CT Connections’ corporate travel clients continue to gain immediate access to cutting edge innovations in the next generation New Distribution Capability (NDC) switch with the immediate rollout of self-service booking changes and cancellations through Zeno by Serko.
After leading the switch to Qantas Premium NDC in Australia from 1 July 2025, and enabling clients to access an average 9% fare saving on popular routes, CT Connections is staying at the front of the change curve as a Beta Partner with Serko which enables it to continue to trial and refine new Zeno capabilities as they are rolled out.
This means that CT Connections has been able to provide access for its clients to the new features as soon as the new functions have become available.
Under the just released capability upgrade, corporate travellers will have the autonomy to change or cancel bookings themselves in Zeno, even after their tickets have been issued, saving time and creating a better travel experience.
The facility offers instant pricing and real time options and mirrors the existing EDIFACT change process with the added power of NDC content.
This means more control for travellers and arrangers who want quick seamless adjustments.
This is important because according to the Global Business Travel Association, seven out of ten travellers prefer to use self-service technology to manage their trips. Empowerment is no longer an option – it is an expectation. By working with Serko, CT Connections is creating a self-service experience that aligns with travellers’ expectations.
Savings for corporate travel clients through Premium NDC continue to be significant and the addition of new features is deepening the functionality available through CT Connections.
With Premium NDC now rolled out to 100% of CT Connections clients, the average saving for CT Connections clients on their top 15 domestic routes is about 9% compared with the traditional EDIFACT system.
Analysis of Qantas Red-E Deals shows an 11% variance between EDIFACT and NDC rates on economy tickets. Savings on Business Class fares have varied between 4% and 20% while Flexi Fares on average are 7.5% lower.
Qantas Premium NDC offers significantly enhanced access to airline inventory, deeper discounts and a complete exemption from the Qantas EDIFACT surcharge of $11.50 a sector – which is the equivalent of $23 on a standard Sydney-Melbourne return fare.
Premium NDC is also providing smarter travel options to clients such as free seat allocation for Bronze Frequent Flyers, targeted price offers for Frequent Flyers, status credit and bonus point promotions companion fare options and additional bundled seat products.
QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE TO CONNECTIONS TRAVEL GROUP CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER ANDRE MOTEN:
“Qantas NDC airfares are cheaper than the traditional EDIFACT stream. But it’s critical that corporate buyers dig deeper and ask their TMCs a simple but powerful question: What type of NDC content are you giving me access to? Because not all NDC is created equal. The correct answer is ‘Premium NDC’, which offers significantly enhanced access to Qantas’ airline inventory, deeper discounts, and crucially, complete exemption from airline EDIFACT surcharges; a game-changer in cost control.
