Frequently Asked Questions

New Distribution Capability (NDC) is an industry initiative supported by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). NDC is a new ‘standard’ or common way of communicating between airlines and Trade Partners including GDSs and travel agents. It provides enhanced flexibility to meet the retailing, booking and servicing needs of travel agents and their customers. More information about NDC can be found on IATA’s websiteOpens external site in a new window.

The Qantas Distribution Platform has been developed to meet the evolving preferences of travellers and make it easier for our travel agencies to sell Qantas and service our mutual customers. The Qantas Distribution Platform will modernise the way Qantas delivers content and the way you offer Qantas products to customers.

No, the Qantas Distribution Platform is not a website nor does it have an agency user interface. To access Qantas Distribution Platform offers and content, Travel Agencies must connect via an Approved Technology Partner or as a direct agency connection.

Public and private fares that have traditionally been available in the GDS will also be available in the Qantas Distribution Platform. In some cases, the offer provided via the Qantas Distribution Platform will be better than the published public and private fare. For instance, there may be an additional discount applied in the Qantas Distribution Platform offer or an ancillary may be included in the offer. 

There are a small number of itineraries that are not yet available in the Qantas Distribution Platform, such as itineraries that include interline segments. In these cases, Qantas will continue to distribute these itineraries via the traditional GDS.   

This partly depends on the status and roadmap of your Technology Partner. The majority of shopping, booking and servicing capabilities are now available in the Qantas Distribution Platform and in some cases these capabilities are better than those traditionally available in the GDS. There are, however, a small number of features that are not yet available in the Qantas Distribution Platform which Qantas intends to implement during 2021. It is also possible that your Technology Partner has not yet developed their system to manage all of the services available in the Qantas Distribution Platform. Qantas encourages you to engage with your Technology Partners to understand their current capabilities and roadmap. 

NDC offers should be flagged and distinguishable from traditional GDS offers in your GDS. Qantas encourages travel agencies to engage with your GDS to understand how NDC offers will be displayed.

This depends on the capability of your Technology Partner. Your Technology Partner may not yet have developed the capability to distribute all offers made available via the Qantas Distribution Platform. Your Technology Partner may also choose not to develop their  system to distribute some offers. Qantas encourages travel agencies to engage with their Technology Partners to understand if and when new offers made available in the Qantas Distribution Platform will be available to that travel agency. 

Please continue to use qantasgrouptravel.comOpens external site in a new window or follow your existing groups process for all of your group travel requirements.

Qantas will continue to provide updates to our travel agencies about the Qantas Distribution Platform, including information and learning modules via Qantas Agency Connect and the Qantas Learning Hub.

Travel agents may require support with their Qantas bookings from time to time and to assist you with this, your first point of contact should always be your Technology Partner.