A group of travel industry groups have offered an “olive branch” to IATA over the controversial plans for a new distribution system for airfares.
IATA is due to discuss proposals for its New Distribution Capability (NDC) at the association’s three-day World Passenger Symposium in Dublin starting on Tuesday (October 29).
The move towards NDC, which IATA has described as offering an “Amazon-style shopping experience”, has provoked anger from the travel industry and buyers who fear they will not be able to compare flight prices effectively under NDC.
A group of travel organisations in Europe and the US now wants to invite IATA to join “a collaborative process to help develop open and business-model neutral data standards that will enable enhanced distribution of airline products through any channel”.
This group includes the European Technology & Travel Services Association, which represents the GDS owners, European Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations, Business Travel Coalition (BTC) and the American Society of Travel Agents.
BTC chairman Kevin Mitchell said: “We are extending the olive branch to IATA to work with us in a co-operative manner to encourage technological innovation for the industry and increased customisation for travellers.
“We hope they will accept our invitation to reset the dialogue and move forward together.”
The group wants to put together a “multi-stakeholder forum” early next year and plans to talk to other travel suppliers such as hotels, car rental firms, rail companies and cruise operators who could “benefit from broader industry co-operation in setting technology standards”.
- Learn more about NDC by reading our feature here