Don’t Miss Out: Register for TravelConnect Today

Join us October 11–12 for ARC’s fifth annual TravelConnect conference. You’ll hear from dynamic keynote speakers and industry luminaries on how to create exceptional customer experiences, strengthen your travel brand and transform your business.

This year, we’re featuring more breakout sessions than ever before, including:

Track One: Future Trends. These sessions break down two complex — and potentially transformative — initiatives on the horizon.

Breakout Session Topics:

• Applying Blockchain to Air Travel
• ONE Order Explained

Track Two: Distribution Deep Dive. NDC implementations are on the rise. Get the latest updates from industry leaders in distribution, and learn how your organization can enhance its distribution strategy.

Breakout Session Topics:

• NDC Exchange
• A Connected Future: Creating NDC Partnerships

Track Three: The Power of Data. Data can power dramatic cost cuts and accelerate revenue growth for your business. Learn how to leverage the full potential of your company’s data and discover which metrics can make the most impact on your business.

Breakout Session Topics:

• Balancing Fares and Friction
• Leverage Data to Optimize Earning Potential

Track Four: Risks and Rejects. Manage your organization’s risk by learning how to strengthen transaction integrity, minimize chargebacks and detect the red flags of potential fraud.

Breakout Session Topics:

• The Latest in Debit Memos
• Mitigating Fraud: Agency and Airline Insights

Don’t miss your chance to connect with industry leaders and get the latest updates on trends shaping air travel.

Interview Spotlight: A Q&A with Payment Experts from ARC and IATA

Jennifer Watkins, ARC’s director of payments, and Christophe Kato, IATA’s head of payment services, discuss the trends in fraudulent card payment activities in our industry and how debit memo reduction could indicate successful fraud prevention.

Irregular Operations and Schedule Change Focus Group

ARC’s Debit Memo Working Group (DMWG) is currently engaging travel agencies and airlines in a focus group about the many issues surrounding irregular operations and schedule changes. The DMWG’s goal is to affect some process changes to enhance the customer experience and reduce costs for both airlines and agencies.

Want to get involved? ARC is looking for airline participants from airline debit memo and operations departments who can share their knowledge and review current processes with the group. Please contact Paige Blunt, ARC’s manager of industry relationships, if you are interested in joining this conversation.

Change to Diners Club International Alpha Code

Diners Club International is owned by Discover Financial and shares the same two-character alpha code with Discover. While Discover owns Diners Club International, it operates as a separate company, so there is a need to identify it uniquely. Therefore, effective PED 12/09/2018, the two-character alpha code for Diners Club International will change from DS to DC. The four-digit numeric code will remain the same (3600). For more information, please refer to ASP Bulletin 18-009.

ASTA Names ARC “Technology and Transaction Partner of the Year”

During the 2018 American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) conference, ARC was named the Technology and Transaction Partner of the Year. The ASTA awards program recognizes those individuals and organizations who make lasting contributions to the industry. ARC was selected for the Technology and Transaction Partner of the Year award by a vote of ASTA’s 9,500 individual members, who considered nominees’ dedication to, and support of, ASTA and the travel advisor community.

“We are extremely honored and proud to have been selected by ASTA members for this award,” said ARC President and CEO, Mike Premo. “Over the past decade, ARC has made a concerted effort to work closer with travel advisors and their organizations and also provide the technology and products to help them succeed. We see this recognition as a validation of those efforts and look forward to making our relationships even stronger. Thank you, ASTA!”

An Update on the Consolidation of Area Banks

As previously communicated in ASP Bulletin 18-007, ARC is consolidating its remaining three processing centers (area banks) into one. Because of ARC’s current technology, multiple processing centers are no longer needed.

ARC has begun moving agencies from area banks IAP/04 (04) and ELW/05 (05) into area bank IAR/07 (07), which will serve as ARC’s sole area bank moving forward. We are well underway in transitioning agencies from area bank 05 to area bank 07 and are on target to have the majority of agencies moved from area bank 05 into area bank 07 by September 6.

No action is required of your airline, but please note that your sales volume will shift to area bank 07 in the coming weeks. This will be reflected in your reporting files.

Area Bank Consolidation Plan

The project to completely move all agencies into area bank 07 and to shut down area banks 04 and 05 is estimated to be completed in November. We will continue to communicate with you as we move through the phases of the project.

The tentative schedule is below; please note that this is subject to change.

Phase 1: Migration of Agents

• July 13 – Sept. 6 Move agents from area bank 05 into area bank 07
• Aug. 24 – Oct. 12 Move agents from area bank 04 into area bank 07
• Oct. 15 – Nov. 1 Complete any additional agency movement

Phase 2: Shut Down Area Banks 04 and 05

• Nov. 2–19 Shut down area banks 04 and 05

What this Means for Your Airline

Phase 1: Migration of Agents

As agencies are migrated, you will see sales volume shifting from area banks 04 and 05 into area bank 07. As agencies are moved out of area banks 05 and 04, you will continue to receive CAT files for all three area banks. However, once all agencies have been moved to area bank 07, area bank 04 and 05 files will be null files with no transactions. Additionally, airline reporting (OCR, paper/CD/SFTP reports) will reflect the shifting of agents into area bank 07.

Phase 2: Shut Down Area Banks 04 and 05

Once area banks 04 and 05 are shut down, you will no longer receive CAT files for area banks 04 and 05 — only for area bank 07. Additionally, all transactions will be consolidated into area bank 07 for airline reporting, which includes Online Carrier Reporting (OCR), as well as paper/CD/SFTP reports.

We will continue to communicate with you as the project progresses, providing you with updates and any changes to timelines. If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact the Airline Help Desk at 855-816-8007 or ahd@arccorp.com.

Airline Tip: Why Can't I Access a Tool in My ARC?

My ARC is your centralized access point to a growing list of ARC tools and resources. If your organization has access to a specific tool, such as Memo Manager, but you do not, you can request access by clicking on the Request Access link in the “Your Tools” section. Since the request will go to your Primary Administrator, you will need to follow up with them on the access request.

But what if you do have access to the tool, and you click on the name in the “Your Tools” section but nothing happens? This is usually an issue with your browser’s pop-up blocker. Some browsers may show you a message on the information bar indicating that a pop-up was blocked. Depending on the browser you are using, you can allow access to the My ARC tool by clicking on additional options and selecting Always Allow Pop-Ups from This Site. You may also manage exceptions to enable pop-ups for all ARC sites by adding “*.arccorp.com” in the “Allowed Sites” option in your pop-up blocker browser settings. Because each browser is different and organizations may have specific technical requirements, we recommend you contact your organization’s IT professional to further adjust your web browser settings if necessary.

Airline Education

The following videos are now available on the Airline Education Portal

• Consolidation of Area Banks
• Understanding ARC’s Payment Forum

As a reminder, in addition to scheduled training, ARC offers customized training to our airlines. For more information, complete the customized training request form and ARC’s Airline Help Desk will contact you directly to create the training curriculum that will provide the maximum educational benefit to your airline at the best affordable rate.

We offer multiple options for any training level, at any location or desired method of training, such as in-person at ARC headquarters, at your airline’s office location, or by phone/webinar. Most importantly, we want to offer training flexibility that best suits you and your airline. To request training, please click the link below.