FAQs: Servicing

These frequently asked questions provide information about servicing the NDC order, such as refunds, consolidator workflows, and modifying a booking.

Refer to the other FAQ topics for information about getting started, shopping and booking, seats, and reporting/MBOS for NDC content.

Question

Answer

Are refunds supported for NDC?

Yes, we do support Refund flow, please refer to the NDC airlines capabilities page for more details.

How many reissues are supported by AA?

AA support unlimited changes to a ticketed booking.

Does the agency have the same time lines to audit, void, modify, etc. in ARC as with current GDS tickets?

Yes they are no different, but do always check the fare conditions as there could be some exceptions.

How can GDS support the sub-agent to consolidator workflow in NDC?

For the most part, the sub-agent to consolidator workflow operates the same in NDC as it does currently in GDS.  Please refer to airline specific pages for more details on what is/isn´t support on their flows.

Does the sub-agent or the consolidator sign up to the airline’s NDC program?

This is different per airline and Travelport will ensure it’s clear what the process is for our consolidator and sub-agents as each airline NDC program launches with Travelport.  Our recommendation is that each consolidator has a conversation with their sub-agent(s) to ensure the correct airline registrations have been completed.

Will a PNR be created in 1P/1V if the refund request is initiated after the reservation is canceled and past travel date (not in the original PNR)?

No this is not supported. Once the order is canceled, it is then purged from the system. We will ask carriers if this is a future roadmap item.

How will agents be able to display the NDC ticket number to know if a customer has unused ticket available for exchange?

To view the ticket image:

For Travelport+ and Apollo customers, enter *TE/ticket number to display the ticket number electronic image.

Important: This entry only works for American Airlines and is not supported by United Airlines.
For Worldspan customers, enter ETR/ticket number

Important: Do not enter the final digit from the ticket number. This final digit is a check digit.

Can we modify the booking on the carrier's website?

Yes, however, if you modify the booking on the carrier's website, the ownership of the booking may transfer to the carrier. These changes may not be reflected back into the booking file/PNR.

American Airlines may charge customers a service fee if they call to make changes. Refer to the American Airlines service fee charges FAQ for more information.

If ownership is transferred to the carrier, does it mean I won't receive my schedule change if it happens?

Yes. The connection may be broken with Travelport, so the agency may not be able to receive updates through Travelport.

If I issued a ticket for a fare that has now been removed from EDIFACT can I exchange it in NDC?

No, you cannot. You will receive the error “NO FARE HISTORY”. You have to call the carrier to exchange this type of ticket.

AA service fee

If I call AA to make a change to the booking what happens?

When a travel professional calls the Electronic Support Desk (ESD) to modify a booking, the following fees apply.

NOGO reset assistance – When the passenger does not show up for their ticketed flight and the ticket gets suspended, ESD will open the ticket back to “OK” status so the ticket can be reissued for a different date. The processing fee for this service is $100 USD.
Duplicate ticket waiver – When the travel professional is unable to process this service in Saleslink, ESD will grant a waiver for the travel professional to refund the duplicated ticket via their GDS. No charge for this service.
Missing the allowed ticket VOID time window (1 day only) – ESD provides a refund waiver for $100 USD.
Fare calculation typos/errors – $50 USD.
Ticket exchange errors – The travel professional must show proof of how the transaction is recorded in ARC to reset the incorrect exchange. The processing fee is $100 USD.
Name change waiver associated with any of the above scenarios – $100 USD.
Change form of payment for future travel tickets – $100 USD.

AA Sales Support Contact Center

Operational hours: 24/7
Email: american.support@aa.com
Phone: 800-621-8489 (covered accounts)
Phone: 817-786-0852 (non-covered accounts)
Be prepared to enter your 7-digit IATA number, or the 6-digit CART number for your contracted corporate account.

If an agent calls Reservations, they will be charged a processing fee, as Reservation services are intended for the traveler vs an agent. All travelers booked on 3rd party bookings, such as Travelport, who then call Reservations, are instructed to contact their agency. This is to ensure that the agency keeps control of the ticket and can continue to service the booking. If the traveler insists that they want Reservations to assist, then they will be charged the $50 fee. Now there are some cases where reservations will assist the traveler, such as IROPS situations, where the $50 is waived.

The following scenarios describe when fees are charged.

Scenario	Fee applied?	What happens
Customer calls AA and AA changes flights, pre-ticket or post ticket and hold (not ticket issuance)	Yes	Updates will not flow through to the passive segment but AA does not take ownership of the PNR – agency retains control although PNR is out of sync.
Customer calls AA. AA change flights and AA issues or reissues ticket.	Yes	Updates will not flow through to the passive segment but AA now takes ownership of the PNR. PNR is out of sync.
Customer makes changes on AA.com – i.e., add or change seats	No	Updates will not flow through to the passive segment; agency retains control although PNR is out of sync.
Customer calls AA to change a name or other passenger details	Yes	Updates will not flow through to the passive segment but AA does not take ownership of the PNR. Agency retains control although PNR is out of sync.

What options are available for tickets that are no-show for NDC?

Each carrier may handle no-shows differently. We recommend contacting the airline directly.

How does revalidation work for NDC?

The carrier does revalidation during schedule change. Existing host entries regarding revalidation will not work for NDC.

When there is a schedule change, the agent needs to ensure that the ticket has been revalidated because in some cases the agent has to do a reissue with a waiver code. Guidance on which scenarios require waiver is provided by the carrier.