InselAir Moves Toward the Future with New Distribution Capabilities from JR Technologies

Willemstad, Curacao and Dublin, Ireland – Curacao-based InselAir has become one of
the first airlines in the world to actively begin the process of moving into the future of
the airline industry by transitioning to the next generation of airline systems provided
by Dublin-based JR Technologies. The New Distribution Capabilities (NDC) initiative
from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) began in 2012 when IATA
member airlines unanimously approved Resolution 787, setting forth the process of
modernizing the airline industry by replacing the technical standards of core airline
systems that have been in place since the 1960’s.
“What we achieve in being able to move toward the IATA NDC business models
through JR Technologies’ complete NDC solution will greatly impact not only our
airline, but the entire industry, by using modern technology to simplify business
processes that have been required by airlines for 50 years and by being able to see our
customers as customers, not simply as a passenger on an airplane,” says Lars de
Brabander, President of InselAir. “Not only has technology been completely
reinvented several times in the half-century since the current airline standards come
into being, but today’s customer is not the same as yesterday’s customer. Our
customers today expect and deserve to be treated as individuals throughout the entire
travel experience, from sale to flight, from door to door, which just is not possible with
the required processes of the legacy systems.” IATA has set an industry goal of having
twenty percent of all global airline sales through NDC by 2020.
George Khairallah, CEO of JR Technologies, agrees. “In 2010, when IATA and the
entire airline industry moved to electronic tickets and removed all paper ticketing
from the process, it was a move in the right direction. However, the industry still
maintained all the business processes, and the limitations of paper, as if the paper
tickets were still there. Resolution 787 was a statement by the industry in one unified
voice that recognized change was needed. NDC has a positive effect on the customer.
It allows an airline to offer a completely customized travel experience. By simplifying
the business processes needed to serve the customer, NDC airlines can become more
efficient and automated, which significantly reduces overall costs.”
Both InselAir and JR Technologies have been deeply involved in the creation of the
new airline standards though participation in IATA. “Our participation within the IATA
standards creation has allowed us to use the InselAir-sponsored pilot over the past
three years to verify that the industry was on the right track and to make suggestions
for changes and improvement to the benefit of everyone,” says Khairallah.
De Brabander, who has been involved in the company since 2017 and was recently
appointed to lead InselAir, has been impressed with the role that the small Caribbean
airline has had in the global initiative. “Within the IATA organization, all airlines have
an equal vote, so the size of the airline does not matter, just the
participation. InselAir’s position within the top levels of IATA, such being elected to
the Passenger Services Conference Steering Committee as the Area 1 delegate since
2015, representing all IATA airlines in the western hemisphere with the exception of
the US and Canada, as well as participating in and chairing several groups and
committees, means that InselAir’s opinion is heard on behalf of all smaller airlines to
create industry solutions and practices that benefit everyone, not just the major
carriers. This ability to influence our regulated industry is one of the many reasons we
became an IATA member airline.”
JR Technologies’ NDC platform has been powering InselAir’s internet bookings since
September 2018 and has proven that the technology of tomorrow works. Over the
coming weeks, more advanced functionality will be added to both the core NDC
system, as well as the internet portal. De Brabander explains, “NDC offers the
possibility of a major product transformation for our passengers, not only through our
website, but also through any sales point that connects to the NDC system, including
travel agencies and other travel services providers. The biggest benefit of NDC is that
it allows customers to have the exact same level of options and customization that will
be available on our website (fly-inselair.com) through any channel that they prefer to
book through, including their travel agent once the agent is also connected to
NDC. This is the future of air travel and we are excited that InselAir is one of the first
to be capable of this! The JR Technologies solutions allow us to be flexible and
responsive to our customers’ needs and wants for their travel experience, including
products and services not directly related to their air travel, which will come through
our recently announced ‘Customer Choice’ initiative.”