The aggregator and booking tool with NDC standard will change the way air travel is retailed by giving travel agents the capability to access features and options typically available only through airline websites.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates — TPConnects, a technology solution provider to the global trade today confirmed that its Travel Aggregator platform based on IATA NDC’s XML-based data transmission standard is now live for its first airline customer in United Arab Emirates.

The announcement of the first airline delivering live transaction with IATA NDC standard in Africa and Middle East region was made by IATA’s Director General and CEO, Tony Tyler, during the IATA Middle East and Africa Aviation day in Abu Dhabi, UAE on 27th October.

By adapting the NDC Standard and using TPConnects platform, the airline will be able to differentiate its products and services, distribute the entirety of the product portfolio, including ancillaries and promotional fares, present the airline’s products in an attractive manner using rich format like photos and videos, expand the amount of information available on each product: attributes, facilities, policies, passenger reviews etc. and offer value-added products and services when applicable in addition to other non-air product offerings like hotels, cars, activities, event and concert tickets and insurance.

Kristine Fernandez, Director Business Development at TPConnects said; ‘We are glad that our first airline customer went live with IATA NDC. With the airline industry under extreme financial pressure, stiff competition, consumers grow increasingly tech-savvy and mobile, TPConnects booking and distribution tool with NDC standard assist airlines to adopt a merchandising strategy that not only takes the need of travelers into account, but also achieves the main goal of airline to increase its profits and shift from a service provider to a retailer.

With TPConnects aggregator platform, travel agents are now able to search, compare and sell all the products and services of the airline including ancillaries and non-air products such as hotels, car, activities and insurance. With volume business, airlines are now able to negotiate better rates from the non-air product suppliers which will eventually benefit the end customers. Alternatively, the switch model enables the travel agents to plug their own credentials and contracted rates from suppliers.

TPConnects is using IATA NDC standard to connect to many airlines, and GDS’s to receive up-to-the-minute flight availability, pricing and offers, both bundled and unbundled.

TPConnects merchandising solution let airlines create and distribute tailored customer offerings.

About TPConnects
Established in 2012, TPConnects is the next generation travel booking solution: an innovative cloud based travel booking and distribution tool for travel agencies, airlines, online travel agencies and tour operators with a merchandising engine. TPConnects is a values-based company driven by the mission “Shaping the future of travel distribution.” Our proposition is simple: we want to help airlines to retail travel products, deliver rich content, bundle offers and provide consumers with the ability to create their own offers-choosing services like hotels, activities and enable travel agents to search, compare and sell travel products..

TPConnects along with other aggregators who follow the New Distribution Capability (NDC) standards, will change the way air travel is retailed by giving travel agents and travel management companies (TMCs) the capability to access features and options typically available only on airline websites. TPConnects is the only aggregator that works for both airlines and travel agencies.

TPConnects delivers efficiencies to both leisure and business travel consultants. Travel Consultants will be able to search, compare, and select products based on customer preference. If the customers wish to reveal their identity, the agent only needs to log in to TPConnects’ personalization page. For a travel management company, this cuts the time it takes to complete the booking process by up to almost 50%. The integration also distributes efficiencies throughout agency mid- and back-office processes with additional benefits in terms of customer information, tracking and reporting. TPConnects platform is Cloud Based (SAAS), Secure, Service Focused, Scalable, Fast, flexible, Shared and Usage based.

TPConnects is largely focused on delivering an aggregator system connecting buyers with sellers and a merchandising engine to airlines in the developing world, facilitating the sale of anything (flights, hotels, ancillaries, event tickets, cars, activities etc.) through any channel (B2B, B2C, B2B2C, B2B2B) using any form of payment (Cash, Credit Card, BSP, Prepaid).

With its development center in Calicut, India and Bucharest, Romania along with the representation office in Dubai, UAE TPConnects’ goal is to shape the future of travel distribution with the new IATA NDC Schema.

For more information, please contact:
Suzanne Lawrence
Head of PR & Marketing
00971567346091
management@tpconnects.com
http://www.tpconnects.com