Travelport has begun handling its first bookings with Qantas using IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard as its “continuing support” for the airline’s NDC, including the Qantas Distribution Platform (QDP).
The bookings are being made through Travelport Smartpoint in a live production test environment as the Australia carrier prepares distribution of differentiated NDC content from late 2019.
This NDC connection to Qantas is the first by any GDS to the carrier and enables live bookings of NDC content to be made by selected agency partners taking part in the testing programme, including ATPI Corporate Travel, Globetrotter and Travel Beyond. It comes ahead of a rollout to the wider agency community in the coming months.
This development is part of the Qantas plans for the QDP launched in February, which aims to offer an improved customer experience through enhanced, personalised content.
In a statement, the technology company said as the “first GDS to make a live NDC booking” in October last year it has already connected to five European airlines’ NDC content.
It will follow up with an API NDC connection channel through Travelport’s Trip Service API with Qantas’ content among the first to be available through this channel. The Trip Service API is also currently part of a testing programme with an Australia-based online travel agency successfully coding to it.
“Qantas shares our vision that NDC has the potential to enhance the travel experience for its customers, offering personalised and differentiated choice and a seamless booking experience,” said Scott Barber, Travelport’s managing director.
He added that partnership with test agencies has ensured the delivery of an NDC solution that makes the process of buying and managing travel continually better for everyone. “The ongoing delivery of our NDC roadmap is a key part of this.”
The airline industry has been developing NDC since 2012 to extend customisation to agents, and establish closer relationships between airlines and customers.
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