App in the Air (AITA) has announced the addition of a range of new NDC partners.

Carriers to join the app include Southwest Airlines, Lufthansa Group (consisting of Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss and Brussels Airlines) and Hahn Air.

According to AITA chief revenue officer, Greg Kott, leveraging NDC to connect unmanaged business travellers to airline inventory is strategically important as carriers strive to differentiate their product and services. 

“Airlines are seeking innovative ways to attract and retain valuable unmanaged business travellers in the mobile space where they live,” said Kott.

“Direct bookings via NDC connectivity is that solution. 

“It gives airlines the opportunity to delight customers with full fare transparency, the ability to avoid hidden fees and access to the most attractive offers.

“More than that, NDC via App in the Air allows airlines to take better advantage of their unique selling proposition and upsell with easy to purchase ancillaries and upgrades to higher classes of service – it is a win-win.”

“More than a tool to improve the booking experience, App in the Air is a tool to help the user manage the entire trip lifecycle,” continued Kott.

The new connection to Lufthansa Group airlines is made possible through an NDC API in partnership with Duffel Technology.

The new connection to Southwest Airlines is being made available through ATPCO’s NDC Exchange.

Lastly, App in the Air is also connecting to more than 350 airline partners through Hahn Air.

These carriers join existing App in the Air NDC partners including American Airlines, United Airlines and others.

Betsie White, ATPCO manager for new business integration, said: “Expanding our relationship with App in the Air’s innovative mobile-only booking platform by bringing on Southwest Airlines, via ATPCO’s NDC Exchange integration is a win for the industry.

“This move not only brings Southwest’s fares to their platform but also makes it easier for all travellers to easily access, book, and manage travel on the App in the Air’s platform.”  

More Information

Breaking Travel News last month spoke to Bayram Annakov, chief executive of App in the Air, to find out more about what it offered to frequent travellers – find out what he had to say here.