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ARTA Canada Raises Concerns About New IATA Debit Process
UFTAA to Take Matter to Passenger Agency Programme Joint Council
Toronto, 08 September 2009: ARTA Canada, the Canadian member of the United Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA), has raised concerns about a new IATA debit procedure outlined in BSP Canada Communiqué 15/09. The new system introduces SPDR/SPCR (Settlement Plan Debit and Credit Records) which IATA will use to make various adjustments and to debit/credit an agent's bank account. According to the communiqué, the SPDR will be used, in part, for adjustments to billing disputes (ADM disputes), however, the communiqué also stipulates that the 30-day latency period, the time period agents normally have to dispute such adjustments, has been eliminated for these transactions.
ARTA Canada is concerned that a carrier-driven adjustment, actioned by IATA, may be incorrect or without the consent of the agent or not in accordance with IATA Resolution 850m which governs the handling of ADMs. Accordingly, ARTA Canada is troubled by such billing dispute adjustments not having a latency period and where the agency would have no direct recourse under Resolution 850m to deal with the matter.
ARTA Canada wrote twice to BSP Canada. No reply was received. In addition to seeking clarification on the SPDR, ARTA Canada also asked IATA to indicate whether this process was discussed at the Canada/Bermuda Agency Programme Joint Council, where carriers and ACTA are members.
ARTA Canada has taken the matter to UFTAA to raise the issue at the upcoming meeting of the IATA Passenger Agency Programme Joint Consultative Council, where UFTAA represents ARTA Canada. If BSP Canada is not willing to provide a response to ARTA Canada's inquiry, ARTA Canada, through an IATA-accredited member, may be forced to file a complaint with the Travel Agency Commissioner.
About ARTA Canada
ARTA Canada is the largest non-profit federally incorporated professional association of travel retailers in Canada, the members of which consist exclusively of travel agencies and travel agents. In addition to advocating fair and equitable treatment of travel consumers, ARTA Canada represents the commercial and strategic interests of its member travel agencies and travel agents in a variety of national and provincial domains including regulatory and legislative matters, automation, technology, sales and marketing, and distribution.
ARTA Canada is the strategic partner in Canada of the U.S.-based Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA). ARTA Canada is the Canadian member of UFTAA, the United Federation of Travel Agents' Associations. To join ARTA Canada, complete details and online membership application and secure payment are available on the ARTA Canada web site at www.artacanada.ca/join. |
