The Modern Airline Retailing initiative represents a paradigm shift in how airlines approach and serve their passengers - not only by moving from static, reservation-class and fare-based quotes to dynamic, customer-centric retailing - but also with fundamental changes in how the products in an offer are delivered and accounted for. 

The new model with Offers and Orders at the core aims to provide airlines with more agility, greater control over their product, data, and money, through cost savings as well as increased revenue opportunities. Many airlines have already indicated their ambition for this significant transformation, arguably the largest one ever for the industry. 

Success in this transformation, however, depends on more than ambition. It requires a realistic transition plan with well-defined milestones, resources to undertake the work ahead, and technology partners already positioned for what the future entails. Our mission as an IT provider is to empower all types of airlines, be it full-service network, hybrid, or low-cost, with the right tools for modernization.

Offers with Rich Content and Dynamic Pricing

The initial step towards modern retailing processes starts with New Distribution Capability (NDC). The unique architecture of the Crane Solution Suite enables airlines to build and personalize Offers combining flights; air and non-air ancillaries; and various third-party products in real time, through any channel, using dynamic pricing, through IATA standard messages. 

The short-term additional revenue opportunities NDC brings will enable airlines to generate commercial impact during the long-term transformation towards end-to-end modern retailing.

Hitit: The Industry Leader in IATA ARM Index (ARMI) 

The Airline Retailing Maturity (ARM) Index program of IATA recognizes organizations (airlines, sellers, system providers) on their journey to Modern Airline Retailing, using Offers and Orders based on IATA standards, including NDC. 

In this publicly-available index, Hitit is currently ranked as the #1 global provider - based on the number of its technical capabilities evaluated on shopping, re-shopping, payment, creation, and management of orders including flights, ancillaries, and bundled services. Hitit is also proud to have achieved generating Offers and creating Orders in a live, production environment as of Q2 2025.

This is the result of our long-standing vision and investment in NDC, ensuring our solutions are not only future-proof, but are already delivering significant value today for our 70+ partners across six continents, carrying more than 100 million passengers each year and facilitating more than US$8.0Bn of transactions. 

Order Management Replacing Legacy Processes

Once an Offer is accepted, the Order Management System (OMS) as the main orchestrator takes over. An Order effectively replaces the legacy PNR, EMD, and e-ticket structure with a single, persistent Order ID. This creates a seamless flow from booking through to fulfillment, servicing, and settlement. The OMS integrates with payment providers, other suppliers, delivery management systems and settlement solutions. The transition from multiple different records and documents into one Order acting as the single source of truth with real-time orchestration capabilities eliminates duplication, simplifies servicing, and most importantly, improves customer experience, especially for complex itineraries. 

The Offer and Order Management System is also supported by legacy adapters to ensure backward compatibility with traditional distribution and delivery channels over EDIFACT, TTY and other legacy formats. Airlines can manage all channels from a single platform, while the orchestration layer ensures consistency across the entire distribution, modern or legacy. 

While it may look a bold statement today, our strategy and vision indicate that the Passenger Service System (PSS) as the main orchestrator of the product offer today will transform into a mere operational layer or be replaced altogether by the modular services of the future within the OMS.

Transition Roadmap

It is no secret that not all airlines are at the same starting point, nor are they progressing at the same pace. That is why we also focus on creating awareness about the Modern Airline Retailing initiative and providing an easy to digest roadmap to our partner airlines toward full retailing transformation with minimal disruption. Ultimately, each airline needs its own pathway reflecting its own strategy, size, and operational complexity. A network airline may need to maintain its interline, codeshare or alliance commitments during its transformation, requiring careful integration and co-existence strategies. By contrast, a low-cost airline can prioritize quick commercial wins by deploying Offer and Order capabilities to boost revenue.

Meet Hitit and Reshape Your Journey with the Mindset of Modern Retailers 

Modern Airline Retailing is no longer an industry buzzword. It has already become the foundation for the digital and competitive airlines of the future. The transition however will not be an overnight change, it is rather a strategic evolution that requires planning, alignment, and collaboration.

At Hitit, we are committed to assisting all our partner airlines to navigate this transformation with confidence and clarity. Our solution already supports the needs of any airline, unlocking new revenue streams and operational efficiencies while safeguarding what works today with a modular platform of the highest capability. Our strategy also allows airlines to modernize at their own pace, while our team provides the tools, support, and roadmap to take our partners to the new era. 

In this new world of airline commerce, success will benefit those who reimagine the journey through the mindset of modern retailers. We are ready to power the next generation of air travel