How TWAI is powering the next generation of airline retailing: simplifying offers, orders, and payments

FTE Event News // Nov 2025

TWAI – a Gold Sponsor and Exhibitor at APEX FTE Asia Expo (Singapore, 11-12 November 2025) – helps airlines sell like retailers. In this interview, Jim Hetzel, Vice President, Product Innovation and Strategy, shares how TWAI simplifies complex distribution by unifying EDIFACT, NDC, Offers & Orders, and payments into one connected platform.

See the full APEX FTE Asia Expo 2025 schedule at a glance >> Register for APEX FTE Asia Expo 2025 – free to attend >>

TWAI helps airlines sell like retailers. “We simplify complex distribution by unifying EDIFACT, NDC, Offers & Orders, and payments into one connected platform,” explains Jim Hetzel, Vice President, Product Innovation and Strategy, TWAI. “Our suite includes GQ Retail, and GQ Pay – solutions built to modernise how airlines create, distribute, and fulfil offers across direct and indirect channels.”

TWAI’s suite includes GQ Retail, and GQ Pay – solutions built to modernise how airlines create, distribute, and fulfil offers across direct and indirect channels. “We integrate easily with existing PSSs, GDSs, and third-party partners,” Hetzel explains. “Airlines use TWAI to improve conversion, expand ancillary revenue, and lower cost per booking without overhauling legacy systems. Our technology fits into the ecosystem airlines already depend on, extending its capability rather than replacing it.”

TWAI’s decision to become a Gold Sponsor of APEX FTE Asia Expo reflects a commitment to supporting innovation in these regions. Its goals are clear: deepen partnerships with Asia-Pacific carriers exploring Offer & Order transformation; demonstrate how modern orchestration of payments and distribution can increase yield and flexibility; and build new collaborations with airlines, travel sellers, and technology partners driving connected travel experiences. “Asia and MEA are driving the next phase of airline retailing, and APEX FTE Asia Expo is where that future takes shape,” says Hetzel.

The theme of this year’s APEX FTE Asia Expo is ‘Accelerating Innovation’ and TWAI accelerates innovation by removing technical friction. “Airlines shouldn’t have to rebuild their core systems to innovate,” Hetzel shares. “Our modular approach lets them deploy modern retailing capabilities incrementally: one offer, one order, one payment flow at a time.”

He adds that the areas most ready for change are:

“Dynamic retailing: real-time offers across every channel, including NDC and indirect.”
“Payments: unified orchestration that aligns payment cost with offer value.”
“Data-driven merchandising: smarter bundling and pricing using traveller and operational signals.”

“These advances drive measurable ROI in weeks, not years,” Hetzel notes.

Future Travel Experience brings together airlines, airports, and technology partners with a shared goal: to make travel seamless. What TWAI values most is the depth of discussion and the opportunity to move beyond buzzwords into implementation. “This year, we’re watching how airlines use artificial intelligence (AI) and data orchestration to personalise the journey – from offer creation to payment and servicing,” says Hetzel. “We see strong momentum toward connected ecosystems where distribution, operations, and passenger experience work as one.”

APEX FTE Asia Expo attendees can meet TWAI at its booth (C31) or schedule time directly with its leadership team. TWAI be sharing live demos of GQ Retail and GQ Pay, showing how they help airlines grow revenue while simplifying operations. “Our message is simple: retail transformation doesn’t start with technology – it starts with flexibility,” Hetzel adds. “Airlines that modernise distribution, payment, and merchandising together will define the next generation of travel commerce.”

See the full APEX FTE Asia Expo 2025 schedule at a glance >> Register for APEX FTE Asia Expo 2025 – free to attend >>