QF hails Channel sign-ups

QANTAS Executive Manager of Sales & Distribution, Igor Kwiatkowski, has highlighted the strong take-up of participation in the new Qantas Channel (TD

07 Feb), with agreements now signed representing the vast majority of the airline’s global bookings through travel agents.

QF confirmed the figures today, telling TD: “of the indirect revenue generated through our agency partners globally, around 90% represents those who have registered for the Qantas Channel.

“All of the major agencies we work with have now registered,” the spokesperson said, confirming the participation of Corporate Travel Management, American Express GBT, Flight Centre, CWT, Egencia and more.

An initial 01 Jun deadline for sign-ups was extended to the end of last month, in the lead-up to the implementation of the Qantas Channel on 01 Aug.

However Kwiatkowski said the airline was continuing to engage with “some of the smaller agency partners that are still working through the process - ideally by 01 Aug, but if not shortly after”.

He was quoted in US travel newsletter The Beat as saying “our focus is on the content, and moving away from a world where we have schedule, price and availability as the differentiators of our product.

“We’re not looking to disintermediate players in the ecosystem...but we do see the need and the opportunity around how we get this content smorgasbord to be bigger than it is today and get that to market.”