What is NDC and why do I need an aggregator?

NDC (New Distribution Capability) is IATA's XML messaging standard for selling airline products. Every airline implements it differently. An aggregator gives you one integration that handles all those quirks.

How does pricing work?

You pay per request for data lookups (€0.01/request, first 50 free each month) and transaction fees when bookings, seats, or ancillaries are completed.

Guides · Servicing

Post-Booking Servicing

Servicing is everything that happens to an order after it's been ticketed. It is the long tail of NDC operations and the most varied across airlines. Norba normalises these operations into a consistent REST interface.

Servicing categories

Category	Trigger	Norba endpoint
Seat assignment	Passenger wants to pick or change a seat	POST /v1/orders/{id}/seats
Ancillary additions	Add a bag, meal, lounge, or Wi‑Fi after booking	POST /v1/orders/{id}/ancillaries
SSRs & APIS	Special meal, wheelchair, passport data	POST /v1/orders/{id}/ssrs
Voluntary change	Passenger wants to modify itinerary	POST /v1/orders/{id}/reshop → POST /v1/orders/{id}/change
Involuntary change	Airline rescheduled or cancelled a flight	GET /v1/orders/{id} (poll for changes) → POST /v1/orders/{id}/reshop
Name correction	Typo in name (4 chars max usually)	POST /v1/orders/{id}/change
Cancellation	Stop selling this booking	DELETE /v1/orders/{id}
Refund	Money back to original form of payment	POST /v1/orders/{id}/refund

Voluntary change flow

The most common servicing scenario: a passenger wants to change to a different flight.

Retrieve current order

GET /v1/orders/{id} — confirm current state, get OrderID and ticket numbers.

Search alternatives

POST /v1/orders/{id}/reshop — returns one or more reshop offers, each with a new itinerary, fare difference (ADC), and any penalty.

Commit the change

POST /v1/orders/{id}/change — commits the chosen reshop offer. If ADC > 0, payment is required.

Receive updated order

The response returns the updated order with new flights, new tickets, and the exchange history.

Ancillary types

Norba normalises airline ancillaries into a consistent catalogue. Each ancillary has a type, a service code (RFIC/RFISC from ATPCO), pricing, and availability constraints.

Type	Examples
Checked bag	First checked bag (23 kg), second checked bag, overweight bag.
Carry-on bag	Cabin bag beyond the basic allowance.
Seat selection	Standard seat, extra legroom, exit row, window/aisle preference.
Meal	Hot meal, vegetarian, kosher, halal, child meal.
Lounge access	Airline lounge, contract lounge, arrival lounge.
Priority boarding	Zone 1–2 boarding ahead of general boarding.
Fast track	Expedited security lane at departure airport.
Wi‑Fi	In-flight internet access — messaging pass or full streaming.
Sports equipment	Golf clubs, skis, surfboard, bicycle.
Pet in cabin / hold	Small pet in cabin or larger pet in temperature-controlled hold.
Upgrade	Upgrade to premium economy, business, or first class (space-available).
Insurance	Travel insurance bundled with the booking.

Special Service Requests (SSRs)

SSRs are three-letter codes airlines use to handle special passenger needs. They're submitted via POST /v1/orders/{id}/ssrs. APIS (passport/visa data) is also submitted through this endpoint.

Code	Meaning
WCHR	Wheelchair — passenger can walk to seat but needs wheelchair for distance.
WCHS	Wheelchair — passenger cannot walk up steps but can walk to seat.
WCHC	Wheelchair — passenger completely immobile, needs carry-on/off.
VGML	Vegetarian meal (lacto-ovo).
KSML	Kosher meal.
MOML	Muslim meal (halal).
UMNR	Unaccompanied minor.
DOCS	Passport/visa data (APIS).
DEAF	Deaf passenger.
BLND	Blind passenger.
PETC	Pet in cabin.