Turkish Airlines has agreed a series of new deals with flight aggregators, including Travelfusion, in an effort to broaden the reach of its NDC content.
The announcement comes just days after the carrier pulled its content from global distribution system Sabre as the two sides failed to agree a replacement to their previous deal that expired on 31 August.
The carrier on Wednesday confirmed new ‘strategic’ partnerships with aggregators Travelfusion, Verteil, DRCT, Mystifly, Nuua, Nuflights and Theta, which will connect to the airline’s soon-to-be-launched New Distribution Capability platform for agents, TKConnect.
Separately, in a post on LinkedIn, AirGateway announced it too would be among the launch partners.
Commenting on its partnerships, Turkish Airlines’ chief commercial officer, Ahmet Olmuştur, said: “These aggregators have a proven track record of delivering top-tier distribution solutions, and their expertise will be instrumental in maximising the reach and impact of TKConnect.
“This initiative reflects our shared vision of providing superior travel solutions and exceptional service to our customers. By embracing NDC technology, we are paving the way for a more connected and efficient travel ecosystem.”
Following the expiration of its Sabre deal, codeshare flights operated by Turkish Airlines have also been removed from Sabre-connected channels, the GDS operator confirmed to BTN Europe stablemate The Beat on Tuesday.
However, the carrier last month extended its long-term distribution agreement with Travelport and also has an existing deal with Amadeus as well as a long-term IT agreement, signed in 2020, which includes new retailing capabilities.
The fast-growing carrier recently expanded its transatlantic network and reported a 7.7 per cent increase in passenger capacity for the year’s second quarter. Turkish Airlines carried a total of 22.1 million passengers during the period – marking a 38 per cent increase on 2019 levels – and recorded a profit US$591 million.
The airline’s TKConnect platform is due to go live on 1 October, at which time it also will begin charging a distribution fee for bookings made via global distribution systems.
The platform will allow travel agents to create customised itineraries, access exclusive deals and “enjoy a streamlined booking process”, the carrier said.
Turkish Airlines declined BTN Europe’s request for further comment.