Ethiopian Airlines is now live on the AirGateway platform with its New Distribution Capability (NDC) content, giving travel agencies, travel management companies (TMCs) and consolidators direct access to its NDC-based offers, the airline said in a press release on October 16.

Agencies can reach the content through BookingPad, AirGateway’s API and partner booking tools, the airline said. It said the integration allows Ethiopian to offer richer content and an improved travel-buying experience, and to widen its visibility and reach in the global travel trade.

Ethiopian said its direct content includes ancillary services and multiple payment options. Agencies can now shop, book and service these in the same workflow as their other NDC content, it said. The airline serves more than 145 destinations across five continents from its hub in Addis Ababa.

The airline described the booking process in three stages. Agencies can view live NDC offers through AirShopping, with prices confirmed through OfferPrice before booking. Bookings can be held or ticketed immediately and paid for by cash or credit card. After booking, seat selection, ancillary services, voids, refunds and rebookings can be handled on the platform, without switching to a separate portal.

Meaza Taye, Ethiopian Airlines Group’s Distribution and Global Corporate Sales Director, said enhancing digital capabilities is “one of our key strategic priorities”. She said the AirGateway integration is part of that effort and will help the airline reach and serve customers more smoothly, given AirGateway’s expertise and wide connectivity with agencies and booking platforms.

Jorge Díaz, chief executive of AirGateway, called Ethiopian “one of Africa’s most significant connecting airlines”. He said the partnership strengthens AirGateway’s role as an aggregator in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), its main operating region. He added that AirGateway’s partners can now sell and service Ethiopian’s own offers within their existing workflows and improve their margins.

AirGateway describes itself as a Berlin-based travel technology company and an NDC aggregator. It says it is directly connected to more than 35 airlines and serves more than 550 IATA-accredited agencies in over 60 markets.

The release did not say when the integration went live or give any sales or booking figures.