GDS Vs NDC

[RooFlyer]

Has anyone knowledge or experience of the "NDC" airline (+?) booking system? My Travel Agent just booked me a BA flight in Europe - GDS fare abt $890, NDC fare $405!

Some info here: A travel manager’s guide to NDC

Look like Qantas is on board with it as well.

 

[Mattg]

Well, the airlines have to pay lower fees when taking bookings through the NDC. It's supposed to be a more modern GDS.

Look like Qantas is on board with it as well.

Yep - and they have raised their fares in the GDS/are no longer allowing some sale fares to be booked by travel agents through the GDS in order to try to force travel agents to use NDC.

 

[RooFlyer]

Yep - and they have raised their fares in the GDS/are no longer allowing some sale fares to be booked by travel agents through the GDS in order to try to force travel agents to use NDC.

Yes, the TA mentioned that 'availability has been blocked in the GDS (sigh)'.

In order to force TAs to use one or the other, they should try paying TAs some commission!! My TA will book Qantas if I insist on it, but not before other cheaper or similar-cost options have been put to me AND they charge me a fee for Qantas, now. I will pay that fee if it must be the Qantas flight, due to the service the TA gives me, but Qantas is pretty much a pariah for them.

 

[drron]

I'm emailing my TA now!.

 

[ADFlyMore]

NDC is really still in the infancy stage, geared towards the leisure market right now vs what they are offering corporates via TMC.
In the long run, airlines want to be able to offer more dynamic pricing at POS without having to go through the hassle of fare loading etc. There are many other features so this isn't just it (main goal is offer TA's a more consumer feel in order to easily book extra's that are available if you book direct with an airline).
So for instance, if you are a FF member you might get a special price vs non-member. Or they want to sell more seats in a particular cabin and want to quickly offer the market a cheaper fare (again without the hassle of fare loading via typical GDS methods).