The message from airlines is clear: the future of distribution is NDC (New Distribution Capability). For travel sellers, this shift presents both a significant change and a tremendous opportunity.
The challenge? Navigating a fragmented landscape of different airline APIs.
The opportunity? Accessing richer content, exclusive fares, and personalized offers that were previously only available on airline.com.
Recently, TPConnects partnered with Qantas to demystify this transition. In a dedicated webinar, we showcased how the Iris aggregator platform empowers travel agencies to harness the full power of Qantas NDC seamlessly and efficiently.
You can watch the on-demand webinar in the Qantas Virtual Classroom portal.
Here are the key takeaways from that session.
Why NDC Matters Now
As Giuseppe Candela, our VP of Global Sales, highlighted during the webinar, the industry is at a tipping point. Airlines are increasingly incentivizing NDC adoption through:
- Cost Efficiency: Reduced GDS surcharges make NDC a more economical distribution channel for your business.
- Exclusive Content: Airlines now offer promotional fares, dynamic bundles, and special ancillaries exclusively through NDC.
- Future-Proofing: With major airlines targeting 100% NDC distribution by 2030, early adoption positions your agency ahead of the curve.
Iris by TPConnects: Your Single Window to the World of Air Content
The real challenge for agencies isn’t just connecting to one airline like Qantas. It’s about managing dozens of different connections without overwhelming your team or compromising service quality.
The Iris platform eliminates this complexity by serving as your comprehensive content aggregation hub.
“Iris is really a one-stop shop for all airline content, we are one of the few aggregators to support integration with the 3 GDSs and direct NDC connections.” – Giuseppe Candela
Why Iris Stands Apart
Iris doesn’t force you into restrictive either-or decisions. Instead, we provide a unified platform that seamlessly aggregates:
- Direct NDC Connections (like Qantas, one of our most mature and feature-rich integrations)
- Traditional GDS Content (Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport)
- Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) Content (need examples)
This means your agents no longer need to switch between multiple systems. They can compare all options side-by-side in a single, intuitive interface thus ensuring they always deliver the best fares and products for every client.
Iris Explainer Video here to visually demonstrate the platform’s unified interface
The Power of Full Servicing: Beyond Bookings
One of the most frequent concerns about NDC adoption centers on post-booking management capabilities. While creating a booking might seem straightforward, handling changes, cancellations, add-ons, and schedule disruptions requires sophisticated functionality.
During the webinar, our product experts Sonia and Stephanos delivered a live demo, showcasing Iris’s complete workflow capabilities:
- Rich Shopping & Transparency: Search with corporate codes, frequent flyer numbers, and view detailed fare rules and baggage allowances upfront.
- Ancillary Sales: Easily add seats, extra baggage, and other amenities during booking or post-booking.
- Streamlined Post-Booking: Change flights, reissue tickets, and handle involuntary schedule changes (IRROPS) directly on the platform, without needing to call airline call centers.
- Automated Notifications: The system can alert you via email or API webhooks to payment time limits and flight disruptions, keeping you and your clients informed.
This comprehensive functionality ensures that NDC adoption through Iris increases efficiency, rather than adding complexity.
Three Revenue-Boosting Engines Built for Travel Sellers
Iris is built with the business needs of travel agencies in mind. We go beyond simple content aggregation to provide tools that help you optimize and grow:
- Content Control Engine: Steer distribution channels and create revenue opportunities
- Commission Management: Unify commission structures with granular control
- Pricing Engine: Configure pricing rules and optimize margins by supplier
Seamless Integration into Your Existing Workflow
A critical question from our webinar audience addressed system compatibility: “Does TPConnects integrate with mid-office systems like Tramada or Serco?”
The answer is a definitive yes. Iris is designed to fit into your ecosystem. We provide:
- Powerful API Access: Single API that gives you access to all aggregated content, allowing for deep integration with your own front-end or mid-office tools.
- Pre-built Integrations: Compatibility with popular back-office and profile management systems, ensuring a smooth workflow and data consistency.
Transform Your NDC Strategy Today
Our partnership with Qantas is a testament to our commitment to providing travel sellers with the most advanced, reliable, and feature-complete NDC aggregation solution on the market.
“Qantas is a very important partner for us… we have strong success in the NDC field with many agencies using Qantas NDC content worldwide.” – Giuseppe Candela
The transition to NDC represents more than a technological upgrade; it’s your pathway to competitive differentiation. With the right technology partner, this shift becomes your most powerful business advantage.
Ready to Experience the Iris Advantage?
Don’t let NDC complexity hold back your agency’s growth potential. Discover how Iris can transform your distribution strategy and unlock new revenue opportunities.
See firsthand how travel agencies worldwide are leveraging Iris to stay ahead in the evolving distribution landscape.
