NDC is here, and it’s already delivering  

New Distribution Capability (NDC) has been one of the biggest changes to airline distribution in decades. It’s transformed how fares are delivered and booked, and it’s already making a difference for FCM customers. 

Since going live with NDC content in July, FCM has taken a proactive, customer-first approach to ensure everything was future-ready. With more than 35,000 Qantas NDC tickets processed across Flight Centre Travel Group’s corporate brands, and counting, it’s safe to say our rollout is well underway. 

 

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35,000+ Qantas NDC tickets booked

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3,000+ customers using NDC content

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Increase in bookings with Australia’s national carrier

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6.5% minimum base fare saving

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Bringing NDC to life  

We’ve been getting ready for NDC for some time. Ever since Qantas and Singapore Airlines first signalled changes to their distribution strategy, we made it our mission to get in early to help shape and understand the way NDC would work in a corporate travel environment.  

FCM Travel took an industry-leading position through which we have educated the airline industry on the entire travel ecosystem. This has involved us engaging and presenting to airline sales and technology teams, to ensure their NDC offering was going to be fit-for-purpose for the entire travel industry.

 - Melissa Elf, Global COO of Flight Centre Corporate

Enterprise businesses, educational institutions, global organisations, not-for-profits. Every customer has different needs. And because of this, we knew a stock standard rollout wouldn’t land well. 

Our large and varied customer base is the reason we’ve taken such a laser-focused and intensely collaborative approach to how we best implement this new capability. 

 - Melissa Elf, Global COO of Flight Centre Corporate

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Helping customers get the most from NDC

We won’t sugarcoat it. NDC has been a fundamental change to airline distribution, and like any big shift, there have been some niggles. While some elements are still evolving across the industry, our focus has been on removing roadblocks and making the NDC experience as smooth as possible. This includes ongoing updates to credit card integrations, international stopovers, NDC credit redemption, and more.  

We’ve also taken steps to ensure NDC content is personalised. If a customer’s program doesn’t require a certain type of fare or content, they won’t see it. Melissa Elf explains. 

We’ve considered the alignment with our individual customers’ needs. We are activating NDC content that matches each customer’s travel program objectives to make sure businesses are only fed content that ensures productivity and relevance within their travel ecosystem. NDC won’t be the best fit for everyone, and that’s okay.

 - Melissa Elf, Global COO of Flight Centre Corporate

What the savings have looked like so far

A Qantas NDC fare, when not on further sale or special offer, is 6.5% cheaper than a base rate. That’s the same for all fares, on any route, and across any travel management company that is a member of the Qantas Premium NDC channel, as FCM Travel are.  

There have been occasions where this savings number has increased. In its first month of NDC roll out in July, Qantas fares were delivering an average 17%savings on domestic trips for customers when compared to Qantas’s legacy EDIFACT content. 

 - Melissa Elf, Global COO of Flight Centre Corporate

This 17% included the NDC-related savings, along with other sales operating within market, and the $11.50 per segment surcharge that we save the customer, by offering them access to Qantas premium NDC content.   

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Tech integration 

Behind the scenes, our product and tech teams have been working closely with Serko and Sabre to make sure NDC fits naturally into our systems, particularly our primary online booking tool (OBT).  

This has included everything from dynamic pricing and rich content display to updated booking flows. We’ve built and tested every piece, so the experience feels familiar while still delivering greater value to customers. 

Our world-leading technology capability, alongside our strong partnership with Qantas, and our third-party technology providers have allowed us to achieve outcomes since day one, and we’re very pleased to see NDC delivering value to our customers.
 

Where to from here

Right now, majority of the NDC fares are being booked via our OBTs. Enablement for Concur customers is underway, with a large portion of customers already having NDC access. The remaining group will go live over the coming months. Some of our biggest focuses during this time are to ensure that NDC functionality is a suitable fit for our customers travel programs, and reporting capabilities are increased.

We’re proud of the groundwork we’ve laid, but more than that, we’re proud of what it’s meant for our customers. NDC has opened the door to more choice and greater value.

With strong partnerships, and the right tech in place, we’re ready when you are.

Learn more about our approach to NDC here.

All figures represented in this blog are from Fight Centre Travel Group’s corporate divisions booking data. 

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FAQs addressed in the article

Not seeing an answer to your question? Head over to our NDC Hub to learn more.

  • What is NDC and how is it changing airline distribution?

    NDC, or New Distribution Capability, is a new standard for airline distribution that has transformed how fares are delivered and booked. It allows airlines to provide more personalized and rich content directly to travel management companies like FCM, offering more choice and value to customers.

  • What benefits have FCM customers seen from NDC so far?

    FCM has seen significant benefits for its customers since implementing NDC. These include processing over 35,000 Qantas NDC tickets, a 6.5% minimum base fare saving on Qantas NDC fares, and an average savings of 17% on domestic trips for customers in the first month of rollout. The 17% savings includes the NDC-related savings, other sales, and the per-segment surcharge saved by using the Qantas premium NDC channel.

  • How has FCM approached the implementation of NDC?

    FCM has taken a proactive and customer-first approach to rolling out NDC. They have worked closely with airlines, particularly Qantas, to help shape and understand how NDC would work in a corporate travel environment. FCM has also focused on a collaborative implementation to ensure the new capability is tailored to the specific needs of their large and varied customer base.

  • Is NDC right for every business?

    According to FCM, NDC may not be the best fit for every business. They have taken steps to ensure that NDC content is personalized for each customer's travel program, so businesses only see content that is relevant to their specific needs and objectives.

  • How has FCM integrated NDC into its technology?

    FCM's product and tech teams have worked closely with partners like Serko and Sabre to seamlessly integrate NDC into their primary online booking tools. This integration includes features like dynamic pricing, rich content display, and updated booking flows to ensure a familiar and user-friendly experience while delivering greater value to customers. They are also working to enable NDC access for Concur customers.