Beyond the standard

The nature of airline distribution has been fundamentally transformed by two massively disruptive forces:

• The rise and proliferation of the low-cost carrier.

• Rise of the internet and the ubiquity of e-commerce.

Looking forward over the next few decades, we are at a new tipping point and poised for further disruption, as the technical standard for airline distribution known as the New Distribution Capability (NDC) approaches maturity and widespread adoption.

But NDC is not the goal, Airline Retailing is.

Those airlines that manage to adopt a retail mindset will realise that, as most travel purchase start with the flight, the airline has the perfect opportunity to sell the full itinerary.