FCM Travel Solutions and parent company Flight Centre Travel Group will start running several NDC pilots in the second quarter of 2019 that will allow travel bookers to search, book and service NDC content across multiple channels.
The NDC pilots follow the recent establishment by FCM Travel Solutions of a Global Airline Distribution Team to spearhead industry collaboration between technology and GDS providers, TMCs and airlines in developing solutions to book and service NDC content.
“This new team is already undertaking high-level workshops and meetings with Amadeus and British Airways. As an active member of IATA’s Global Travel Management Executive Council, FCM is also working collaboratively with other major TMCs to ensure NDC benefits all parties,” said Nicole Adonis, GM FCM Travel Solutions.
“One of the biggest factors influencing corporate travel in 2019 will be distribution as NDC content becomes more of a reality. FCM’s goal has always been to balance the short-term priorities of NDC with building a long-term sustainable booking solution with our technology partners, including Amadeus and Sabre, in collaboration with our key airline suppliers.”
Appointed to lead the Global Airline Distribution Team is Jason Toothman Executive General Manager – Global Air Distribution for Flight Centre Travel Group, based in the USA. He joins from Sabre Travel Network where his extensive 15-year career spanned diverse senior sales, account management and airline distribution roles. At Flight Centre/FCM he will work closely with airline suppliers and third-party technology providers across multiple markets to help frame and execute the company’s strategy and direction related to airline connectivity and content procurement globally.
Also on the new team is Nicola Ping who has been appointed as Manager, Air Content & Distribution, Flight Centre Travel Group EMEA, based in London. She joins from British Airways where she has held the role of Manager of Distribution Technology since 2015 working closely with IATA to build the airline’s internal NDC technology offering. She was also responsible for educating corporate and leisure agencies externally on British Airways’ NDC content. In her new role at Flight Centre/FCM she will be responsible for driving technology strategy for air content with the company’s partners and internal development teams.
In addition, the team includes Jason Nooning, General Manager – Global Air Distribution, based in Brisbane, Australia. He has held this role for the past year representing Flight Centre Travel Group at key industry forums including IATA’s Passenger Distribution Management Group Advisory Forum and Business Travel Summit. Additionally, Nooning has been actively engaging with stakeholders around the world to discuss and define partnership strategies which capitalise on the capabilities of NDC.
Adonis concluded: “Together with our parent company we have created the Global Airline Distribution Team to drive this long-term solution forwards, not just for ourselves as a leading global travel management company, but to better help airlines connect with our corporate customers and their travellers. Our team of experts have already played a key part in leading NDC conversations with airlines and our technology partners and we believe we are in a great position to drive adoption of NDC in 2019 and beyond.”