New Amadeus step to reach the highest level of integration with the NDC standard

Amadeus has become the first company to achieve Level 3 certification for the latest version of the NDC standard, the new decentralized distribution protocol for airlines, intermediaries and end-users driven by IATA. Version 18.1 is a milestone on the road to widespread adoption of the system. The company has renewed its certification as a technology provider with Amadeus Alt NDC.

Since 2016, theInternational Air Transport Association (IATA) has had a certification process for the New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard, which allows different industry players to demonstrate their ability to provide coverage for NDC communications. Amadeus has just renewed its Level 3 certification for its New Distribution Capability (NDC) solution,compliant with version 18.1 of the latest standard, which was released in March of this year.

The novelty of version 18.1 is that it has been generated from the new airline industry data model, which IATA has been working on with Amadeus and other industry partners. The aim of this new data model is to provide a consistent basis and methodology to help define the use and structure of new and existing standards. This supports the systematic deployment and use of new standards, such as the NDC.

According to Gianni Pisanello, Vice President of the NDC-X program at Amadeus, «we are a little closer to the key moment, when all industry players will be able to speak and interpret the NDC language in the same way, which is a fundamental advantage for the whole industry». 

This new certification as a technology provider comes on top of the previous Level 3 certification as a technology provider and Level 1 certification as an aggregator obtained by Amadeus in 2016 and 2017. Amadeus expects to obtain Level 3 certification as an aggregator by the end of this year.

 

Amadeus' Level 3 certification as an aggregator is expected to be achieved by the end of this year.