MUSCAT: National carrier Oman Air has received level 3 New Distribution Capability (NDC) certification; the highest certification awarded by International Air Transport Association (IATA).
NDC is a travel industry-supported programme that facilitates communications between airlines and travel agents. It is intended to create a new distribution standard for the airline industry and enables merchandising, personalisation, and other innovations. Oman Air achieving level 3 certification demonstrates the airline’s commitment and ability to execute full offer and order management.
Commenting on the announcement, Engineer Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Air, said: “It is great news that Oman Air has become the first airline to deliver live NDC transactions and subsequently receive a Level 3 certification. Achieving this certification confirms the airline’s core value of offering the very best fares and options to our customers whilst providing the best savings. IATA NDC Level 3 Certification on Schema 18.2 will enable Oman Air to improve sales of ancillaries through our direct channels, customise offers including dynamic pricing and showcase all the rich content available on the direct channel today. Achieving this certificate is certainly a step in the right direction towards cementing our position as a world-class airline.”
NDC enables Oman Air to have better control of the distribution as offers and orders are built in the airline environment. One Order, the biggest shift for the airline industry’s order-management infrastructure since it embraced e-tickets in 2008 is being enabled by New Distribution Capability.
Umesh Chhiber, Vice President – revenue optimisation and pricing, stated: “With complete deployment of NDC standard within Oman Air’s distribution system, air travellers will benefit from greater transparency and access to limitless ancillary, optional products and services when shopping via Travel Agents or any of the Online Travel Agencies. For those travellers who wish to identify themselves through our travel agency channel, Oman Air can create and push personalised offers. We are glad to have partnered with TPConnects, an innovative NDC DUAL Level 3 Certified Travel Technology Company, with advanced Offer management and NDC Order capabilities as the IT Provider and Travel Aggregator for Oman Air.
