NDC Frequently Asked Questions

Cathay’s goal is to provide curated offers to our customers in both direct and indirect sales channels and hence creating a level playing field for all travel intermediaries who wish to access Cathay’s products and sell through their own channels. Our NDC solution helps to achieve that. Following are some notable benefits from connecting to Cathay NDC:

• No ADMs from fare discrepancies as Cathay creates the offers and issues the tickets; travel intermediaries do not have to worry about incorrect manual pricing
• Travel intermediaries now have the opportunity to create a one-stop-shop solution for everything as on Cathay’s flagship site. Less time spent hopping between GDS and airlines website to shop for flights and ancillaries for customers
• Shopping, booking, ticketing, changes, and cancellation can be through own agent portal
• Rich content will be available through Cathay’s NDC for you to explain to your customers what they will expect on their flight journey
• Cathay will also be enhancing our personalization ability to provide offers matching with a customer profile or corporate policy

With the advancement of NDC schema each year and the development of our merchandising solution, more product offers, ancillaries, and services may be provided through the NDC channel. Content availability is subject to the technical feasibility of each distribution channel. Cathay is open to discuss incentive schemes with potential agents on an individual basis. Please approach our local sales team/NDC commercial team for further discussion.

There are 3 ways a travel agent/TMC can connect with Cathay

1. Connect via a Cathay approved NDC aggregator. You may access to Cathay NDC content via one of our aggregator partners.
   
2. Connect via your GDS. Some GDSs have also launched their NDC aggregation solution. Cathay will progressively provide NDC content to these GDS partners. Please contact your GDS for further information on how to access to Cathay NDC content.
3. Direct connect with Cathay NDC API. Cathay welcomes companies with technical capability to connect directly upon internal assessment by Cathay on the technical compatibility.

Yes, Marco Polo Club and Asia Miles members can be identified during the booking process when they input their FFP numbers. The respective member entitlements will be applied for their booking accordingly. From time to time, personalized or members exclusive offers may be available through Cathay NDC.

Please refer to the “How to connect to Cathay NDC” section on our CXagents.com NDC page. 

For direct connection, depending on the time taken for integration test and commercial discussion, it usually ranges from 2 to 3 months. An integration through an aggregator or GDS aggregation will be much faster ranging between 1 – 3 weeks. However, it is good to note that the time taken may vary depending on your arrangement with your chosen aggregator.

There is no plan for Cathay to introduce surcharge at the moment, but we will continue to review our distribution strategy and share with the trade when there is any new development.

Cathay accepts BSP cash and customer credit card settlement. (card settlement applicable to certain fare products only) Your aggregator partner may have other payment options for you to settle with Cathay.

Yes, most of the aggregators connected with Cathay’s NDC has developed servicing capability, allowing you to make changes to your customers’ bookings (i.e. cancellation and refunds etc.). Please approach your preferred aggregators to understand more about the services they can provide.

Currently Cathay does not offer such booking portal. Please approach one of our listed aggregator partners to start your connection and obtain Cathay’s NDC content.

1. For connection via our designated aggregator partner, agents will need to read our Cathay NDC Intermediary Agreement Terms and Conditions, acknowledge and tick the check box on the registration form. 
2. For connection via GDS, we will provide more details on the onboarding process and documents required once the GDS aggregation option is ready for launch. Please stay tuned for updates.
3. For direct connection, please approach Cathay NDC’s commercial team or your local account manager more details regarding the required documents.

Cathay NDC is opened to all interested parties (Travel agents, aggregators, GDS, TMC, Online booking tools) that are interested to distribute and/or transact CX’s products and services. 

There is no fee/cost charged by CX to connect with Cathay NDC.  Cost may however be incurred depending on your choice of tech partner(s) to provide NDC solution/content. You may contact your chosen tech partner(s) to find out more.

Yes, similar to how GDS works these days, agents who connect to an aggregator should gain access to the content of all airlines the aggregator is connected with, subject to the consent of other airlines.

For Meta search partners, sellers that do not have servicing capabilities, they should direct customers to CX.com Manage Booking (MMB) or CCD hotline (ex-GCC) for servicing.

For IATA agents, servicing done by connected aggregators via NDC servicing API.

No, we do not support group bookings through NDC at the moment.

The NDC Terms and Conditions will continue applies perpetually as long as the agent or partner continue to use NDC to do bookings with Cathay. CX holds the right to amend conditions of sale on products made available through the NDC channel.