BUSINESS NEWS


American Airlines’ removal of more than 40% of its fares from GDSs at the beginning of April was opposed by 47% of survey respondents


Survey reveals dismay at airlines’ rollout of NDC


GBTA poll gauges views of buyers and intermediaries. Ian Taylor reports


A survey of corporate travel buyers and intermediaries by the Global Business Travel Association has revealed the extent of disquiet at airlines pushing rapid adoption of New Distribution Capability (NDC) technology. Half the respondents in a GBTA


survey (47%) opposed American Airlines’ removal of more than 40% of its fares from GDSs at the beginning of April, with full content only available via NDC channels despite concerns that the technology is not ready. Three out of five corporate travel


48 4 MAY 2023


buyers (60%) were opposed, with opposition highest in North America where 29% of respondents expressed support for NDC’s introduction compared with 44% in Europe. More than half of travel buyers


(53%) accused some airlines of rolling out NDC too quickly without giving intermediaries enough time to develop the technology and processes to make it work. This rose to 59% in North America but was 42% in Europe where airlines have appeared more ready to work with major travel management companies (TMCs) and GDSs since


Lufthansa led the way in imposing surcharges on GDS bookings in 2015 to drive NDC take-up. Three-in-10 buyers in the survey


(29%) felt intermediaries should be ready to service NDC bookings, although this rose to 49% in Europe compared with 23% in North America. GBTA found travel buyers split on


the impact of NDC. A third (36%) said their corporate travel programme had been negatively impacted by


Continued on page 46 travelweekly.co.uk


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