British Airways is teaming up with Skyscanner to trial selling tickets using the New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard.
In an industry first, customers will be able to browse elements such as cabin details, baggage allowance and upgrade options.
NDC is an initiative by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) designed to give customers a more informative and flexible choice when booking airline tickets.
Skyscanner claims it is the first travel meta-search engine with the capacity to display and sell the tickets directly.
Initially, the move will only apply to British Airways ticket sales via Skyscanner’s facilitated booking engine, but in the future the airline is aiming to offer customers the ability to buy the full range of ancillary options, such as allocated seating and additional baggage through the travel search site.
The trial is currently available to customers using smartphones in the UK and through all devices in France, Germany and Switzerland.
Sara Dunham, BA head of marketing, retail and direct, said: "We all know consumers are more sophisticated and demand a more seamless experience, and this initiative lets us deliver that while still maintaining a direct relationship between the customer and British Airways. We look forward to seeing how this trial progresses."
