The IATA Passenger Agency Programme provides a system for the accreditation of travel agents that meet specific industry standards and financial and security criteria. Currently there are over 60,000 IATA Travel Agents operating in more than 200 countries selling US$218 billion of airline tickets on behalf of approximately 230 IATA member airlines.
The Passenger Agency Programme and associated products and services simplify the business relationship between the agents and the airlines and other industry principals. It also provides a standard method for agents to be recognised by both the travel industry and consumers.
The benefits of the programme are as follows:
IATA Airline Members
- Access to a global distribution network of IATA Travel agents who have signed a single standard Sales Agency Agreement with IATA
- Outsourced agent verification services including legal and financial evaluation and monitoring
- Reliable credit management with a collection rate of 99.98%
- Access to IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP), and BSPlink that together provide a single standard interface for invoicing and payment between the agents and the airline
- Protects the IATA member in case of violation of the Passenger Sales Agency Agreement or fraudulent practices
More information on IATA Airline Members
IATA Travel Agents
- Access to approximately 230 IATA airline members using a single standard Sales Agency Agreement.
- Authorisation to sell international and/or domestic tickets on behalf of the airlines.
- Access to IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP), and BSPlink that together provide a single standard interface for invoicing and payment between the agent and multiple airlines and transport providers.
- Global travel industry recognition through an “IATA Numeric Code” that provides a unique identifier for the agent.
- Global consumer confidence due to IATA Travel Agents meeting industry standards identifiable by the IATA logo and branding displayed on Travel Agents premises and websites
- Provides standard procedures which ensure fair and uniform standards in all dealings with the airlines
More information on Travel Agent Accreditation
More information on Passenger Agency Resolutions
Consumers
- Confidence that IATA Travel Agents meet industry standards and set financial and security criteria
- Unbiased advice and the option to purchase tickets on a wide range of airlines
Other Travel Agent Products and Services:
TIDS Programme
- The Travel Industry Designator Service (TIDS) code is a unique numeric code, allocated by IATA to globally identify sales intermediaries, including non-IATA travel agents, event organisers, hotel booking services, etc.
- It ensures that the sales intermediary is properly identified in electronic reservation systems as the originator of hotel, car-hire and flight reservations.
- Major travel industry suppliers now require a valid IATA or TIDS numeric code from their sales agents making bookings for their services.
- Currently 16,000 sales intermediaries have joined the programme.
More information on TIDS
IATA/IATAN Travel Agent Identity (ID) Card
- The IATA ID Card provides over 200,000 Travel Agency staff and sales agents with a photo identity card that is an industry credential accepted by airlines and major travel and tourism suppliers
- Entitles the ID Card holder to many industry discounts and privileges
More information on the IATA/IATAN ID Card