Air Canada announced a new NDC policy that will include a fee (distribution cost recovery or DCR) for bookings made via traditional GDS EDIFACT channels effective June 14. (EDIFACT is Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport, a global set of rules defined by the UN for inter-company electronic data exchange between two or more business partners.)
The fee, according to the announcement, will not apply to bookings made via any of Air Canada’s NDC connection options, including NDC-sourced content in a GDS solution,or through the airline’s other direct booking channels such as aircanada.com, aircanada.com/agents, Air Canada for Business, and the Air Canada mobile app, or group bookings.
According to the announcement, the new program will provide a competitive alternative to legacy distribution, giving agents access to Air Canada inventory, fares, ancillary services, ticketing and digital products. For buyers and travelers, NDC technology means their preferred agencies can now offer a broader range of Air Canada travel options and services at the best possible prices, improving competitiveness and the customer experience.
In addition to making available the most comprehensive Air Canada content, said the announcement, the airline’s new NDC program offers an efficient shopping experience for retail fare products and the elimination of select debit memos. Continuous pricing, as well as the addition of Flight Pass, is planned for later this year.
Upgraded service and support levels include dedicated business and IT teams, 24/7 monitoring and near real-time system status. Additional servicing automation options and order change notifications are also slated for this year.
Mark Nasr, senior vice president, products, marketing and ecommerce, said “the transition to modern distribution enables delivery of the full range of content and fares that Air Canada provides, as well as access to the many upcoming products and services that will improve travel.”
Air Canada will offer four flexible options for NDC access, each designed to suit different agency business models — ranging from API integration and a free web-based tool to a growing catalogue of certified technology providers and a GDS-based solution.
Many of Air Canada’s key agency partners, according to the announcement, have already begun implementing NDC connectivity, including Priceline, Flight Centre, Fareportal, Flighthub, Hopper, Maritime Travel, Skylink Voyages and Travix. These and other early partners have the opportunity to drive requirements and new functionality as the program develops.
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