Air Canada Advances its Product Distribution Capabilities With NDC Exchange Connection

NDC Exchange Enables Airline to Connect Directly to a New Distribution Ecosystem

DULLES, Va., Aug. 23, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ATPCO and SITA today announced that launch customer Air Canada processed its first NDC (New Distribution Capability) production transaction via NDC Exchange, a platform that simplifies the adoption of the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) NDC standard.

NDC is a new standard aimed at enabling the travel industry to transform the way services are retailed to corporations as well as leisure and business travelers. It provides greater product differentiation, quicker time-to-market, access to full and rich content and delivers a more transparent shopping experience.

NDC Exchange is a community platform that facilitates the real-time connectivity between airlines and sellers (GDSs, travel agents, aggregators, OTAs, CBTs and TMCs) so that they can exchange messages easily and cost effectively. NDC Exchange supports shopping, booking, and servicing workflows and enables the cross-selling of ancillary services between airlines, and airlines and sellers. It normalizes messages regardless of version or format, creating interoperability across the distribution ecosystem. Travel sellers can access multiple airlines via NDC Exchange, hence lowering the cost of their implementation.

“It became apparent to us very quickly that NDC Exchange was the perfect fit for Air Canada,” said Keith Wallis, Director of Global Product Distribution for Air Canada. “It is built by industry partners that we know and trust, and it allows us to work with multiple sellers through one connection. NDC Exchange is enabling Air Canada to innovate and get to market rapidly.”

Air Canada was able to simultaneously implement connections to multiple sellers using NDC Exchange, including Verteil Technologies, Innfinity Software Systems, Zeno by Serko, and Atriis Technologies. This demonstrates, in real-world conditions, the simplicity and scalability of NDC Exchange.

“Enabling our customers to get their products to market quicker in a way that works best for them is what guides us,” said Graham Wareham, Director of Products & Solutions for ATPCO. “As NDC continues to gain traction in the industry, ATPCO will provide the solutions that are cost-efficient and enable our customers to effectively incorporate new distribution channels into their business model.”

René Fourel, VP Messaging and Data Services at SITA said: “In today’s digital world, consumers are accustomed to a more direct and flexible retail experience, and it should be no different with travel. Through NDC Exchange, airlines such as Air Canada can move closer to their distribution partners by simplifying and scaling their NDC connectivity in a cost-effective way.”

NDC Exchange has seen robust industry interest, with early-joiners Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) providing settlement support and Routehappy by ATPCO powering rich content capabilities to enhance merchandising. NDC Exchange has earned a Level 3 NDC certification, the highest level of certification offered by IATA.

Notes to Editors:

About ATPCO

Uniquely positioned at the center of the airline distribution ecosystem, ATPCO enables seamless management of the airfare data that makes our entire industry run more efficiently. We hold more than 189.6 million fares for 439 airlines in 160 countries and manage an average of 5.3 million daily fare changes. Because ATPCO is owned by airlines, we serve as a neutral and trusted partner for our airlines with travel agencies, search engines, global distribution systems, governments, and many other industry partners. Every day, these organizations rely on our thought leadership and portfolio of technology and data solutions to help millions of travelers get where they need to go. Learn more about us at atpco.net.

About SITA

SITA is the communications and IT solution provider that transforms air travel through technology for airlines, at airports and on aircraft. The company’s portfolio covers everything from managed global communications and infrastructure services, to eAircraft, passenger management, baggage, self-service, airport and border management solutions. Owned 100% by more than 400 air transport industry members, SITA has a unique understanding of its needs and places a strong emphasis on technology innovation.

Nearly every airline and airport in the world does business with SITA and its border management solutions are used by more than 30 governments. With a presence at more than 1,000 airports around the world and a customer service team of 2,000+ staff, SITA delivers unmatched service to more than 2,800 customers in more than 200 countries. 

In 2017, SITA had consolidated revenues of US$1.6 billion. SITA’s subsidiaries and joint ventures include SITAONAIR, CHAMP Cargosystems and Aviareto. For further information, go to www.sita.aero

For further information (not for publication) contact:
                    
                    ATPCO   
                    Michael Mazzocco
                    Corporate Communications Strategist
                    Office: +1 703 661 7503
                    Email: mmazzocco@atpco.net
                    
                    SITA
                    Julius Baumann 
                    Senior Media Relations Manager 
                    Tel: +41 22 747 6993
                    Email: Julius.Baumann@sita.aero