THE Southern African
Agency Programme Joint
Council (APJC) has written
to the Passenger Agency
Conference (PAConf) to
request an extension on
Iata’s controversial decision
to remove BSP monthly
remittance, giving agents
until April next year to comply.
The deadline is currently
December 31.
This was confirmed at the
Asata Travel Summit, which
was held on September 12
at the Sandton Convention
Centre.
The decision to extend is
expected to be made after
PAConf in October. Meanwhile,
agents must endeavour to
work to the current deadline
of December 31, said ceo
of Asata Otto de Vries.
“This extended time frame
will give agents time to
work with government and
corporate clients to improve
their payment cycle, and make
the move from extending
credit to using corporate
cards or lodge travel cards,”
says Janet Aldworth, md of
Sure Voyager Travel and the
agent representative on the
APJC.
The removal of BSP monthly
remittance and its impact
on payments was a key topic
of discussion at the Asata
Travel Summit.
The removal of monthly
remittance is expected to
drastically change how both
corporate and government
travel agents do business
as most corporate and
government clients expect
a 30-day account with
their TMCs.
For more on Asata’s Travel
Summit, see next week’s
issue of TNW.
