AFTER two delayed
launches this year,
Iata says it is ready
to launch NewGen ISS
(New Generation of Iata
Settlement Systems) in
Southern Africa on
December 1.
Asata has received
several queries from agents
confused between the
extension of Iata’s monthly
remittance to April and the
roll-out of NewGen ISS in
December. Within NewGen
ISS, monthly remittance
settlements will still be
available until April 30, after
which remittance frequencies
will move to weekly or every
second week.
Asata is advising agents to
look out for a switchover to
NewGen ISS notification from
Iata where they need to take
note of a few points, says
ceo of Asata, Otto de Vries.
This email should have been
sent to agents by Iata at the
end of October.
“Most agents will be
switched over to the
GoStandard Accreditation
on December 1, which
is essentially the same
accreditation as before.
However, if an agent’s risk
assessment brought up any
problems, Iata may inform
them that they are required
to switch to GoLite. This
means agents can only
transact with airlines through
Iata’s BSP using the Iata
EasyPay and Card forms of
payment. Agents can also
voluntarily choose to switch
over to GoLite where there
is no minimum financial
security requirement and
they are not subjected to
an annual financial review,”
he says.
He adds that agents
should check their risk
status, which should
automatically be set as
‘Risk Status A’ (a low-risk
agency) and advises agents
to check their Remittance
Holding Capacity (RHC)
amount. Going forward, If
an agency’s sales approach
its RHC limit, the agency
will be advised by Iata and
will need to take steps to
avoid having cash sales
suspended. To do this, the
agency could settle its
BSP early or switch cash
sales over to the voluntary
pre-funded EasyPay account
payment option, says Otto.
RHC is a maximum cash
ticketing threshold assigned to
each travel agent.
Iata held a recent webinar
for agents on the NewGen ISS
implementation covering topics
such as ‘Which accreditation
model fits your agency’; ‘How
to put an RHC management
strategy in place’, and ‘How
to open an Iata EasyPay
account’.
“For most agents the
NewGen ISS go-live is
transparent. There is no
action to take unless agents
are close to reaching their
RHC or if they want to use
Iata EasyPay or apply for
GoLite accreditation. When
NewGen ISS is implemented,
all accredited agents are
automatically transitioned
to the GoStandard model.
Going forward they will be
able to convert to GoLite if
they choose. New agents
can apply directly for the
GoLite or GoStandard
Accreditation,” said Iata
spokesperson, Perry Flint.
Perry says while it is unlikely
that most agents will reach
their RHC, it is important for
agents to understand what it
is, define who will monitor it
and have a strategy in place
for managing it.
RHC is calculated for
most agents based on the
average of their three busiest
sales settlement periods,
plus 100%. The calculation
provides room for growth so
most agents will not reach the
threshold, says Iata.
