Air Canada will apply its distribution cost recovery fee—its per-ticket fee on bookings made through traditional EDIFACT-connected channels—only to the lowest fares booked in each cabin, the carrier confirmed this week.
In June 2023, Air Canada began levying its surcharge on tickets issued through EDIFACT-based global distribution system channels. It now charges US$21.50 per-ticket for Amadeus, US$24 for Sabre and US$21.50 for Travelport, according to the airline. "The DCR has now been simplified to apply only to the lowest fares booked in each cabin (currently G,K,A,P booking classes) for tickets issued globally via GDS EDIFACT channels," according to an update. Air Canada last year began waiving the surcharge for corporate clients that have a contract with the carrier. The airline this week confirmed exemptions remain for group and corporate bookings.
The airline said that more than 600 agencies are now actively booking using Air Canada's New Distribution Capability fares and "as market trends change, it is now possible to apply the DCR less restrictively."
The carrier also said it would double the "risk-free refund" period to 48 hours from 24 for bookings made with NDC but didn't offer a timeframe beyond noting in a statement that "development of this feature is underway and will be available in the coming months."
The carrier also has enabled NDC distribution with Amadeus and "by the end of June" will launch NDC through Sabre. The carrier also signed an NDC deal with Travelport, which will "follow soon."
Continuous availability is now live to all partners integrated with Air Canada NDC, "which will result in better access to lower fares in NDC." Continuous pricing will be automatically available to any partner integrated with NDC when it is deployed in late 2024, according to the carrier.
In the next 12 months, the carrier plans to offer additional content and features that will include support for disrupted customers, a new way to handle involuntary changes, the ability to apply unused tickets for future travel, and more payment options for international markets. Planned for early 2025 are "cancel for any reason" and carbon-offset content, according to Air Canada.