IN breaking news in the global travel industry, fast-rising travel technology start-up Aeronology has made the big announcement today that the company was now Certified by IATA as a Level 4 NDC business as an Aggregator.
Masterminded by former Helloworld senior executive Russell Carstensen, the Melbourne based company continues its mission to helping transform the way travel advisors do business on a global scale as the world emerges from the impacts of COVID.
“This is an amazing achievement for a young travel tech business,” says Mr Carstensen, CEO of Aeronology. “In the middle of a global industry turndown, to be one of 24 other global tech businesses and one of only 8 companies in the world to be certified at a level of 18.1 and above, well, it’s a huge achievement.”
Aeronology a world leader in travel tech
Aeronology is the only tech business in the region which has been provided this level of certification.
Mr Carstensen adds: “This also means if any travel business anywhere in the world who wants to have NDC as a Direct IATA/Airline connection, then we can provide it. The beauty of our model, and I understand it’s unique, now means a travel agent (whether they are a corporate, retail or wholesale) can have their own direct contracts with the NDC airline, and their own GDS contract and transact all on one on screen.”
“These small, medium and large travel organisations can act as a global travel organisation without being one.”
Aeronology does not charge licence fees, and it makes its money at point of sale of an actual ticket transaction. This minimal fee can be passed onto the customer at point of sale.
“This includes the original ticket, and all after ticketing sales such as changes and reissues, and all operating on one screen, one mid office, one process and in conjunction with your own GDS system,” Mr Carstensen said.
Seamless, simple and no training required
The Aeronology NDC service is seamless, simple and no training is required. It now means a travel advisor could generate “at least triple” of their current transactions using the platform. Aeronology provides the NDC ability to Search, Shop, Book, Ticket, Rebook, Reissue, Revalidate, Void and Refund all NDC and GDS/NDC transactions on one screen.
Mr Carstensen says it’s a lucrative and simplified proposition for every travel advisor using Aeronology as they can now be doing “three times the revenue, three times the fees and commission, and all without any special training.”
“The industry is moving very quickly into the digitalisation of travel, and Aeronology is helping to drive that change. We’re very proud.”
Stay tuned for more Aeronology news very soon!
Aeronology is also in negotiations with another GDS to develop their direct NDC services, so if it is not a direct airline NDC transaction it can just as easily be a GDS transaction.
“We have no issues who creates the NDC transaction, it is about making the new normal easy for the industry when it rebounds. And it will rebound,” Mr Carstensen says.
IATA provides the only official industry certification program in support of the New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard: the NDC Certification Program. On 5th of July 2021, Aeronology Pty Ltd was granted “NDC Certification” Level 4 status, under the NDC Certification Program.
In an official statement from the IATA/NDC certification team, it was acknowledged this status recognizes that Aeronology Pty Ltd uses Full Offer and Order management messages whose schemas are compliant with the standard NDC message schema, version 18.1. Visit the Guide to NDC Certification Program (pdf) for additional information around the scope and/or different type of messages.
