Audience: Neo1 Users
Purpose
It is now possible to book New Distribution Channel (NDC) fares in Neo.
What is NDC?
NDC, or New Distribution Channel, represents a shift in how airlines market and sell their inventory. It's a new standard for data exchange between airlines and their reseller (agency) channels.
Our objective is to ensure a seamless transition for everyone involved, prioritizing the best outcomes for our customers. Despite the fact that NDC was initially designed for leisure travelers and their specific needs, we face the challenge of aligning with GBT standards for business travel. Our commitment remains steadfast in seamlessly integrating NDC-sourced content for our customers while preserving our longstanding business partner marketplace. This marketplace is instrumental in upholding the high service and duty of care standards that our clients expect from Amex GBT.
This article is to introduce how to locate NDC fares when searching for flights within Neo1, as well as understand some of the restrictions that exist with flexibility and changes when choosing these fares.
Overview
- Spotting when you are choosing an NDC fare
- Understanding the restrictions for NDC fares
- Airline Credits and NDC Fares
Spotting when you are choosing an NDC fare
Neo1 will present both classic and NDC fares when searching for a flight, however you can spot when a fare is NDC when presented with the note, "View specific after-sales conditions":
The key indicator distinguishing NDC from standard content is the presence of the note 'View specific after-sales conditions.' If this note is displayed, it signifies NDC-sourced content
This note will also appear in the fare matrix under the Cabin class:
You can click on View specific after-sales conditions to see which restrictions are in place for the chosen fare:
Understanding the restrictions for NDC fares
The above section describes how to spot NDC fares and view the associated after-sales conditions. This section will detail what these restrictions mean for you in practice and any workarounds we can suggest.
Service | Notes |
Booking Changes | Changes may be allowed dependant on the fare, but are not currently available to be processed online. Please reach out to the AmexGBT offline team for changes to NDC fares |
Booking Cancellation | Cancellation of bookings is available online. If this is done within the void period, the void will also be processed when cancelled online |
Ticket Exchanges | Exchanging your ticket for a different service may be possible based on the fare rules and class, but is not currently able to be processed online. Please reach out to the AmexGBT offline team for changes and exchanges to NDC fares |
Refunds | Where a fare is refundable, this will be processed automatically if cancelled online. |
Credits | The tracking and usage of credits for NDC fares is not yet currently supported. This will be implemented during the first half of 2024. If you have cancelled a non-refundable service and a credit is issued (Basic Economy NDC fares are no longer issued a credit for future use as per airline rules) you will need to use this credit on a future booking directly with the airline. AmexGBT will not be able to process this credit for you manually at this stage. |
Tip: Find the channels to reach out to an AmexGBT offline travel counsellor here: Getting Offline Support from a Travel Counsellor
Airline Credits and NDC Fares
As of now, AmexGBT cannot track, report on, or redeem credits from cancelled NDC bookings. This capability is scheduled to be phased in by 2024.
Currently, for non-refundable NDC bookings, if you cancel, please make a note of the booking reference. To utilize this credit, you'll need to apply it directly with the airline for a future booking. For instance, redeem an AA NDC credit on the American Airlines website for a future reservation.
You may need a ticket number for the credit, in this case please reach out to [email protected] with the booking details for the cancelled trip and we can provide this to you.