More ADMs for agency card use

CATHAY Pacific has joined

the list of airlines that

are issuing ADMs for the

unauthorised use of agency

cards.

Toward the end of last year,

the airline announced that,

effective January 1, it would

issue ADMs if agents were

found to be in violation of

its new payment acceptance

policy. This includes the

use of agent cards without

explicit consent from the

airline.

This follows the

amendment of Iata

Resolution 890 – an

amendment agents hoped

would introduce agent credit

cards as an additional form

of payment.

Changes to Resolution

890 that were approved

at the Passenger Agency

Conference (PaConf) in

2017, came into effect

from March 1, 2018. While

the new wording allowed the

opportunity for agents to use

their own credit cards when

issuing tickets, it stated

that this would be subject

to approval by the individual

airlines.

While TNW is not aware

of any airlines that have

approved this form of

payment, other airlines

that have since stated

that they will raise ADMs

for agent card use include

British Airways and Iberia

(International Airlines Group),

the Lufthansa Group airlines,

and Qatar.

In Cathay’s notification

to the trade, the airline

stated that cards would

be accepted as payment

methods, provided: they

are accepted card brands

specified per BSPlink, in the

customer’s name; and the

agent has provided evidence

to BSP that they are PCI DSS

compliant. The electronic

ticket must also be eligible

for credit card payment (for

example selected published

fares) and agents must

have provided evidence to

BSP that they are PCI DSS

compliant.

Cathay has, however, given

instructions should agents

wish to apply for consent.

“The agents should apply

for our consent in writing

and we will consider to grant

consent on an individual

basis and it is totally at our

own discretion,” the airline

said in its notification to

the trade. “Consent may

be with conditions (e.g, the

agents have to absorb the

cost incurred by us on those

transactions) and we reserve

the absolute right to withdraw

the consent at any time.”