SIA Expands KrisConnect Programme To Further Enrich Customer Experience On Trade Partner Platforms

17 September 2019 - As part of Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) efforts to deliver an enriched experience to customers, a wider range of fares and personalised content will be provided to its travel trade partners in Singapore from 1 April 2020. This comes via an expansion of SIA’s KrisConnect Programme¹, which leverages new distribution technology to make available improved content and functionality through partner platforms. In launching KrisConnect in 2018, SIA was one of the first airlines in Asia-Pacific to take advantage of this new technology.

Travel agencies that participate in the KrisConnect Programme will benefit from improved speed-to-market, access to the widest range of fare products including personalised content, and the ability to offer customised products to their customers, such as bundled packages and negotiated fare deals. This in turn elevates the booking experience for customers through increased levels of personalisation and recognition of KrisFlyer status.

The KrisConnect Programme leverages Application Program Interface (API) technology, including the industry-developed New Distribution Capability (NDC) standards. The National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) and many key travel agency partners have expressed support for the KrisConnect Programme, seeing it as an opportunity to further enhance their customers’ experience. (Please refer to Annex A for a list of quotes from key travel agency partners).

Through the KrisConnect Programme, travel agencies and other external partners can take advantage of multiple ways to access the new content and functionalities. SIA will make content available through traditional Global Distribution System partners such as Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport, as well as new technology partners such as Aaron Group, ATRIIS, HitchHiker, PKFARE, Travel Boutique Online, Travelfusion, TravelNDC and Verteil Technologies.

In addition, SIA’s travel agent portal, AGENT 360, will be enhanced to allow travel agents direct access to content via the KrisConnect Programme.

SIA-appointed travel agents in Singapore have joined, or have expressed their commitment to join, the KrisConnect Programme including CWT, Chan Brothers, CTM, Corporate Travel Services, Ctrip, FCM Travel Solutions, Fortune Travel, Global Travel, New Shan, Pacific Arena and UOB Travel Planners. NATAS is also supportive of SIA’s initiative to onboard its member agents into the KrisConnect Programme.

“We are pleased to be working closely with our industry partners to introduce new technology, and more importantly, the new products and service such technology enables, to better meet the needs of our customers,” said Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mr Campbell Wilson.

“Travellers’ expectations, whether it relates to their experience in the air or on the ground, are constantly evolving. Expectations about how, where and when they can access information, their ability to quickly and efficiently execute desired actions, and the demand for greater personalisation, are all influenced by their experience with companies beyond the travel sector. The KrisConnect Programme, and the technology upon which it sits, is key to meeting those expectations, and SIA is pleased to be leading the change in Asia.”

More information on the KrisConnect Programme can be found here: https://agent360.singaporeair.com/en_UK/NDC

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Annex A: Statements from Trade Partners

“We are committed to work with SIA and consume content through their KrisConnect Programme. Today’s customers demand a greater variety of choices, and the new capabilities enable us to react to their needs in a timely manner,” said President of National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS), Mr Steven Ler.

“Through the KrisConnect Programme, we are able to tailor and curate our tour packages with SIA’s flights. We also are better empowered to leverage technology to distribute these packages to our customers,” said Director, Corporate Office of Chan Brothers Travel, Mr Allen Leng.

“CTM prides itself on being at the forefront of the ever-changing travel technology landscape. The successful integration of SIA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) content into our platforms demonstrates CTM’s technology capabilities and our commitment to strengthening our relationship with SIA,” said Chief Executive Officer of CTM Asia, Mr Larry Lo.

“We are pleased to be working with SIA and other partners on this programme to help realise the true potential of NDC. SIA’s approach will, we believe, help deliver an enhanced customer experience and optimise traveller access to their best fares and products,” said VP, Air Distribution Capabilities of CWT, Mr Erik Magnuson.

“We are pleased to be involved in SIA’s KrisConnect Programme and believe it allows both parties to develop a new level of customised products for our customers in the years ahead. This will also cement the longstanding relationship between SIA and FCM Travel Solutions,” said Managing Director Asia of FCM Travel Solutions, Mr Bertrand Saillet.

“NDC is a major strategic development for Fortune Travel. We believe that the enhanced NDC capabilities will allow us to serve our customers better. We are pleased to work with SIA to propel our current partnership forward, to develop more customised products for our joint customers,” said Managing Director of Fortune Travel Singapore, Mr Lipsen Wong.

“Pacific Arena is excited to embark on the NDC journey with SIA. We believe it opens up possibilities to further the longstanding partnership both companies have, and makes travel purchases more convenient for both the business and leisure travellers,” said Chief Executive of Pacific Arena, Mr Chung Kek Yoong.

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¹The KrisConnect Programme makes use of Application Program Interface (API) technology, such as those from IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) programme as well as other proprietary APIs, to extend booking, servicing and information functionalities to external parties. This allows existing partners to access improved content, and new partners access to functionality hitherto limited to SIA’s website or requiring subscription to Global Distribution Systems, such as making and management of flight bookings, checking on flight status information, access to KrisFlyer-related information and more.