The International Air Transport Association partnered with travel agency groups to conduct a study on the New Distribution Capability's impact on agencies.

The groups include the American Society of Travel Agents and other national agency organizations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa. Those groups and IATA will appoint an "independent consultant" to study NDC's impact on agencies "from a business, technology and commercial perspective." The proposed study will explore obstacles to implementing NDC in agency channels and look at "potential funding models for the transaction of airfares and airline ancillary products via the travel agent channel using the NDC standard."