digital landscape by exploring and adopting innovative solutions, such as GPT-enabled flight bookings, to deliver the best possible experiences to its guests,” Neves noted.

Abu Sheikh underlined that the partnership will ensure a never-seen-before feature for Botim users.

“We are revolutionising the way people will book flights by making it as easy as asking a question. This represents our ability to connect people, not only virtually, but physically, all around the world using the latest technology in artificial intelligence,” he added.

Astra Tech’s Botim 3.0 is an all-inclusive digital platform for its users by combining fintech, e-commerce, GPT, and communications into a single user experience.