SYDNEY, 8 February 2019: Qantas is offering its New Distribution Capability (NDC) to agents who sign up for ‘Qantas Channel’ to gain full access to fares and add-on content.
Qantas Channel is part of the broader digital strategy to enhance Qantas’ booking systems, and involves a new agreement between the airline and its agency partners.
Coming into effect 1 August, it ensures access to the widest range of Qantas fares, add-on products and information for agents.
The announcement follows the launch of the Qantas Distribution Platform (QDP) in 2018 that unlocks the New Distribution Capability (NDC) for airlines, trade partners and customers.
Travel agents who sign up to the Qantas Channel will be able to offer customers a wider range of fares and add-on features sourced from the NDC-enabled Qantas Distribution Platform, which is not currently available to travel agents or traditional indirect booking systems.
Qantas has partnered with the largest Global Distribution Systems – Sabre, Amadeus and Travelport – to make the Qantas Channel available to agents globally and is working with other regional GDS partners to achieve the same objective.
Already on board the Qantas Channel globally are Flight Centre, Helloworld, Corporate Travel Management, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, ATPI Voyager, CT Connections, Expedia Group, Egencia, Webjet, Consolidated Travel Group, Virtuoso and Express Travel Group.
Qantas is working closely with other agents to register them over the coming months.
Qantas Chief Customer Officer Vanessa Hudson said the Qantas Channel would empower trade partners to access Qantas’ most compelling products.
“We know our customers expect an increasingly personalised, flexible and seamless experience no matter how or where they make their booking, whether it’s directly with us or indirectly through a corporate travel manager, online agent, or their local travel agent,” said Hudson.
Frequent Flyers can earn and use points when booking through travel agents in the future, she explained.
Agencies that don’t register for the Qantas Channel may incur a channel fee, in addition to no longer being able to access the widest range of fares made available via indirect channels or new content via the Qantas Distribution Platform from 1 August.
