This diploma thesis analyzes distribution channels of flight tickets on the Internet and aspects related to this type of sale. Individual chapters deal with the historical background, role of e-commerce in the civil aviation industry, individual players engaged in the distribution of flight tickets on the Internet and the position of the online distribution. This thesis also analyzes modern services that are connected to the distribution of flight tickets, e.g. e-ticketing and new forms of check-in.

This study is about the transition to NDC standard protocol in the business ecosystem of flightticket distribution. The key actors included are airlines, travel agencies and content aggregators(system suppliers). The thesis analyses the current state of the transition to NDC done by thekey actors of the business ecosystem of flight ticket distribution with digital transformationmaturity perspectives, including dimensions, which are relevant for the transition. A conceptual framework has been created and includes six digital transformation maturityperspectives with attached dimensions that can impact the transition to NDC for the businessecosystem with the actors included in the scope of this thesis. The conceptual framework hasbeen created based on previous research on the topic of NDC and used as a foundation to createthe interview protocol and to structure and categorize the empirical results and analysis. The result of this thesis is a compilation of the answers to the interview protocol with tworespondents from two different airlines, three respondents from two different travel agenciesand two respondents from one content aggregator (system supplier). The result answers thequestion of how every organization is working with the different perspectives, and itsdimensions, of digital transformation maturity perspectives in their transition to NDC. Fromthe answers of the respondents, it has also been possible to identify central themes of the keyactors' work that was not originally part of the conceptual framework. The transition to NDC is an ongoing process and the different key actors are working with thedifferent perspectives, including the dimensions, in their transition to NDC. Based on theanswers from the respondent of this study, updates have been made to the conceptualframework to cover all the central themes of the key actors work with digital transformationmaturity perspectives and dimensions in their transition to NDC. The key actors are dependenton each other working with every perspective, and dimension, of the digital transformationmaturity perspectives and if the work with one perspective falls behind for one actor there areripple effects for the other key actors. Key words: NDC Standard Protocol, Flight ticket distribution, Business Ecosystem, Digitalmaturity, Airlines, Travel agency, GDS, Global distribution system