FCTG announces strategic investment in TPConnects to enhance customer access to air content

Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has strengthened its technology roadmap and air content offering to customers by securing an initial investment in TPConnects Technologies LLC. The Dubai-based travel technology company is a leading provider of travel technology solutions focusing on NDC (New Distribution Capability) and ‘One Order’ initiatives from IATA (International Air Transport Association).

In Asia, this strategic investment is of particular significance to FCM Travel Solutions, a subsidiary of FCTG and the group’s corporate travel specialist division, as it supports the leading travel management company’s objective of sourcing and offering customers the widest choice of airline and travel content globally.

Bertrand Saillet, Managing Director Asia, Flight Centre Travel Group said: “As air distribution becomes more complex due to the different strategies implemented by the airlines as well as the acceleration of NDC in Asia, we see this strategic investment in TPConnects as a way to benefit our customers. It allows us to innovate and advance commercially by keeping the extension of content choices as relevant and flexible as possible to our customers.”

FCTG has worked closely with TPConnects since 2019 to deliver specific airline NDC content to corporate customers in Europe. TPConnects also designed solutions for FCTG enabling FCM consultants to offer NDC content to customers, without any interruptions to duty of care, reporting or servicing. This collaboration with TPConnects, also enabled FCM to become the first global travel management company to attain IATA Level 4 NDC certification in December 2019.

“Advanced content aggregation is the key to making a travel programme successful for corporate customers and guarantees that FCM would never miss out on any fares proposed by the airlines in the region. Most importantly, this gives our customers the freedom of choice to purchase products that they truly want or need, products that are most adapted to their needs.”

FCM aims to deliver seamless and personalised booking experiences for all customers, regardless of where and how the content is sourced.

“FCM was a launch partner with both Amadeus’ NDC-X and Sabre’s Beyond NDC programmes and we will continue to pursue initiatives with these GDS technology providers in the long term for the vast majority of NDC content. This investment in TPConnects further brings us to the forefront of development, enhancing our multi-distribution channels to add value and bring the best content, as well as an enhanced experience to our customers,” added Saillet.