Qantas welcomes first TMC in new NDC-fied booking platform

Qantas has revealed the first Australian travel management company that can now book flights through the airline’s new technology platform.

Corporate Travel Management (CTM) will offer select corporate customers the opportunity to book via the new Qantas Distribution Platform (QDP), which was announced earlier this year as part of the airline’s plans to enhance the airline retailing, booking and servicing capabilities for its trade partners and deliver a more personalised experience for customers.

A pilot group of customers using CTM’s online booking tool, Lightning, will be the first users to access rich Qantas content via the QDP, which is seamlessly integrated into the Lightning fare display. QDP enables CTM to provide customers with options tailored to their preferences, including the reward and recognition of Qantas Frequent Flyer members.

Qantas and CTM will roll out QDP content more broadly to their mutual customers over coming months.

Following IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) standards, QDP is the airline’s first step in broadening its reach to indirect booking channels, which is the main point of NDC.

“A more personalised experience, beyond what traditional technology has been able to deliver.”

Vanessa Hudson, Qantas chief customer officer, said: “We’re pleased to welcome CTM as the first travel management company to deliver tailored Qantas offers to corporate customers through our new technology.

“We’ve collaborated closely with CTM to integrate their booking tool with our platform. It will enable CTM to provide our mutual customers with a more personalised experience, beyond what traditional technology has been able to deliver.”

CTM is one of the earnest early adopters of QDP, the airline confirmed that it is continuing to work with its GDS, agency and other channel partners to adopt the new technology.