ARC Processes First Travel Agent EMD Transaction

Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) reports that it has processed the first transaction of an Electronic Miscellaneous Document (EMD) on behalf of American Airlines. ARC said this marks the first sale of an air carrier’s ancillary product by a travel agency processed using an EMD.

EMDs allow agency customers to pay for such items as extra baggage or premium seats at the same time their tickets are purchased, thus providing them the convenience of “one-stop shopping.”  

ARC says it has been EMD-ready since 2010 to accommodate various ancillary charges within a single transaction and link them to multiple legs of an airline ticket. This provides significant process efficiency and flexibility, along with much greater account data tracking.

The initial EMD transaction on behalf of American Airlines was for a Preferred Seat on Flight 523 from Dallas / Fort Worth to El Paso, and placed via American’s direct connect technology provider, Farelogix.

Mike Premo, ARC president and CEO, commented, “When ARC anticipated the sale of ancillary products by travel agents a number of years ago, we triggered a rigorous process ensuring our settlement technology would be prepared for this event."

"ARC is pleased to have championed this new capability for agents in order that they might provide this valuable service to their clients.  All of us at ARC are pleased to have processed the first agency-issued EMD and tip our hats to American Airlines for leading the way," Premo said.

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