Amadeus unveils new tool for travel agencies

Air ticket booking on digital tablet app or internet travel insurance concepts. Person with digital tablet and symbol of a plane.

Amadeus has today launched a new and enhanced version of its web services solution, incorporating the International Air Transport Association’s new distribution capability (NDC).

Amadeus Travel AP, the company’s latest version of its successful web services solution, will give travel agencies worldwide access to “new content and fares” from Amadeus’ airline driver customers through NDC.

An XML-based transmission standard, NDC was developed by IATA with the aim of helping airlines and travel agencies deliver more personalised and differentiated travel experiences.

Amadeus Travel API, which integrates with travel agencies’ existing systems and allows them to build their own customised travel booking applications, will be rolled out globally on a gradual basis.

The solution will offer greater functionality for Amadeus’ travel agency customers, with features including granting access to new airline content and fares via an NDC connectivity; simplified workflow of shop, order, pay; cross-sell of ancillary services and up-sell of branded fares, and change and cancellation functionalities to include refund, void or exchange options.

Other features include the acceptance of both credit card and cash payments and optimisation to work across multiple interfaces.

Travix, a driver customer of Amadeus’ NDC program, co-designed the solution and has had live NDC bookings in production since last year.

Amadeus’ executive vice president of customer operations for its travel channels, Rudy Daniello, said the company had been hard at work developing scalable, user-friendly solutions for agencies, alongside the company’s NDC partners.

“This is now a reality. With the technology now in place, we look forward to seeing what new and exciting content airlines can provide to ensure worldwide adoption of NDC.

“We are proud to be pioneering in this field, collaborating with leading travel players, and deploying truly innovative solutions for all of our customers,” Daniello said.

The announcement comes off the back of Amadeus releasing its first-quarter results, which revealed revenue growth increase of 14.4 per cent to around $4,570.2 million.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) expanded 10.7 per cent to $1,924.8 million.

In the distribution segment, Amadeus’ travel agency air bookings grew 0.9 per cent to 307.8 million, while its IT solutions division saw the number of passengers boarded increase 6.6 per cent to 947 million.

In the coming months, Amadeus said it will be launching the NDC-enabled version of its leading cloud-based travel agency solution, Amadeus Selling Platform Connect.

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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