IATA accreditation is not a universal requirement for accessing airline New Distribution Capability (NDC) content. However, booking access, ticketing authority and payment settlement are three different things, and smaller travel agencies need to understand the distinction.
A travel agency does not necessarily need IATA accreditation to participate in the growing NDC distribution market. Airlines can authorise non-accredited agencies to access their content through direct booking portals, global distribution systems (GDS) and technology aggregators.
The distinction is becoming increasingly relevant in Kenya following Kenya Airways’ decision to extend access to its NDC content to eligible non-IATA agencies through Amadeus.
The arrangement allows qualifying agencies to search, price and book Kenya Airways’ NDC offers within the Amadeus platform.
However, the opportunity comes with an important qualification: accessing airline content does not automatically confer ticketing authority or access to the industry’s centralised settlement system.
First, what is NDC?
New Distribution Capability is an XML-based data transmission standard developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to modernise airline distribution.
Traditionally, airlines distributed fares and inventory through GDS platforms. NDC enables carriers to present richer offers, including different fare families, seat selection, additional baggage and other ancillary services.
It also gives airlines greater control over how their products are packaged, priced and presented across distribution channels.
NDC is therefore a technology standard, not a form of travel agency accreditation. An airline determines which sellers can access its NDC content and under what commercial conditions.
What is the difference between IATA accreditation and TIDS?
IATA accreditation establishes an agency’s eligibility to participate in the airline ticketing and settlement framework through the Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP), subject to the applicable requirements.
TIDS, or Travel Industry Designator Service, is different. It provides non-accredited travel sellers with an industry identification code that allows airlines, hotels, car rental companies and other suppliers to recognise their bookings.
IATA’s TIDS programme is free, with no application or annual renewal fee. Applicants must provide supporting business documentation, including proof of business registration, a bank letter or statement and a recommendation from an eligible industry supplier.
However, TIDS does not provide the right to issue airline tickets through BSP.
This means a non-IATA agency can be recognised by suppliers and potentially access NDC content without acquiring the settlement privileges available to accredited agents.
How does Kenya Airways allow non-IATA agencies to participate?
Kenya Airways provides several routes to its NDC content.
These include its NDC Agent Portal, access through an NDC aggregator and direct API connectivity for larger travel businesses and online travel agencies.
For non-IATA agencies using the Amadeus arrangement, they need two key requirements: a valid TIDS number and an ES or EOS agreement configured within Amadeus.
Agencies can request access through Kenya Airways’ NDC team, copying their Amadeus account manager.
The airline’s own NDC documentation also provides for non-IATA sellers who wish to ticket directly through its platform. Such agencies require a TIDS number and must approach the airline’s local sales representative to establish ticket-stock allocation.
The airline’s published arrangements identify bilateral credit limits as a payment option for non-accredited agencies.
This is different from BSP, where accredited agencies benefit from consolidated billing, reporting and settlement across participating airlines.
Why does BSP matter?
BSP simplifies the financial relationship between travel agents and airlines.
Instead of maintaining separate payment and settlement arrangements with every participating carrier, accredited agencies use a centralised framework for reporting sales and remitting funds.
For non-IATA agencies, transactions outside BSP become bilateral arrangements. Each airline determines its own ticketing, payment, credit and commercial conditions.
IATA explicitly states that TIDS holders are not supported in BSP, including for NDC transactions.
Consequently, an agency may have access to an airline’s NDC fares but still need a separate credit facility, payment arrangement and ticketing agreement before it can issue tickets.
Does this apply to every airline?
No. NDC access policies differ between carriers.
Some airlines allow non-IATA agencies to access their content through designated portals or technology partners, while others restrict participation to accredited agencies or impose additional contractual requirements.
For example, Air India’s published NDC programme identifies access routes for TIDS agencies, including direct connectivity, while its GDS arrangements direct non-IATA agents to their technology providers.
The lesson for travel agencies is that access to one airline’s NDC content does not automatically provide access to another carrier’s distribution network.
What should a small agency consider?
For a smaller Kenyan agency, the decision to adopt NDC should go beyond whether the fares are available.
The agency needs to establish who will authorise ticket issuance, how payments will be made, whether a credit facility is required, what technology costs apply and how changes, refunds and cancellations will be handled.
It should also establish whether the airline’s NDC content is available through its existing GDS or whether a separate portal or aggregator subscription is necessary.
Ultimately, IATA accreditation is not a universal gateway to NDC, but commercial authorisation remains essential. The expansion of NDC is creating more entry points for smaller travel businesses, although access to airline content and access to the financial infrastructure supporting ticket sales remain separate matters.