American Express Global Business Travel will participate in the Qantas Channel when it launches Aug. 1, enabling GBT to avoid the per-segment fee that agent bookings outside that channel will incur. The channel gives Amex GBT access to the Qantas Distribution Platform, which is certified with the International Air Transport Association's New Distribution Capability standards. On Aug. 1, Qantas will begin charging 17.50 Australian dollars, a little more than US$12, for bookings outside the channel. The carrier already has reached agreements with the major global distribution systems to provide bookings through the channel.