Blog

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) aircraft at JKIA. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Kenyan-based travel technology company AfroAtlas has signed an agreement with Ethiopia Airlines to provide the carrier with a new platform for travel agents to market and distribute its products and flight bookings.
The firm—which is known as a travel consolidator— said on Wednesday it will deliver the airline’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) platform, which is a travel industry-supported programme launched by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for airlines to create and distribute relevant offers to customers.
The platform is where travel agents book flights, hotels, transfers, travel insurance and car rentals on behalf of the airline.
“We are excited to enter into this partnership with Ethiopian Airlines for the benefit of our travel partners. We are committed to shaping the regional travel industry with distribution innovation,” said chief executive officer Ahmed Ugas.
The new deal will provide agents and their travellers with quick, easy access to relevant offers and more choices to fit their travel needs.
“We are very happy to partner with AfroAtlas to directly connect Ethiopian Airlines with NDC content. NDC gives you direct real time access to any changes in the system as per the customer’s needs,” said Ethiopian Airlines area manager for Kenya Seble Wongel Azene.
The Horn of Africa airline joins Kenya Airways, which recently became the first African carrier to integrate NDC as part of its systems.
NDC content has become popular among airlines globally due to personalised shopping experience, pricing autonomy, discounts and ancillaries among others.
Afro Atlas has partnered with over 400 travel suppliers including Car rentals for transportation and Expedia, an American online travel company.
The airline sector has been recovering following heavy losses incurred in 2020 and 2021 due to global travel restrictions imposed by governments during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
[email protected]

source