Air France-KLM and Amadeus, the developers of software for the travel and tourism industry announced the availability of the airline group’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) content on the Amadeus Travel Platform.
Created by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), NDC is a data exchange format that allows airlines to create and distribute relevant offers to customers and create multiple business opportunities for travel agents.
Under NDC, agents can search, compare, book, and service Air France-KLM content in one merged display through Amadeus-X selling platform and other aggregators.
The integration provides access to Air France-KLM’s continuous pricing model and fares that are only exclusive to the NDC channel. This is in addition to providing the ability to hold a ticket for up to 24 hours with the guarantee of full refunds. Moreover, NDC bookings will help reduce the US$52 distribution system surcharge, currently applicable on the older EDIFACT data standard.
Airfrance-KLM and Amadeus signed an agreement for the integration in 2020 and have been perfecting the system before opening it up to agents in Nairobi, Kenya.
“We have been working to develop the system and have over the last one year trialed it while taking agents’ feedback and refining it more before release. We are now ready in terms of functionality,” said Air France-KLM Kenya and offline markets Sales Manager Hildabeta Amiani.
“The challenge is now for us to adopt this technology and to use it for our benefit and our businesses,” added Marius van der Ham, the Air France-KLM General Manager for East and Southern Africa, Nigeria and Ghana.
Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) Chief Executive Officer, Nicanor Sabula, lauded Air France-KLM for involving different industry stakeholders in the development of the system.
“As KATA, we have always advocated for a consultative process, ensuring that no one is left behind. We ask our other airline partners to embrace this consultative approach, so that we build a product that is reflective of the desires of our business; NDC is here to make our businesses better,” added Marius.
Under NDC, travel agents can secure better fares due to increased price points, exclusive fares from promotions and corporate deals, as well as a 10% discount on paid seats and dynamic seat bundles.
Customised travel service solutions provider Holiday Bazaar, Managing Director, Jinal Shah, affirmed the benefits of the new standard, including a US$800 savings he made on a business-class ticket.
To gain access to NDC offers, travel agents are required to sign an onboarding agreement with Air France-KLM and Amadeus, after which they are trained on its usage and immediately begin making bookings through the standard.
For queries, an exclusive NDC customer support unit has been established to ensure that NDC challenges are handled as matter of priority through a chat option that is available 24/7 worldwide in English, and real-time translation in French, Dutch, German, Italian and Spanish. A trade support desk that handles NDC calls is also accessible by onboarded agents.
Holiday Bazaar Limited, Travel Shoppe Company Limited, Aslan Adventure Tours and Travel, Hemingways Travel Limited, Catalyst Travels, Magical Holidays, Let’s Go Travel, Primate Tours, Air Fares Travel Agency, Peregrinate Limited are among the top 10 adopters of the NDC standard, appreciated by Air France-KLM.