IATA calls for ‘greater value’ in aviation
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for a combined approach to delivering ‘greater value’ to customers despite facing criticism over the way it created its NDC platform.
The association will hope its latest calls will be met with enthusiasm by partners and stakeholders to look into how customers shop for air travel and the way they go through airports.
Its NDC will form part of its strategy, which continues to face criticism from the industry over the way it was created.
IATA is hoping NDC will be passed through the US Department of Transportation (DOT) in the fourth quarter of this year to allow further development.
However the data platform is set up, IATA said the main focus is to personalise the shopping experience through travel agents and allow for smoother airport journeys.
“Shopping for air travel is changing. Flying is more than just a seat on a plane. An air ticket has become a product with multiple attributes that may include in-flight Wi-Fi, extra legroom, lounge access and much more. And the reality is that it is much easier to access these value-added services via an airline website than through the travel agents who account for 60% of sales. NDC will be an open standard available to any and all who want to use it,” said IATA’s director general and CEO Tony Tyler at its World Symposium in Dublin.
As previously revealed, IATA is also looking into more self-service options at airports and also to reduce the time it takes to get through security. IATA is also working with airports to provide more free WiFi.
“Long queuing times and removing shoes and belts were listed most frequently in the 2013 Global Passenger Survey as the biggest hassles associated with security. The way to address that is by transitioning to a risk-based security model that will use information that airlines already provide to governments to help make assessments about travellers,” added Tyler.
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