Cathay Pacific announced it will adopt New Distribution Capability(NDC) in order to significantly enhance its customers’ experience when making travel arrangements through a multitude of sales channels.
NDC is the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) programme that improves communications between airlines, travel agents and web-based travel service providers by addressing the industry’s current limitations around product differentiation, time to market, access to full and rich content and the transparency of the shopping experience.
Developed in response to key changes in the industry’s operating environment – including the customer shift towards travel comparison websites, their widespread use of social media when making travel decisions, and many airlines’ desire to offer more ancillary products – NDC has redefined travel technology standards and enables a more vibrant travel technology ecosystem.
Cathay Pacific’s development and subsequent use of NDC will enable it to connect more effectively with customers by providing agents and other third-party sales outlets with detailed, image-led product content, promotions and advanced service information. By doing so, customers will have a better understanding of the airline’s premium ground and inflight products and will subsequently be able to make a more informed purchasing decision, wherever they shop.
Cathay Pacific General Manager, Sales and Distribution, Toby Smith, said: “We continually strive to enhance our passengers’ experience at every stage of their journey with us – and that starts from the moment they plan their travel arrangements. Through NDC, Cathay Pacific will be able to provide customers with a wealth of detailed information about our flights and product offerings at all points of sale, which will enable us to deliver on our brand promise of a Life Well Travelled.”
IATA’s Director NDC Program, Yanik Hoyles, offered his support: “We welcome the decision by Cathay Pacific to implement the NDC Standard. NDC is modernizing the way that airline products are presented through travel agents, providing consumers with greater access and transparency. With NDC, travelers will be able to compare the full product offering regardless of shopping channel.”
After a thorough commercial and technology evaluation of potential vendors, Cathay Pacific selected Dublin-headquartered OpenJaw Technologies as its NDC platform partner. The airline has an existing relationship with the company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed TravelSky Technology, with its product powering the Cathay Pacific Holidays website and flight-booking feature on the Cathay Pacific mobile app. OpenJaw recently achieved Level 3 NDC capability certification, the highest level of certification offered by IATA.