On Wednesday, Turkish Airlines released an announcement on the expansion of its TKCONNECT programme. The programme, which is fully compliant with New Distribution Capability (NDC) standards will equip agents with state-of-the-art tools and a streamlined booking process, amongst other benefits.
As part of the release, the airline highlighted its strategic partnership with leading content aggregators including Travelfusion, Verteil, DRCT, Mystifly, Nuua, Nuflights and Theta. AirGateway will also be one of the launching partners.
Speaking on the announcement, Ahmet Olmuştur, Chief Commercial Officer at Turkish Airlines said:
“These aggregators have a proven track record of delivering top-tier distribution solutions, and their expertise will be instrumental in maximizing the reach and impact of TKCONNECT. This initiative reflects our shared vision of providing superior travel solutions and exceptional service to our customers. By embracing NDC technology, we are paving the way for a more connected and efficient travel ecosystem.”
This update came in the wake of Turkish Airlines removing its content from Sabre, a major Global Distribution System (GDS) provider. The airline’s fares were taken off the second largest GDS from the 1st September. Travel Weekly shared the airline’s email to travel advisors, which said:
“Despite the positive and constructive approach Turkish Airlines has shown in continuing its participation in Sabre under similar conditions as with our other GDS partners, this effort has not been reciprocated by Sabre.”
The publication also shared Sabre’s comment on the development:
“Despite Sabre’s intense efforts, we have not been able to reach mutually beneficial and commercially reasonable terms, and Turkish Airlines has decided to discontinue distributing its content through Sabre.”
As the industry navigates modernising its distribution strategy, NDC has the potential to transform the booking experience. However, the tension it has caused between Sabre and Turkish Airlines is unlikely to be last, as other airlines progress on their NDC journeys.
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