Meet Our Team: Huig van Beelen, Senior IATA Expert 

“The expertise desk is indispensable; we provide smart solutions, cost savings, and greater travel comfort by leveraging our knowledge and creativity.” 

We spoke with Huig van Beelen, an experienced team member at ATPI’s expertise desk. He shared insights on how the expertise desk supports travel agents and customers with complex bookings, helps customers save on airfare, and explores the future with dynamic pricing and NDC technology. 

What role does the expertise desk play at ATPI, and how does it support travel agents and customers with complex bookings? 

Huig: “The IATA expertise desk is staffed by a team of seasoned professionals with extensive knowledge of aviation and fares. We act as an internal support line for more complicated matters, such as bookings with multiple flight segments or complex changes. We’re happy to take on the work that may take our colleagues more time or effort. Additionally, we monitor nearly all bookings made by our colleagues. Sometimes, we proactively provide recommendations that save customers money and enhance their travel comfort.” 

How does the expertise desk help customers save on airfare? Could you provide an example of how this works in practice? 

Huig: “The key is to map out all possible options, which we can do quickly thanks to our experience. The more options we explore, the higher the chance of finding a great fare. Creativity also plays a big role. Who says you must return on the same airline you flew out with? If a customer has multiple planned trips, we sometimes see if it’s more cost-effective to start one from a different location. These strategies can lead to significant savings.” 

Can you explain how dynamic pricing works in the travel industry and why it’s important for customers not to wait too long to book? 

Huig: “Dynamic pricing means that today, many more factors influence ticket prices than just the availability of a flight. Airlines now factor in peak and off-peak demand patterns, along with forecasts of a flight’s popularity. They can open or close specific fare classes and adjust prices within those classes based on anticipated demand for the flight 

“Our advice is to book as soon as your travel plans are confirmed, as availability remains a key factor that directly impacts pricing. However, if your travel dates are uncertain, it’s better to wait, as changes can be costly. In many cases, a later booking without modifications can end up being more economical than an early booking requiring multiple adjustments.” 

How do you anticipate NDC will contribute to cost savings for customers in the future, and what impact will customization options have? 

“An increasing number of airlines no longer offer their lowest fares through Edifact, the traditional system powering GDS (Global Distribution Systems). For instance, KLM’s Light fares and Real Deal fares are only accessible via tools that support NDC (New Distribution Capability), which ensures these lower prices remain available. 

NDC also enables a much wider range of customization options, such as booking airport parking, lounge access, or an amenity kit for your flight. This system gives airlines significantly more flexibility to offer and sell ancillary products. While NDC is still evolving, I expect it to become far more user-friendly in the future, providing customers with even more tailored solutions. Ultimately, this will make the travel booking process much smoother and more efficient.” 

“It’s all about finding the perfect balance between cost savings and comfort,” says Huig. “We’re always here to offer the best advice to help achieve that.”