Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has acquired a majority stake in Dubai based TPConnects Technologies after taking an initial 22% slice two years ago.
The travel giant has been working with TPConnects (TPC) since 2019 says that the NDC specialist has been at “the forefront of ongoing changes to traditional distribution models.”
TPC enables travel agents to access NDC content in a number of ways including an API and agency portal. It also develops NDC and order management technology for airlines.
Mel Waters-Ryan, Flight Centre’s CEO of leisure and supply, says: “Within this ever-changing distribution landscape, we have taken proactive steps to complement our GDS partnerships and ensure we can source and deliver the best content to our leisure and corporate customers globally by investing in TPC.
“TPC has been at the heart of the evolution in airfare distribution during the past decade, is now ingrained in our business and is integral to the new operating systems and platforms we are delivering in both the leisure and corporate sectors.
“By investing further in the business, we have greater influence over future developments and the product’s ongoing evolution, while ensuring we continue to deliver the widest choice of airfares to our customers. Fast-tracking future developments will also provide FLT with a better opportunity to be ahead of our competitors’ comparable solutions,” she said.
TPConnects’ founders Rajendran Vellapalath and Praveen Kumar will remain involved in the business and become part of a new TPC board.
Terms of the deal have not been publicly disclosed but it is understood Flight Centre now owns 70% of the Dubai-based business.
TPConnects subscription-based online marketplace, NDCMarketplace also delivers Qantas’ NDC-sourced content through its advanced NDC-enabled platform that utilises IATA’s New Distribution Capability standard.
Not surprisingly, the new strategic agreement with Qantas should bode well for FCTG which have a longstanding relationship with the airline, as part of the Qantas Channel.
Speaking about the new collaboration in 2021, FCTG Founder and CEO Graham Turner said, “We have been impressed by TPConnects’ NDC platforms and we are excited by the opportunity with the Qantas certification announcement. It is our priority to provide market-leading content to our customers and this announcement ensures we are at the forefront of delivering this.”
TPConnects has also partnered with many Middle Eastern airlines including Emirates, Oman Air, Gulf Air, Saudi Air and Egypt Air.
Find out more: www.tpconnects.com
