FINLAND. Finnair and technology company Amadeus will launch a trial with flight search website Skyscanner aimed at improving and simplifying the online flight booking process.
The Finnish airline and software firm created Amadeus Altéa NDC (New Distribution Capability), which when integrated with Skyscanner will allow users to start and complete their booking solely within the price aggregation portal.
Typically, once consumers have chosen a flight on Skyscanner they will be redirected to the airline’s official online booking pages. Finnair said the new technology should improve customers’ experience of the booking process by containing it on one site.
Amadeus Altéa has followed the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) NDC XML-based messaging standard which was launched to improve the integration of digital properties between airlines and travel agents (details in the IATA video, below).
The future plan is for Amadeus’s technology to also allow travel retailers to integrate Finnair’s flights, seats and ancillaries, which is aimed at further boosting online conversion rates.
Finnair Vice President Distribution, Commercial Excellence & Data Science at Finnair Rogier van Enk said: “This new solution adds yet another option for our partners to sell the full range of Finnair offers with an assisted booking through our systems… and at the same time, it can greatly enhance the customer experience.”
Skyscanner Commercial Director Stuart Middleton added: “We are confident that the latest integration of the Amadeus Altéa NDC will ensure that we stay ahead of the curve and continue to open up new and deeper partnership opportunities with airlines moving forward.”
*Learn more about the IATA’s NDC and standardisation initiatives
*Thumbnail image photo credit: Finnair
