Global travel technology company Travelport has announced the integration of New Distribution Capability (NDC) content from Emirates into its Travelport+ platform, providing enhanced booking and servicing options for travel agents. This development marks a significant step forward in modernising how agents access and manage bookings with the airline, one of the world’s largest international carriers.
The new partnership will allow Travelport’s agency customers to view and compare more dynamic offers and ancillary services from Emirates, streamlining the travel booking experience. Through Travelport+, agents will also be able to modify and cancel bookings made via Emirates’ NDC channel, offering a more flexible and personalised service for travellers.
Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates expressed optimism about the partnership’s impact: “Agencies using Travelport+ will now have access to enriched content only available via the Emirates NDC channel. This integration will expand our reach within the global travel retail community and give them the tools to offer travellers more choice from our best-in-class services.”
The new capabilities will initially be available to Travelport agency customers in Australia, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. Travelport plans to expand access to its Emirates NDC content to agencies in additional countries over the coming weeks, further broadening the benefits of this modern distribution system.
Jason Clarke, Chief Commercial Officer for Travel Partners at Travelport, said, “This pivotal NDC milestone with Emirates proves that Travelport is at the forefront of modern retailing. We are delivering the best content and tools that agents need to create superior booking and servicing experiences for their customers.”
New Distribution Capability, or NDC, is a technology standard developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to enhance communication between airlines and travel agents, allowing for more flexibility in displaying offers, fare bundles, and ancillary services like seat upgrades or extra baggage. The integration of Emirates’ NDC content into Travelport+ is seen as a crucial development in improving efficiency and choice within the travel booking process.
By making Emirates’ NDC content more accessible to travel agents, the collaboration aims to simplify the travel booking experience. Agents will have access to exclusive offers available only through Emirates’ NDC channel, helping them better tailor services to the needs of their customers. This, in turn, is expected to create more opportunities for agents to increase their engagement with clients by providing a wider range of choices and superior service.
As NDC technology continues to evolve, both Emirates and Travelport anticipate that these innovations will play a vital role in shaping the future of travel retailing, making it easier for airlines to distribute their full range of products and services to consumers.