Travel advisors will now have access to cheaper Qantas domestic airfares thanks to a new always-on discount of up to four per cent on base fares.
Effective immediately, the discounts will be applied to bookings made through the Qantas Distribution Platform only, which can be accessed by travel professionals who have registered in the Qantas Channel.
Access to the Platform must be gained via an Approved Technology Partner or a direct connection to Qantas’ NDC XML Application Program Interface (API).
Built to IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard, the Qantas Distribution Platform was created to make it easier for trade partners to sell a wider range of products.
The Platform was launched in 2018 and has expanded internationally to include 60 markets and counting.
Qantas Executive Manager of Global Sales and Distribution Igor Kwiatkowski said the new discounts form part of the carrier’s “investment to modernise our distribution capabilities”.
“The new discount complements the many capabilities already enabled through the Qantas Distribution platform such as richer content and increased customer personalisation,” he said.
“With 60 international markets now able to connect to the platform, our trade partners both around the world and at home will be able to take advantage of up to 4 per cent lower Australian domestic fares and other benefits of the platform.
“Working collaboratively alongside our trade partners, we know we can deliver a great outcome for our mutual customers and we look forward to welcoming more partners onto the platform in the coming months.”
Embrace change and prioritise NDC: Manwaring
Express Travel Group (ETG) chief executive Tom Manwaring said “any transition to new technology is challenging”, considering the ever-changing distribution landscape.
“As a leading consolidator in the Australian market, ETG has embraced both change and technology to ensure that we can secure access to our airline partners most compelling content,” remarked Manwaring.
“Today’s announcement by Qantas of its ‘always on lower pricing’ via its Qantas Distribution Platform, vindicates our decision.
“At ETG we engaged with our Technology Partner Aeronology a few years ago, and their platform has greatly enhanced our agents’ selling experience, as it enables our team to compare both NDC and Edifact fares on the one screen.
“This announcement should encourage agents to prioritise NDC and work with their Technology Partner to secure NDC access as soon as possible.
“As an industry we need to continue to embrace change so that we can remain competitive and ensure we’ve got access to the best content and offers for our customers.”
Last week, Qantas announced an upgrade in its profit expectations for the first half of the financial year 2023.
