- Accelya has launched the Modern Retailing Readiness Score for corporate buyers.
- The MRRS assesses readiness across six key capability areas.
- Accelya has also introduced SPRK Assist, an AI-powered servicing tool for agents.
- SPRK Assist uses AI to prepare servicing transactions more efficiently.
- BCD Travel is a launch partner for SPRK Assist, with general availability in 2026.
Accelya has unveiled two new initiatives designed to help travel sellers and corporate travel buyers unlock the full value of modern airline retailing. The launches of SPRK Assist, an AI-powered servicing capability, and the Modern Retailing Readiness Score (MRRS), a benchmarking assessment, reflect the next phase of the industry’s evolution. The announcements come as the industry reaches an important inflection point, with IATA positioning NDC as the foundation of Modern Airline Retailing.
Jim Davidson, Vice Chairman at Accelya, confirmed that corporate travel buyers increasingly recognise that modern airline retailing can unlock better content, experiences and greater value. The MRRS gives buyers a practical way to understand where they stand, where gaps exist, and which actions will have the biggest impact. The assessment evaluates readiness across strategy and governance, technology and content access, processes, supplier collaboration, data and value measurement, and change management. Individual company results will remain confidential.
Accelya has also introduced SPRK Assist, an AI-powered servicing capability built into its SPRK portal for travel sellers. With SPRK Assist, agents can describe the outcome they need in plain language, and the capability helps retrieve the relevant order, validate conditions and prepare the next action. The capability is being introduced with 37 defined use cases across seven servicing areas. BCD Travel is one of the first travel sellers supporting the launch, with general availability planned for later in 2026.
Jim Davidson shared: “The challenge is knowing whether their programme and ecosystem are ready to capture that value.”
