What is NDC?
Let us take out the complexity and make it simple to understand!
NDC is a new technology launched by IATA for streamlining the airline distribution process. NDC is a communication standard used between systems and applications for creating direct connections between airlines and third party distributors.
NDC is a XML based communication standard, EDIFACT was in use prior to NDC. EDFIACT had its own limitations and did not evolve well with the rapid changes in the travel technology. In 2012, IATA introduced NDC to address the recurring problems of the airline industry.
NDC allows airlines to give out information on ancillaries, seats selection and other rich content as pictures and videos too. Eventually leading to dynamic pricing and personalized offers.
In the beginning, NDC was developed to bypass the GDS – to provide information and sell inventory just like in an airline website! GDS providers were not laid back, as domain experts – GDS providers are rigorously contributing to the implementation of NDC across all their products and services.
Who is using NDC?
It is pretty straight forward that NDC is used by travel agents and airlines. It doesn’t stop there though. NDC is used my other intermediaries too, like – aggregators and Travel Technology Companies as Clarity TTS.
There are only a few of the IT providers who understands the purpose and benefits of NDC. Clarity TTS is in the forefront. Speak to our agents and get more information on implementing NDC products in to your business.
How to implement NDC?
NDC could be implemented in two ways. Directly integrating in to the airline Passenger Service System (PSS) or via an integration layer outside of the PSS.
– Sounds like a piece of cake.
As always, things appear much less complicated on paper and the real issues come to light only when it is applied to the practical world. To understand how ClarityTTS will come to play in a practical scenario, one needs to look at the macro environment.
The most logical approach to comprehending the depth of the concept is to be able to recognize and calculate for the volume of transactions that are executed during each business hour and the number of entities who are invested in the industry. Above it all, it is very importantly to be able to understand the extent they will collude with each other in the attempt to advance the other.
Imagine the world when we just discovered the internet. That is precisely what is going on with NDC right now. It lays the foundation to a more digitalized air travel industry in hopes to eliminating the significant inadequacies that existed before its application in to the industry.
Now the real challenge ahead of us is to uncover everything there is to know about NDC.
– We hear repeatedly that NDC will bring in great change
The fundamental change we at ClarityTTS look forward to would be collaboration trough innovation. “Innovation” that translates in to the fact that all air travel suppliers will integrate with NDC to function as a more efficient version of themselves and “collaboration” which digitally unifies an industry that has great potential to evolve but is held back by many technicalities.
NDC in the current market space.
There are currently 62 airlines which are either NDC certified or with XML capabilities. Airlines with direct connections are very limited; most of the airlines have chosen to work with GDS partners as Amadeus or Travelport for NDC connections.
ClarityTTS supports more than 3 airlines in establishing NDC connections, our services enable the airlines to sell seats, baggage, meals, car hire, travel insurance and even event tickets as a bundled product!
Get on board with ClarityTTS to explore the new opportunities in the rapidly growing market space.