Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/140546
•pg_23-32__BMT_pg3-58 6/25/13 3:08 PM Page 25 ABAV DISPUTES NEW PAYMENT METHODS IMPOSED BY IATA Entity Claims it Was a One-Sided Decision and Stands Up For Travel Agencies ecently, the Brazilian Travel Agencies Association (ABAV) wrote a letter disputing the new payment methods required by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the travel agencies market. Represented by its president, Antonio Azevedo, ABAV explains in the document that, once again, the IATA/BSP has acted one-sidedly. "They are disregarding and disrespecting any trade and contractual relationship R between the association and travel agencies, requiring new payment conditions that will undoubtedly have a negative impact on many companies operating in the tourism industry," he claims. This situation may immediately cause a significant impact on travel agencies' financial departments, drastically changing the existing flexibility for payment hours, which will be subject to the working and bank clearance hours of Banco Santander, since, as from June 24, the IATA/BSP will no longer have transactions cleared through Itaú. "The least the IATA should have done before adopting these measures is discuss them with those who affect and justify its existence in the country. Thus, it would not be purely and simply imposing these measures without considering their consequences for travel agencies, to which the aforementioned notice was addressed," concludes Azevedo. B M & T ••• May/June 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 25