Amadeus upgrades cloud-based agent booking tool

Amadeus upgrades cloud-based agent booking tool

New Distribution Capability added to selling platform

Amadeus has added New Distribution Capability (NDC) connectivity to its cloud-based Selling Platform Connect booking tool. 

It means agents can now view and compare all flights and related services such as baggage and other costs on one screen. 

Amadeus said its NDC upgrade means it now offers “a full range of air content”.

Amadeus NDC vice president Gianni Pisanello said: “Our objective is two-fold: by integrating NDC into Selling Platform Connect, we’re enabling airlines to better differentiate their offers and drive adoption of their NDC content, while also helping travel sellers to continue to work in their preferred environment.

“Our solution provides our network of travel sellers with new NDC sourced content alongside existing content – all on one screen.”

Flight Centre Travel Group and its business travel division FCM Travel Solutions were involved in the development process.

The agency group’s air content and distribution manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Nicola Ping, said: “The partnership has been very successful as we could test the NDC enabled user interface in Selling Platform Connect in both leisure and business travel environments and provide valuable feedback to Amadeus which shaped the final design.

“This latest version of Selling Platform Connect provides a great balance for us.

“While it gives our consultants access to NDC content, it doesn’t cause any disruptions to their typical business processes as they are still booking in a familiar technology environment.

“It simply gives us access to more options – all in one place – to personalise the booking experience for our customers and ensure they benefit positively from the opportunities that NDC presents.”

Meanwhile, travel management company CWT announced its first live NDC booking through Amadeus Selling Platform Connect with American Airlines.

But Erik Magnuson, CWT vice president, air distribution capabilities, said: “While this is a hugely positive step forward to making efficient NDC consumption a reality for the business traveller, it is still early days.

“We need to continue to collaborate as an industry to ensure NDC standards and capabilities can solve the complexities of corporate travel at scale.”