FCM agency sets up global distribution team

FCM Travel Solutions and parent company Flight Centre Travel Group have established a Global Airline Distribution Team to spearhead industry collaboration between technology and GDS providers, TMCs and airlines in developing solutions to book and service NDC (New Distribution Capability) content. Jason Toothman, Executive General Manager – Global Air Distribution for Flight Centre Travel Group, based in the USA, will lead the new team. He joins from Sabre Travel Network where his 15-year career spanned diverse senior sales, account management and airline distribution roles. At Flight Centre/FCM he will work closely with airline suppliers and third-party technology providers across multiple markets to help frame and execute the company’s strategy and direction related to airline connectivity and content procurement globally. Also on the new team is Nicola Ping who has been appointed as Manager, Air Content & Distribution, Flight Centre Travel Group EMEA, based in London. She joins from British Airways where she has held the role of Manager of Distribution Technology since 2015 working closely with IATA to build the airline’s internal NDC technology offering. She was also responsible for educating corporate and leisure agencies externally on British Airways’ NDC content. The team also includes Jason Nooning, General Manager – Global Air Distribution, based in Brisbane, Australia, who has represented Flight Centre Travel Goup at key industry forums including IATA’s Passenger Distribution Management Group Advisory Forum and Business Travel Summit. Marcus Eklund, Global General Manager, FCM Travel Solutions commented: “One of the biggest factors influencing corporate travel in 2019 will be distribution as NDC content becomes more of a reality. Our goal has always been to balance the short-term priorities of NDC with building a long-term sustainable booking solution with our technology partners, including Amadeus and Sabre, in collaboration with our key airline suppliers. “Together with our parent company we have created the Global Airline Distribution Team to drive this long-term solution forwards, not just for ourselves as a leading global travel management company, but to better help airlines connect with our corporate customers and their travellers,” Eklund said. “The team is already undertaking high-level workshops and meetings with Amadeus and British Airways and we expect to start running several pilots in Q2 this year to search, book and service NDC content across multiple channels,” Eklund added.