At the heart of IATA's NDC project and the efforts by global distribution systems to evolve alongside the carriers, is a single concept: airline merchandising.
It's not particularly new, in some respects, it's just become massively important to airlines in recent years as they look to boost revenues but also differentiate themselves from rival carriers.
In addition, technology and the web is allowing carriers and intermediaries (on and offline) to push these ancillary products to both corporate and leisure travellers as part of loyalty programmes or within the booking flow.
And, finally, deep integration and breadth of product gives providers more information about their customers - a personalisation opportunity.
On the one hand this should all be relatively easy - just a matter of the right technology, understanding how to target customers and pricing, right?
Not so fast.
Farelogix, one of the big flag wavers for NDC, has pulled together a chart to illustrate not only the various types of merchandising methods now in play but what it takes from an airline or intermediary to implement it all.
The diagram was shown as part of a presentation at the NDC in Action Symposium in Barcelona this week.
Click the image for a larger version:
NB:Aircraft take-off image via Shutterstock.
NB2: Disclosure – Accommodation for the author’s attendance at the event was supported by Airline Information.