UFTAA s position on IATA s new distribution capability – NDC
Almasalla Travel News – During the UFTAA Congress in Kuala Lumpur IATA s Alexs Popovich gave an interesting and in-depth presentation on IATA s proposed NDC. Mr. Popovich then met UFTAA’s outgoing Board to further explain the reason behind this new proposition. He invited UFTAA to attend a special forum on the subject in the very near future. The board agreed to participate in this meeting and will be nominating its representatives.
The newly elected Board of UFTAA has, with concern, been following media reports, opposing the introduction of NDC. Before taking any firm position, the Board will actively participate in the discussions with IATA. UFTAA will then conduct an analysis of the proposed plan.
UFTAA sees this technological development as inevitable, but insists that IATA should not steamroller the travel agents, but ensures that a proper dialogue is maintained to guarantee that the adoption of NDC will not harm the current system but rather enhance the way reporting is being made. At this stage UFTAA sees no benefit in submitting a reservation or protest to the US authorities.
UFTAA respectfully but strongly insists that:
1. The NDC project will be developed in full transparency, openness and cooperation with the travel agents or their representatives.
2. At every phase of the proposed system a study will be submitted for in-depth discussion and consultation with the travel agents.
3. All the technological capacities of the project will be available to all the travel agent community within the common distribution systems they have available.
4. The system will not be used to discriminate with IATA authorized agents who have alternative distribution systems.
5. All airline companies adopting the new system would agree in advance that all future developments are also available to travel agents.
6. Since the system as presented raises many concerns among the travel agents, (who rightly fear that it may use the power of the travel agents’ existing distributing systems to create an alternative distribution system that will allow direct financial damage to the travel agent) IATA must ensure that this sort of situation will not arise.
