By riding on the IATA’s NDC data exchange streamlining standards, the airline is set to soar high in the digital clouds.
In its continual drive to deliver personalization and value to customers, Korean Air has adopted new technologies to take control of its retailing outreach and to innovate in customer experience excellence.
The move involves implementing what is referred to as “airline retailing technology” — flexible, airline-centric software solutions for managing “Offer & Order” transformation for both passenger and cargo loading.
The Software-as-a-Service platform adopted by the airline combines Amazon Web Services (AWS) with the latest technologies to deliver scalability and reliability, while efficiently presenting millions of retail offers across all channels.
Additionally, the solution features the latest 21.3 standards of the IATA’s New Distribution Capability: an XML-based data exchange format based on Offer and Order management processes for airlines to create and distribute relevant offers to customers regardless of distribution channel, via travel application programming interfaces.
Effectively, this links Korean Air with over 50,000 travel agents, including the world’s largest online travel agents and travel management companies.
According to the airline’s Managing Vice President and NDC Platform Director, Yoo Tae Jung, this digitalization move will “enable our modern retail vision and bring powerful innovation to the market for our customers” and it is “a key step in reshaping our retailing strategy.”
The overall benefits of this digitalization include: improved and personalized customer servicing; increased ancillary sales; and the ability to offer richer travel possibilities (such as different fare options, services, and amenities) for customers and airlines alike (including cargo services), across both direct and indirect channels.
According to Sam Gilliland, CEO, Accelya, the technology partner involved, the alliance is “built around a shared belief in putting the customer first, making modern and forward-looking technology choices, and ensuring airlines are truly in control of their retailing journey — and not being held back by legacy ‘old world’ technology vendors.”
