A report by the Business Travel Association assessing the progress of NDC development said there had been a “fractured and disjointed approach” by airlines over the past five years, with 50% still not currently certified on any standard of NDC.

BTA stressed it was “fully supportive” of NDC, which has been spearheaded by airline association Iata, to modernise the way flights are sold through third parties, such as TMCs.

But the association said there remained a “functionality gap” around issues such as personalisation, unused tickets, group bookings and interlining, which was “negatively impacting” business travellers.

BTA chief executive Clive Wratten added: “We are fully supportive of the transition to NDC, as modernising airline retail is essential for the entire business travel community, but this fractured and disjointed approach is failing to deliver on expectations.

“Airlines must employ a collective customer-centric approach that streamlines with TMCs’ activities to sustainably grow the business travel sector and enable tangible change.” 

BTA added that despite its members making “heavy financial and technological investment” on NDC development, TMCs and business travellers have been “consistently penalised by the scheme, with promises unfulfilled by airlines”.  

The association added in its report that NDC had so far been about “renegotiating commercial terms for airlines”, with “no wins” for TMCs.