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Emirates NDC content will be distributed via Travelport+ platform
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GDS booking surcharge ranges between $14 and $25
Travel agencies connected with Travelport, a travel retail company, will not have to pay Emirates’ new $14 to $25 GDS booking surcharge under an agreement revealed Thursday by the companies.
Emirates’ Global Distribution Systems went into effect the same day the agreement was signed and also on the first day that Emirates tickets and ancillary products are no longer available in the Sabre GDS.
The companies also announced a new long-term agreement to enable the distribution of Emirates NDC content via Travelport’s next-generation platform, Travelport+, and an extension to its longstanding IT agreement.
In a statement, Travelport said that as of 1 July 2021, its global network of travel agency partners will automatically be upgraded to a dedicated channel that provides access to un-surcharged content.
“Travelport will also continue to provide Emirates with its industry-leading pricing, shopping and ticket rebooking technology as part of the agreement, to support the airline in the delivery of advanced shopping and rebooking options within its own internal sales channels, including its NDC channel and www.emirates.com,” the statement said.
For now, however, the surcharge isn’t active in at least two of the three primary GDSs used by US travel advisors. Emirates and Sabre cut ties with the expiration of their commercial agreement Wednesday after they failed to reach terms on a contract extension.
Emirates had announced last February that it would implement the GDS surcharge effective July 1 in conjunction with its launch of an NDC-powered direct connect portal, Emirates Partner Portal, for travel agencies. (With inputs from Travel Weekly)