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ARC Corporate Communications
4100 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 600
Arlington, VA 22203-1629
703 816-8525
Fax: 703 816-8168
corpcom@arccorp.com
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About ARC
ARC is the premier financial transaction processing and settlement corporation that facilitates the distribution of travel products and related information in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are nearly 30,000 ARC accredited travel agency locations and approximately 130 participating airlines and railroads in ARC's settlement system. Using increasingly sophisticated electronic means for ticket distribution, reporting, and remittance, these points of sale are responsible for air and rail sales of nearly $65 billion a year. For more information about ARC, please visit www.arccorp.com.
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ARC ASSOCIATE CARRIER PROGRAM REACHES CRUISING ALTITUDE
June 26, 2003 - Arlington, Virginia - The ARC Associate Carrier Program this week reached a
milestone of 10 participating carriers with the addition of Caribbean Sun Airlines and
VASP Brazilian Airlines, the ninth and tenth airlines to join the program designed for
small to mid-sized carriers. These carriers add to ARC's existing participation base for a
total of 133 carriers with direct ticketing access.
"The popularity of the Associate Carrier Program even in its infant stage is an indication
of the value ARC is now providing to carriers that have not traditionally been ARC
participants," said David Collins, CTC, ARC president & chief executive officer. "I am
confident that word will spread about the benefit of this program and we will continue to
see increased participation."
The ARC Associate Carrier Program is a cost-effective solution for small to mid-sized
carriers with distribution and settlement needs in the U.S. market. Associate carriers gain
point of sale access to more than 27,000 ARC-accredited travel agencies and corporate
travel departments (CTDs), giving the carriers greatly increased sales opportunities to
customers in the United States. With ARC's proven reporting system, associate carriers
benefit from weekly settlement, rather than waiting for interline payments.
ARC Associate Carriers have access to all of the same products and services as ARC's
full carrier participants, including prompt ticket sales resolution, debit and credit memo
settlement, fraud prevention consultation/reporting, and a full range of ARC
COMPASSSM data report options.
"When Southern Winds launched regular flights from the United States to Buenos Aires,
Argentina, we knew we wanted to tap into the power of the US agency community in a
cost-effective way," said Gustavo Echavarrķa, Southern Winds manager of interline &
industry affairs. "ARC's Associate Carrier Program offers us efficient reporting and
settlement of US agency sales, and allows us to compete in the US market."
The Associate Carrier Program was designed for carriers that anticipate averaging less
than 1,000 transactions per month passing through the ARC system. Associate Carriers
pay significantly lower fees than traditional ARC carriers, both for initial participation
and fixed monthly fees. Carriers currently participating in the program are:
- Aerosvit Airlines, Ukraine
- Afrinat International Airlines, The Gambia
- Air Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- Air d'Ayiti, Haiti
- Caribbean Sun Airlines, United States
- Hahn Air, Germany
- SN Brussels Airlines, Belgium
- Southern Winds, Argentina
- Universal Airlines, Guyana
- VASP Brazilian Airlines, Brazil
ARC recognizes that change and adaptation are crucial within our industry. The Associate
Carrier Program initiative reflects ARC's philosophy that global carriers of all sizes and
financial scope should be able to compete in the US market, creating a broad-based and
diverse distribution network for both carriers and agents within the US. Carriers
interested in the Associate Carrier Program can request more information at
CarrierSolutions@arccorp.com
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