Travelport backs IATA NDC intentions
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Travelport has backed IATA’s plans to standardise airline booking information but joined travel agent associations in asking for engagement across all sectors before a new system launch.
The travel technology firm said IATA’s proposals for its New Distribution Capability (NDC) had appeared “only conceptual in nature” and as yet had not considered what is already available and what travel agents need. Travelport suggested that GDS firms have already made progress in helping agents to comparison shop more efficiently, with many systems now incorporating various ancillary services into price comparison.
It highlighted its own work with Air Canada; KLM’s Economy Comfort seat sales and its partnership with easyJet as examples of how the industry has worked towards helping airlines differentiate themselves from others through booking channels.
“To that end, Travelport already delivers many of the proposed capabilities and, along with the rest of the industry, remains committed to engaging to turn these principles into deliverable, practical standards that meet the needs of all participants in the end-to-end travel supply chain. We hope that IATA intends this as the beginning of an engagement with all key stakeholders, which would clearly drive a better result for all parties,” a statement from Travelport said.
It called on IATA to address the concerns raised by ASTA, BTC and other trade bodies over their inclusion in the decision process.
