At a time when gazes are fixed on score lines (Go Socceroos, by the way), we’re keeping an eye on reaction to Qantas’ recent announcement that it would give travel advisors and other partners an unending discount on domestic airfares of up to four per cent when booking through the Qantas Distribution Platform.
Currently, the score is close.
According to the reaction on Karryon’s Facebook, more users see the move by Qantas as a positive one. One-nil to the team in red.
But based on commentary alone, advisors appear to be on the offensive. One-all.
One user said, “Qantas should’ve just kept the rate the same as the public rate” with agents’ five per cent commission.
“Agents don’t want to use a clunky system to get a discount that will cause more sleepless nights when servicing AIRLINE flight changes & cancellations for FREE,” they wrote.
Many commenters were unhappy with the figure of four per cent.
“Oh 4%, wow, that’s almost enough to cover the cost of booking Qantas through the GDS!” observed another user.
Some took aim at the NDC more broadly.
“The Galileo/TravelPort NDC product is farcical – it’s like a 90s Netscape Experience… thanks but no thanks QF…” one person wrote.
What else you said…
itravel Carlingford owner manager Emily Kadinski told Karryon, “I think Qantas pushing different rates on NDC is a sign of the future, but all that it’s doing is creating more work for agents”.
“The best thing about the GDS is all airlines in one place,” said Kadinski, winner of the Most Outstanding Travel Consultant – Leisure award at this year’s NTIAs.
“With NDC, it’s going to make agents have to check individual airline NDCs and the GDS to ensure they provide the best option for the client.
“The only positive is that it’s a step in the right direction of offering a rate that will allow us to earn more than $0 on an airfare again.”
Personal Travel Manager (and self-confessed airfare nerd) Sekha Walsh told Karryon logging into another system besides GDS would be “a bit of a hassle”.
“But then again, if I have clients who want to fly with them [Qantas], then I will make the effort to use their system,” he added.
Sekha thinks a more palatable move would have been to increase commissions “like in the past, to make it easier on everyone”.
“I mean, when they reduced their commission, we were encouraged to stop selling them to make a point,” he said.
“Most airlines now have reduced commissions, so I don’t really care whom I book as long as I can get a good price and then mark it up myself.”
That could mean it’s a draw. Hopefully, there won’t be the need for a penalty shoot-out. No one likes a penalty shoot-out.
Karryon has contacted Qantas for comment.
See how Qantas fared on a flight from Sydney to Noumea in our flight test.
