New Distribution Capability (NDC) is a key transformation project, launched by IATA to modernise airline distribution. The NDC Standard enhances the capability of communications between airlines and travel agents by enabling an airline to make sales offers directly in real time which will also permit airlines to both define and price their products in any way they wish.
Paul Starrs, chief commercial officer of Oman Air said: “We are pleased to be one of the first airlines to receive Level 4 NDC certification. With buy-in from major travel agencies, Aggregators and Online Travel Agencies (OTA's) the NDC initiative at Oman Air is on a path from experimentation and testing to full-scale production. Our strategy is to shift the focus from capability to volumes and drive critical mass, and by expanding the NDC capability to more markets globally, we target to have significant transaction volumes via NDC connections during this year.
Oman Air controlled offer and order management solution and the travel agency portal from TPConnects, based on Level 4 NDC Schema 18.2, will enable Oman Air to introduce exclusive content on NDC channel to Travel Agents," said Starrs.
NDC is the modernisation of a 40-year old data exchange standard for ticket distribution developed before the Internet was invented. NDC is aimed at replacing the old EDIFACT protocol that has been around since the 1980s and used by Global Distribution Systems (GDSs).
Umesh Chhiber, senior vice president – revenue optimisation, pricing & distribution, said: "The primary drivers for NDC at Oman Air is the revenue opportunity through the simple to use Travel Agent Portal and API's for online travel agents, aggregators, etc., that allows product differentiation, ancillary sales, dynamic pricing and exclusive content.
"Adopting NDC is unlocking value through our travel agent channel by providing them with features and exclusive content that is difficult to access today."
