Travelport becomes first GDS designated by Iata as NDC certified and capable

Travelport has become the first GDS to be granted with both ‘Aggregator Level One’ certification and ‘IT Provider Level Two’ status by Iata as part of its New Distribution Capability. Continue reading →

Travelport has become the first GDS to be granted with both ‘Aggregator Level One’ certification and ‘IT Provider Level Two’ status by Iata as part of its New Distribution Capability.

This means that for airlines, Travelport is able to fully integrate with its NDC application programme interface should the carrier use NDC-XML messaging to distribute fares.

Travel agents and travel management companies they will gain more enhanced travel content and greater access to ancillary offers via Travelport’s travel commerce platform.

Travelport-connected agents will be able to make ancillary sales following the original flight booking and through their preferred agency workflows for the first time.

Travelport has also achieved the NDC-capable ‘IT Provider’ Level Two status, making it only the second organisation—and first GDS–ever to be designated as NDC certified and NDC Capable.

This further expands its NDC capabilities and means that Travelport also has the option to distribute Iata NDC offers for fares and prices on behalf of the airlines electing to use iata’s industry standards.

Travelport global head of product and marketing for air commerce, Ian Heywood, said: “We know the industry needs to transform the way flights are sold and Iata’s NDC is an important part of this.

“It very much complements the pioneering merchandising technology we launched in 2014 with our Rich Content and Branding solution which enables airlines to retail their full range of products, and extensively promote their brand, to the travel trade and corporate bookers.

“With this latest industry-first milestone, we are proud to maintain our leadership position.”

Iata NDC director, Yanik Hoyles, added: “We are very excited to welcome Travelport as the first GDS to join the certification programme as both aggregator and IT provider within our NDC programme.

“With basic and offer management messages whose schemas are compliant with the NDC schema, version 1.1.3 and 15.2, Travelport joins the fold of NDC players who are supporting airline efforts to provide full, rich content and product differentiation in the travel agent channel.”