BCD Travel will be testing reservations via the New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard in partnership with the Lufthansa Group, parent company of the German airline as well as Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines. This new distribution standard created by IATA is based on the use of XML technology to facilitating exchange information between airlines and agencies, enabling the booking of additional products such as upgrades, baggage supplements, meals or WiFi.
BCD Travel is well established in the German market, and has signed an agreement with the airline group to use this pilot project to determine whether the key elements of the NDC process make economic sense for the agency's customers. " We have always taken a positive view and supported the NDC standardThis is the case as long as it benefits our customers and improves the passenger experience. The development of robust and scalable NDC systems has been slow, but some are now mature enough to be tested. "says Rose Stratford, Executive Vice President Global Supplier Relations & Strategic Sourcing at BCD Travel.
This multi-year agreement between the travel agency and Lufthansa is part of a multi-source strategy. In addition to this direct connection with the airlines of the group, BCD continues to maintain close relations with global distribution systems (GDS), with strategic agreements signed this year with Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport.
