Smartwings Joins ARC

Smartwings (QS-797) will join the ARC as a participating carrier, effective with sales October 21, 2024. Smartwings, the largest Czech airline and one of the fastest-growing airlines in Central Europe, has been on the market for 27 years. It is a member of the Smartwings Group, which includes Smartwings Poland, Smartwings Slovakia, and Smartwings Hungary. Smartwings Group operates scheduled services, charter flights and business-jet category private flights.

With its headquarters in Prague, Czech Republic, Smartwings operates scheduled flights from Prague to more than 80 destinations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Its fleet of 60+ aircraft includes B737-700/800/900, B737MAX8 and A320 types. Four new A220 planes will join the fleet by November 2024.

Smartwings has elected the General Concurrence method of agent appointment, whereby all ARC agents are automatically appointed as agents of Smartwings. In addition to cash, Smartwings will accept Mastercard and Visa as forms of payment.

Agents can contact Smartwings through the following channels:

Czech Airlines Voluntarily Deletes From ARC

Czech Airlines (OK/064) voluntarily deletes from ARC effective PED 10/27/2024. Czech Airlines will manage all refunds directly. For additional information, please visit their travel agency webpage.

Big News for 2025: Faster Reporting, Better Service for Your Customers

We know how important it is for you to stay ahead in the ever-changing travel industry. That’s why we’re planning a shift in 2025 to speed up the reporting process. This will give you quicker access to settled sales data and help you better serve your clients.

So, what’s changing?
Starting January 13, 2025, ARC plans to move the deadline for authorizing weekly sales reports to 1:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), excluding Monday and Tuesday holiday weeks. This change from the current 11:59 p.m. ET deadline allows settled data to be processed and transmitted earlier. Speeding up the sales report authorization will enable ARC to send settled data faster.

Why this is good news for you:

  1. Faster Refunds: Your customers’ refunds and exchanges issued on Sundays and Mondays will have a quicker output — no more waiting around an extra day. That’s a win for you and your customers.
  2. Earlier Sales Data: You’ll have access to your settled sales data sooner, helping you better manage your projected revenues and cash flow.
  3. Competitive Edge: This change helps the agency channel keep pace with airline-direct channels, ensuring you stay competitive.

What if my agency isn’t ready yet?

We understand — adjusting to new processes can take a bit of time. Today, over 85% of weekly settlement reports are being submitted by the 1:59 p.m. ET deadline, but some agencies will need to make changes to support the earlier report authorization. If you haven’t made the switch yet, we recommend reconciling your sales reports daily. It’ll save you time correcting any errors at the end of the week and help everything run smoothly. And for those handling exchange transactions, be sure any residual MCO/EMD is properly linked to the primary exchange to ensure everything balances before settlement.

Need support? We’ve got you covered.
We want to ensure agencies have plenty of time to adjust smoothly. Visit our new expedited reporting webpage.

Our Customer Care team is here to help answer any questions and guide you through the transition. Reach out to us at 1-855-816-8003 or ccchelp@arccorp.com

Tip of the Week: What if I forget my Username for My ARC? 

If you forget your username, My ARC allows you to retrieve it via email. This can be done from ARC's corporate website or the My ARC Login page. To recover from ARC's corporate website: 

  1. Open a web browser and navigate to the ARC corporate website at www.arccorp.com.  
  2. On the top right-hand side of the page, click the My ARC Login box.
  3. Click the Forgot Username link. The Forgot Username screen will display.
  4. Type the email address to set up your My ARC account in the Enter your email address to receive your Username textbox.  
  5. Click the Continue button. 
  6. Once selected, your request is processed, and your username is sent to you via the email address previously entered.