Accelya and Azerbaijan Airlines Drive Modern Airline Retailing with NDC Adoption

Accelya, a leading global provider of airline technology solutions, has signed a multi-year agreement with Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) to bring New Distribution Capability (NDC) adoption and modern airline retailing to the fore through Accelya’s FLX Select platform. 

Under the partnership, AZAL will implement NDC technology — a modern standard developed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that enables airlines to present richer, more personalized offers directly to travel sellers such as travel agencies and online distributors — transforming how fares, bundles and ancillaries are created, marketed and sold. 

Traditionally, airlines have relied on legacy distribution protocols that limit the types and clarity of offers available through third-party channels. NDC adoption helps remove those constraints by using modern application programming interfaces (APIs) to convey live, real-time offer content, including dynamic pricing, bundled products and personalized options that better reflect an airline’s commercial strategy.

Accelya’s FLX Select solution — part of the broader FLX ONE platform powered by Amazon Web Services — is designed to accelerate NDC deployment in a scalable, standardized way, linking airlines quickly with a broad ecosystem of travel sellers and aggregators. This enables carriers like Azerbaijan Airlines to extend their market reach and realize commercial value from NDC sooner than traditional integrations.

According to AZAL’s Chief Commercial Offier Jamil Manizade, the move marks a shift from outdated distribution models to a more customer-centric approach. He described modern retailing as a strategic journey that puts airlines in control of how offers are created and distributed, improving consistency and speed in response to evolving travel-buyer expectations.

Accelya’s Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Wilcock emphasized that real modernization in airline retailing comes from enabling airlines to manage offers in real time, not just adopting the technology conceptually. By deploying FLX Select, airlines like AZAL are turning NDC from an industry aspiration into a practical commercial capability that drives measurable results. 

Industry research shows that platforms like Accelya’s are powering a significant share of global NDC transactions, reflecting the broader shift across aviation distribution toward modern, API-based retailing approaches. 

By embracing NDC, Azerbaijan Airlines aims to deliver clearer and more personalized offers, enhancing how products are presented and sold through partner channels, and setting a benchmark for retail transformation in its region. This initiative underscores the growing importance of flexible distribution models that align with rising customer expectations and airline commercial goals in an era of digital travel retailing.