Like Sabre, Travelport has also implemented Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) KrisConnect programme – the airline’s initiative to leverage IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard.
Damian Hickey, global vice president & global head of air travel partners, briefed representatives of around 200 agencies on Travelport’s NDC implementation roadmap for SIA at the recent launch of the airline’s expanded KrisConnect programme in Singapore.
He also offered a preview of the intuitive new NDC-enabled process which agencies can soon expect, as Travelport prepares to launch the next phase of its NDC delivery.
“As one of the first Asian airlines to begin exploring new distribution capabilities, we are very pleased to have been working hand-in-hand with SIA since the the start of its journey,” Hickey said.
“Close collaboration with the agency community is crucial to the smooth delivering of a complex process like NDC; and we will continue to partner SIA and the wider travel industry to deliver to travellers an elevated, personalised booking experience.”
Since KrisConnect was first launched in late 2018, Travelport has been working extensively with SIA to integrate its NDC content, ahead of general availability from April 2020.
Functionality is expected to be launched through Travelport’s NDC-enabled points-of-sale, starting with initial pilots with a small group of agency customers in the coming months.
Agencies connecting to KrisConnect through Travelport will gain access to customised offerings that are tailored to customers’ needs and preferences. SIA will also offer agencies a wider range of fares and other content come April 2020. All of this will be delivered through an intuitive, user-friendly interface integrated into the Travelport systems they are already familiar with, said the travel technology company.
