Singapore Airlines (SIA) last week announced its first New Distribution Capability (NDC) connection, with travel search and booking site Skyscanner. Customers will be able to book SIA flights more conveniently through the Skyscanner site.
NDC is an industry-supported standard introduced by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) which addresses some of the industry’s current inventory distribution limitations.
It creates a more agile and efficient distribution system by supplementing the capabilities of third party channels to match those of the airline’s websites, thereby improving offerings for customers making bookings on such sites.
“We are pleased to be unveiling our first NDC connection, with Skyscanner, to provide more convenience to customers making flight bookings. With an NDC Level 3 Certification, we will also be seeking out even more connections with travel partners to improve distribution through SIA’s third-party sales channels,” said Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Campbell Wilson.
Senior Director Strategic Partnerships at Skyscanner, Hugh Aitken said, “We are delighted to have partnered with Singapore Airlines to offer travellers the opportunity to search and book their fares seamlessly through the Skyscanner app and website.
“We believe our powerful direct booking capability is good for customers who can complete their booking with as little friction as possible, and good for airlines, giving our partners such as Singapore Airlines the ability to showcase their upsell options directly to the booking customer with a fully Singapore Airlines branded checkout flow.
“Our platform is compatible with any NDC-ready provider ensuring we are able to offer our Airline and Hotel partners industry-leading distribution options,” he said.
IATA’s Director, NDC Program, Yanik Hoyles said, “We congratulate Singapore Airlines on the launch of this NDC connection.
With this achievement, Singapore Airlines is taking a major step toward transforming airline distribution, bringing more booking options to air travellers in preparation for the new era of airline retailing that NDC enables.”