As global airlines accelerate their shift toward NDC, African carriers are lagging far behind.
This is according to a survey by TPConnects and the African Airlines Association AFRAA, outlining NDC adoption across the continent, based on insights from AFRAA member airlines.
High distribution costs, limited NDC adoption, and technical barriers are common challenges as most carriers are small to midsized, with 81 carrying fewer than two million passengers annually and 80 operating fleets of 15 aircraft or fewer.
According to the report, Africas Next Flight: Modern Airline Retailing Unlocked , over 90 of the respondents said they were currently not able to distribute via NDC. The results indicated that 48 had no NDC capabilities, 24 were planning to implement NDC, 21 were currently implementing NDC, while 9 were fully NDC-capable.
The reports NDC implementation timeline revealed that 18 of African airlines planned to transition within a year, 28 within two to three years, 18 within four to five years, while 36 said they had no plans to transition to NDC in the next five years.